500-year-old Malian tomb undergoes restoration to preserve historical significance: Video
The centuries-old Tomb of Askia, a symbol of the Songhai Empire's power, is undergoing restoration to preserve its historical significance.
Built in 1495 by Askia Mohamed, the tomb stands in Gao, Mali, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. The monument holds deep cultural importance, both for locals and for the global community.
Head of the Gao Cultural Mission, Mamadou Samake, shared the tomb’s significance with the AFP. He said, “The Tomb of the Askia is a historical monument that was built by Askia Mohamed in 1495. It is a very old monument that shows the power and greatness of the Songhai empire, a living proof of it today. So, it is a monument that is also on the national heritage list and on the world heritage list since 2004. "
For the people of Gao, the site is more than a historical landmark - it’s a source of pride. “It’s like a museum for us,” said local resident Oumar Seydou Maiga. “Historians come from all over the world to visit, and it gives a positive image of Gao. We feel proud every time.”
However, natural elements have taken a toll on the tomb over the years. Samake pointed out that water, humidity, and insects have caused significant damage. “First, the factors of degradation on the site are natural factors - it’s water, humidity, and insects, so all the problems we see around that tomb and the pathologies we found came from that. There are the woods that were very fragile, very degraded; others were broken. There were pillars that had fallen in 2011 and 2017, so it is; it is pathologies.”
Historian Mohamed Soumeylou Traore explained, “This renovation is crucial because the tomb serves as the burial place of multiple Askia rulers. In Gao alone, ten Askias have been laid to rest here.”
