Bura Archaeological Site
Encyclopedia
The archeological site of Bura is located in the Tillabéry Region, of the Tera Department
, in southwest Niger
. The Bura archeological site has given its name to the area's first-millennium Bura culture
.
statuettes. The main necropolis
itself has a diameter of about one kilometer. Burial mounds, religious altars, and ancient dwellings occur here over a large area. In 1983 a site 25 meters by 20 meters was excavated.
toured France in the 1990s, the ancient Bura earthenware
statuettes became highly valued by collectors.
The clay
and stone anthropomorphic heads of the ancient and medieval Bura culture have been sought for their unusual abstraction
and simplification.
Unfortunately, widespread looting
and smuggling
has followed this commercial demand, and so many of the Bura culture sites have been negatively impacted. Le Monde
concludes that "90 percent of Niger's Bura sites have been damaged" by looters and vandals since 1994.
Other Bura artifacts
have been large terracotta burial
jars (both tubular and ovoid) and varied funerary pottery
. Of the 834 Bura-related sites in the Niger River
valley, UNESCO
reports that the original Bura archeological site has produced the oldest equestrian clay
statues.
More recently, many Bura "rat-tail" iron-age
spear-point
s have also entered the Euro-American collectors market.
World Heritage Tentative List on May 26, 2006 in the Cultural category.
Tera Department
Téra is a department of the Tillabéri Region in Niger. Its capital lies at the city of Téra.-History:Téra Department covers most of the historic territory of Liptako. Today primarily a home to speakers of the Southern Songhai language, prior to the Songhai Empire, the area was populated by...
, in southwest Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
. The Bura archeological site has given its name to the area's first-millennium Bura culture
Bura culture
The Bura culture refers to a set of archeological sites in the lower Niger River valley of Niger and Burkina Faso. More specifically, the Iron-Age civilization exemplified by the Bura culture was centered in the southwest portion of modern-day Niger and in the southeast part of contemporary...
.
Site description
The Bura site consists of many individual necropoleis with coffins crested by unusually-distinctive terra cottaTerra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
statuettes. The main necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
itself has a diameter of about one kilometer. Burial mounds, religious altars, and ancient dwellings occur here over a large area. In 1983 a site 25 meters by 20 meters was excavated.
Artifacts and looting
Following the 1975 discovery and 1983 excavation of the Bura archeological site, and after a Bura-Asinda exhibitionExhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within museums, galleries and exhibition halls, and World's Fairs...
toured France in the 1990s, the ancient Bura earthenware
Earthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
statuettes became highly valued by collectors.
The clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
and stone anthropomorphic heads of the ancient and medieval Bura culture have been sought for their unusual abstraction
Abstraction
Abstraction is a process by which higher concepts are derived from the usage and classification of literal concepts, first principles, or other methods....
and simplification.
Unfortunately, widespread looting
Looting
Looting —also referred to as sacking, plundering, despoiling, despoliation, and pillaging—is the indiscriminate taking of goods by force as part of a military or political victory, or during a catastrophe, such as during war, natural disaster, or rioting...
and smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
has followed this commercial demand, and so many of the Bura culture sites have been negatively impacted. Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
concludes that "90 percent of Niger's Bura sites have been damaged" by looters and vandals since 1994.
Other Bura artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
have been large terracotta burial
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
jars (both tubular and ovoid) and varied funerary pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
. Of the 834 Bura-related sites in the Niger River
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
valley, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
reports that the original Bura archeological site has produced the oldest equestrian clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
statues.
More recently, many Bura "rat-tail" iron-age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
spear-point
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
s have also entered the Euro-American collectors market.
World Heritage status
This site was added to the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Tentative List on May 26, 2006 in the Cultural category.