Drums beat as women bring buckets of water and boys trample mud and water to make plaster

摘要

Since being made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, Djenne's fame has escalated. Its historic 1907 Great Mosque has become emblematic of Wes Africa, and the beauty of mud buildings in particular. With this image fixed in mind, I visited the RIBA's show on the architecture of this small town in Mali and the skills of its masons.rnMany of Djenne's buildings, including the Great Mosque, are made from sun-baked mud bricks, set with a mud-based mortar, which are coated with a mud plaster that provides the sculptural element.