Bandiagara Escarpment

The Bandiagara Escarpment is located in the Bandiagara region of central Mali, in West Africa, within the area known as Dogon Country. The sandstone cliff formation stretches for roughly 150 kilometers across the Sahel landscape and is home to the Dogon people, who built villages along and at the base of the cliffs.

The original cave dwellings carved into the escarpment were built by the Tellem people, who inhabited the region before the Dogon arrived. The Tellem used the cliffs' natural caves and hand-carved shelters as burial sites and dwellings, and their remnants are still visible high on the cliff faces where the Dogon later settled.

Yes, the Bandiagara Escarpment was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989 under the listing 'Cliffs of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons).' The designation recognizes both the site's natural geological significance and its rich cultural heritage, encompassing Tellem cave dwellings, Dogon villages, and sacred ritual sites along the cliff face.

The Bandiagara Escarpment extends for approximately 150 kilometers through central Mali, rising roughly 500 meters above the surrounding plains. The cliff face is punctuated by numerous villages, shrines, and ancient Tellem cave dwellings, making the entire length of the escarpment culturally and archaeologically significant.