The Tellem, which means "those who were before us" or "We found them" in the Dogon language, were the people who lived in the Bandiagara Escarpment in Mali from the 11th to the 16th centuries. The Dogon people moved to this area around the 14th century. Inside the rock cells of this red cliff, clay buildings protect the bones of the Tellem, as well as traces that show their way of life, which existed long before the Dogon arrived.

Etymology

The Dogon people use the name "Tellem" (also spelled "Temmem") to describe the people who lived on the cliff before them. The word means exactly "We found them." The name has a more general meaning among the Dogon people. It refers to both places and times, not just the "Tellem culture."

History and culture

The Tellem people arrived in Bandiagara around the 11th century, after the Toloy people. Archaeologists have found many bones and items, such as fabrics, baskets, pearls, and pots, in the area.

The Tellem built their homes on the sides of cliffs. They were small in size, and some people incorrectly call them pygmies. They lived by fishing, gathering wild plants and animals, farming with hoes, raising animals, and hunting with bows and arrows.

In the necropolis, the Tellem placed offerings next to their dead. Sometimes, the dead were buried in their clothing or wrapped in a blanket. Women wore braids made of fibers. Grave goods, which were different for men and women, were placed with the dead. Over time, skeletons were moved to make space for new burials. Scientists studied these bones to learn about the Tellem’s biological identity. All the bones belong to one group with clear physical traits, and their genetic makeup changed little over 500 years.

In the 11th century, the Dogon people arrived in Bandiagara from Mandé country. They fled because of religious persecution, like the Serer people. The Tellem then moved south to Mali and Burkina Faso. Some Tellem villages still exist near the border between Mali and Burkina Faso, such as the village of Yoro in Mali.

The Tellem built homes at the base of cliffs and directly into the cliff faces. Many of these structures remain visible today. Some buildings, like granaries, are still used by the Dogon people. Dogon villages are usually located at the bottom or top of cliffs, where water and farmland are available.

Old Tellem houses high on the cliffs are now used as cemeteries by the Dogon. They use ropes to lift the bodies of their dead to these locations.

The Tellem people disappeared for unknown reasons, or they may have mixed with the Dogon. Some believe they may have also mixed with the Kouroumba or Kurumba people of Burkina Faso, but there is no agreement on this. In Mali, some people still believe the Tellem had magical powers, according to local legends.