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168. Great Mosque of Djenne. Mali. Founded c. 1200 CE rebuilt 1906- 1907. Adobe.

Form

-Three tall towers; the central tower is a mihrab -Vertical fluting drains water off the surface quickly Materials -Made of adobe, a baked mixture of clay and straw; adobe helps maintain cooler temperatures. Torrens: wooden beams projecting from walls Wooden beams act as in-place ladders for the maintenance of the building

Content

--Crowning ornaments have ostrich eggs, symbols of fertility and purity -Roof has several holes with terra cotta lids to circulate air into the main room.

Function

-Inhabited since 250 B.C.E. Djenne became a market center and an important link in the trans-Saharan gold trade -Two thousand traditional houses survive, built on small hills to protect against seasonal floods -Once a year there is a community activity to repair the mosque called Crepissago de la Grand Mosquee

Context

Context

Additional Information

-Additional