ABSTRACT
ARCHITECTURE THROUGH THE AGES Most early African architecture south of the Sahara has been lost because the materials used-wood, mud, grasses, animal skins, and reeds-are perishable and decay relatively quickly. Many traditional African groups probably build shelters today in much the same way they did thousands of years ago. Homes tend to be made of mud bricks with thatched roofs and center around a common area. The Dogon people of Mali are famous for their carved wooden doors, and many people decorate
the exteriors of homes with geometric designs such as circles and zigzags.
