The Toloy cave, located in a valley 50 meters wide starting near Bongo and running parallel to the Bandiagara Escarpment, has been clearly and intentionally damaged since we observed during our visit in November 2013. The current situation, as we have seen in March 2015, is dramatic.
Inside this cave, more than half of the clay buildings are damaged, some are completely destroyed to the extent that we can only see traces of their presence.
These buildings, dated between the V century B.C. and the II century A.C., are the oldest cultural remains in the Sanga region and part of UNESCO World Heritage. The need to repair and rehabilitated this heritage is urgent, since already there are possibly irreparable damages. Unless action is taken, this heritage of the humanity will disappear soon.
In order to preserve this archaeological site, several steps are required. The first is to quickly set up a small brigade that can monitor this remote area and find the vandals, which caused the damages and the demolition of the coiled clay buildings. Engage the local community to protect this exceptional site is the first signal of action to ensure the durability of the heritage.
The second step is to make a complete documentation, collecting a lot of information and photos from 1964 until 2015, in order to understand which approach is the best option for this archeological site. In addition, we need to investigate how to protect the heritage and who can be involved into the project, creating a proper team work.