Songhai architecture

The architecture typically encompasses mud-brick buildings, flat roofs, and distinctive designs reflecting the cultural and historical aspects of the Songhai civilization.

Traditional houses are huts called “Bugu.” Social activities commonly occur outside in the compound, where food is prepared and consumed, and people visit each other in the evening.

[5] Songhai villages exemplify the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style prevalent in West Africa, characterized by mud bricks and adobe plaster construction.

These patterns serve both aesthetic and cultural functions, offering insights into the profound beliefs, values, and identity of the Songhai people who inhabit these homes.

Circular units, constructed from mud bricks and adobe plaster, densely populate the town, serving diverse purposes such as residential homes and storage facilities.

They lead the application of hand-pulled soil mixed with cow dung as the base, followed by layers of kaolin, wheat porridge, ash, and sticky leaf juice.

The resulting geometric patterns, depicting animals and characters, along with friezes in natural pigments, enhance the walls both aesthetically and structurally against Sahelien elements.

This specific cultural practice highlights the direct involvement of women, emphasizing their crucial role in preserving traditional knowledge and shaping the architectural identity of the villages.

Adorned with geometric patterns and friezes, some painted white or blue, the palace features horseshoe arches, echoing the Sahel's architectural tradition and underscoring its Islamic heritage while symbolizing the might and prestige of the Djermakoye dynasty.

The masajids (mosques) of Sankore, Djinguereber, and Sidi Yahya were the centres of learning in medieval Mali and produced some of the most famous works in Africa, the Timbuktu Manuscripts.

The “body acts as an organizational template for a building's interior layout.” Ultimately, these architectural forms are derived from an individual level but align with the cosmos, revealing an intricate spiritual system.