Why visit the Bouar megaliths
Around Bouar, in the far west of the country near the Cameroon border, lies one of Central Africa's most significant megalithic zones: roughly 70 clusters of monuments, spread across an area about 130 km long and 30 km wide, straddling the watershed between the Chad and Congo river basins. Locally, these monuments are called Tazunu — "standing stone" in the Gbaya-Kara language.
What the stones tell us
The monuments take the form of tumuli (stone mounds) topped with carved, upright granite blocks — menhirs reaching up to 3 meters tall, sometimes bordered by niches or burial chests. Dating places their construction at the end of the Neolithic, roughly between 3500 and 2700 BC, the work of an ancient farming society long since vanished.
- Discovery — first reported in 1954 by Commander J. d'Arbaumont
- First excavations — French anthropologist Pierre Vidal led the first systematic study between 1961 and 1966, excavating several monuments (Tazunu Beforo, Tazunu Gam, Tazunu Tia, among others)
- Later research — work by Étienne Zangato (University of Paris X - Nanterre) and Nicholas David (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Siting — each monument sits near a water source, oriented according to rules archaeologists are still studying
Practical information
Bouar sits about 450 km from Bangui via the RN1, the road that continues on to the Cameroon border — a long journey, best planned over several days rather than as a day trip. It's also the largest town in the west of the country, with its own shops and accommodation.
The megaliths are scattered across a wide area around the town — a local guide remains essential for identifying and reaching the most significant clusters. Transport, guiding, and site access will be handled by our local partner once guided booking is available.