IRON PRODUCTION IN BURKINA FASO 2,700 YEARS AGO

IRON PRODUCTION IN BURKINA FASO 2,700 YEARS AGO

IRON PRODUCTION IN BURKINA FASO 2,700 YEARS AGO
Burkina Faso boasts several standing, natural-draught furnaces, and several other furnace structures and mines.

Some are up to 4-7m tall, and others are exceptionally old, dating back to the 8th century BC. This shows that people in West Africa have been producing iron for well over 2,700 years with a production technology that was widespread in the region by 500 BC.

The Douroula site in particular, dates back to the 8th century BC, and is perhaps the oldest evidence of the development of iron production found in Burkina Faso.