The Sukur Cultural Landscape, with the Palace of the Hidi (Chief) on a hill dominating the villages below, the terraced fields and their symbols, and the extensive remains of a former flourishing iron industry, is a remarkably intact physical expression of a society and its material culture.
Sukur is located in Madagali local government area of Adamawa state of Nigeria along Nigeria/ Cameroon border, some 290 km from Yola, the Adamawa state capital of north eastern Nigeria.
It is a hilltop settlement which stood at an elevation of 1045 m.
The total land area covered by the site is 1942.50 ha with core zone having 764.40 ha and the buffer zone 1178.10 ha respectively.
Sukur is an ancient settlement with a recorded history of iron smelting technology, flourishing trade, and strong political institution dating back to the 16th century.
The landscape is characterized by terraces on the farmlands, dry stone structures and stone paved walkways.
The terraced landscape at Sukur with its hierarchical structure and combination of intensive and extensive farming is remarkable.
The remains of many disused iron-smelting furnacescan still be found.
These shaft-type furnaces, blown with bellows, were usually sited close to the houses of their owners.
Iron production involved complex socio-economic relationships and there was a considerable ritual associated with it.
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