The army of the kingdom of Danxomè is often illustrated by the amazons, the female military elite created by Queen Hanan. However, the kings and warlords of the kingdom also had the genius to imprint on history: to create underground shelters. The latter are hiding places to escape the invaders in times of war in order to take them against each other. What ingenuity from the Beninese? What interests does such an infrastructure have for the population?
Located in the commune of Bohicon, district of Agongointo, village of Zoungoudo, in the center of Benin, the archaeological park of Agongointo is one of the many historical traces left by the Danxomè kingdom. The site was discovered in 1998 during the construction of a road to relieve traffic in the heart of the city of Bohicon by a Danish company. The complex is made up of a series of ferralitic clay cellars located about 10 meters underground over an area of seven hectares. This discovery reveals then an astonishing site in the heart of an important vegetation: the underground village of Agongointo.
There are more than one thousand six hundred (1600) underground houses that served as a war strategy and hiding place for soldiers during the war. These shelters are called “ahouando” in the local Fon language, which literally translates into English as “war hole”.
Real open-air museum, updated at the end of long archeological excavations, these Underground shelters were used by the warriors of Abomey to hide when there were threats of invasion from the enemy. Thus, these houses had been cut and dug inside the forest to be hidden. The very small entrances are hidden by trees and plants with medicinal virtues. The descent is to the principal room. The latter in turn serves other secondary rooms that gravitate around it.
Beninese genius in the spotlight
Through its underground houses, its Vodoun temples, its sacred trees and platforms and this butterfly garden, the Beninese genius expresses itself in the face of the enemy’s war. Indeed, underground infrastructure, these shelters, were built by warriors who have no training in architecture or civil engineering. Yet their works meet many criteria of modern building. Hence the proof of the ingenuity and constructive abilities of the African man for centuries.
In addition, these shelters in their building take into account specific principles: The notions of geology that allowed them to master the hard and compact soils, the geometry that allowed them to give a shape to the entrance. Moreover they had to refer to acoustic notions to master the sound of the Emir inside these ahouando and not to be spotted by the enemy. Concepts in hydraulics are also used to make areas where water can be collected. Finally, these shelters are built to receive sunlight since there was no electricity in the 17th century. Note that these houses are without cement and iron. However, they resisted the weather for centuries. Inscribed since 2008 on the National Heritage List, this site exhibits the defense techniques used during the war to win the victory.
Furthermore, the vodun cult has an important place on the site. There are several altars such as that of Dan (god of prosperity) represented by a tree surrounded by a strangling ficus. Thus one finds a temple of the god Tohossou where some families come to perform rituals periodically.
Site Interests
DanielZounmèvo, Aménagiste (Independent Consultant), was interested in the environment of the site according to a study carried out in 2014 on the subject “eco-geographic characterization of the archeological site of Agongointo in Bohicon”. It shows that the archaeological site of Agongointo has several interests for the Beninese. First, a tourist interest because the site promotes a good visibility of the town of Bohicon internationally. In addition, it attracts tourists not only from the country but also from abroad to discover the cultural heritage of the region.
The rights of access contribute to the improvement of the revenues of the municipality and consequently favours investments in several areas.
Moreover, a natural interest because both animal and plant species constitute the natural wealth of the site. The botanical garden that houses the site, which provides a great deal of information on the preservation of the environment and the various species, is illustrative.
The Agongointo Museum combines the history of the site with that of the Voodoo cult, inseparable from the traditional culture of Danxomè. However, given the current demographic growth in the commune of Bohicon in general and in the district of Agongointo in particular, the species of the archeological site of Agongointo are threatened.
