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13-569: A plain of alluvial deposits , Méma is situated north of Massina , west of Lake Debo and the Inner Niger Delta , and southwest of the Lakes Region. The now-senescent basin may have been the first settlement area for communities who migrated from distressed homelands of the Sahara during the last two millennia BC. Méma was inhabited by 3800 BCE at the earliest by migrants from Azawad fleeing

26-455: A pass (sometimes termed a gap ). Coastal plains mostly rise from sea level until they run into elevated features such as mountains or plateaus. Plains can be formed from flowing lava ; from deposition of sediment by water, ice, or wind; or formed by erosion by the agents from hills or mountains. Biomes on plains include grassland ( temperate or subtropical ), steppe ( semi-arid ), savannah ( tropical ) or tundra ( polar ). In

39-538: A few instances, deserts and rainforests may also be considered plains. Plains in many areas are important for agriculture because where the soils were deposited as sediments they may be deep and fertile , and the flatness facilitates mechanization of crop production; or because they support grasslands which provide good grazing for livestock . The types of depositional plains include: Erosional plains have been leveled by various agents of denudation such as running water, rivers, wind and glacier which wear out

52-669: The Mali Empire , within which Mema held a special, more autonomous status. In 1433 the kingdom regained its independence before falling to the Songhai Empire by the middle of the century. Toladié, which dates between at least 430 CE and 670 CE, is the largest occupation site (76 hectares) in Mema. As a primary center in the region, Toladié utilized smelted iron tools produced by the communities of Akumbu, Boubou, Boundou, Boulel, Kobadie, Kolima, and Nampala for purposes of tribute and trade with

65-503: The Earth's surface. Gap (landform) A gap is a geological formation that is a low point or opening between hills or mountains or in a ridge or mountain range . It may be called a col , notch, pass , saddle , water gap , or wind gap . Geomorphologically , a gap is most often carved by water erosion from a freshet , stream or a river . Gaps created by freshets are often, if not normally, devoid of water through much of

78-507: The Ghana Empire. At the Akumbu mound complex, in Mema, its archaeological findings date between 400 CE and 1400 CE; at the cultural deposit of AK3, which contained three human remains, the dates range between 400 CE and 600 CE. While two out of three human remains were in a fully decomposed state, one of the human remains were able to be determined to be a young adult (17–25 years old) female, who

91-472: The base of mountains , as coastal plains , and as plateaus or uplands . Plains are one of the major landforms on earth, where they are present on all continents, and cover more than one-third of the world's land area. In a valley, a plain is enclosed on two sides, but in other cases a plain may be delineated by a complete or partial ring of hills, by mountains, or by cliffs . Where a geological region contains more than one plain, they may be connected by

104-596: The drying Sahara. It was host to a large number of Stone Age villages, succeeded by hundreds of Iron Age cities, far pre-dating the settlement of Djenne-Jeno . Historically, Méma was one of the smaller Soninke states, an important vassal or province of the Wagadou Empire . According to local legends it was founded by Biranin Tounkara, a slave or companion of Dinga , the legendary founder of Wagadou. Historian Dierk Lange has argued that Ghana, rather than being situated to

117-429: The major landforms on earth, being present on all continents and covering more than one-third of the world's land area. Plains in many areas are important for agriculture . There are various types of plains and biomes on them. A plain or flatland is a flat expanse of land with a layer of grass that generally does not change much in elevation , and is primarily treeless. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at

130-602: The northwest of the Niger Delta, was in fact centered in the Méma area. After Wagadou's collapse around the end of the 12th century, Méma was one of the most important Soninke successor states. It appears several times in the Epic of Sundiata . The Tunkara (king) of Mema shelters Sundiata when he flees the Manding region , then provides cavalry to help him overthrow Soumaoro Kante and establish

143-400: The rugged surface and smoothens them. Plain resulting from the action of these agents of denudation are called peneplains (almost plain) while plains formed from wind action are called pediplains . Structural plains are relatively undisturbed horizontal surfaces of the Earth. They are structurally depressed areas of the world that make up some of the most extensive natural lowlands on

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156-539: The year, their streams being dependent upon the meltwaters of a snow pack . Gaps sourced by small springs will generally have a small stream excepting perhaps during the most arid parts of the year. Water gaps of necessity often cut entirely through a barrier range and riverine gaps may create canyons such as the riverine gaps of the Danube River , Lehigh River Gorge , the Colorado River 's Grand Canyon and

169-489: Was buried with two copper bracelets - one on each wrist, 13 cowrie shells , 11 stone beads, and a fully intact pot. Plain In geography , a plain , commonly known as flatland , is a flat expanse of land that generally does not change much in elevation , and is primarily treeless. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at the base of mountains , as coastal plains , and as plateaus or uplands . Plains are one of

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