Senegambian stone circles

The Senegambian stone circles include more than 1,000 megalithic formations spread across a vast territory straddling the border between Gambia and Senegal. The four principal locations—Sine Ngayène, Wanar, Wassu, and Kerr Batch—each contain dozens of circles made from shaped laterite blocks standing upright, often accompanied by smaller horizontal markers.

Local communities built these monuments from laterite over a span of nearly two millennia, beginning around the third century before the common era. The construction techniques evolved through the centuries, with later circles often using smaller stones and simpler arrangements than earlier ones.

Each of the four major sites carries names from local languages and remains a place where communities honor ancestral memory. Visitors notice the careful spacing and alignment of the stones, reflecting the social importance these formations held for past generations.

The sites are easiest to reach during the dry season from November through April, when unpaved paths remain passable. Wassu and Kerr Batch offer the most accessible complexes, with local guides available on request to explain the layout and features.

Sine Ngayène contains 52 circles arranged along a Y-shaped axis, forming the largest concentration of megalithic circles in the region. Some of the stones show traces of working patterns that point to specialized tools and careful planning.