Tomb of Askia
Songhai builders under Askia Muhammad I · Gao, Mali · 1495
The Tomb of Askia is a monumental earthen complex built for Askia Muhammad I and associated with the political and religious consolidation of the Songhai Empire. Its central pyramidal tomb rises in stepped mud-brick tiers reinforced by projecting timber elements, while surrounding mosque spaces and cemeteries create a broader sacred precinct. The architecture depends on periodic communal maintenance of its earthen surfaces, making building tradition and preservation inseparable. Dating to the late fifteenth century, it is a major example of Sahelian monumental construction.