Botiala | |
|---|---|
Archaeological site | |
 | |
| Country |  Somalia |
| Region | Bari |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Botiala (Somali:Butiyaalo), also known asBottiala orBandar Kor, is an archaeological site in the northeasternBari region ofPuntland.
Botiala is located in a valley to the east of the ancient port city ofQandala, betweenCape Guardafui andBosaso. The area is abundant infrankincense of the highest quality.[1]
Nearby are around 200 stone monuments (taalos), most of which consist of cairns. The bigger cairns are covered in shingles and tend to be more sturdily constructed. There are a number of rows of standing stones (menhirs) on the eastern side of the structures, which are similar to those atSalweyn, a great cairn-held situated close toHeis. Besides cairns, the Botiala area also features a few other drystone monuments. These include disc monuments with circular, ground-level features, as well as low, rectangular platform monuments.[1]
A couple of hundred meters away are extensive shellmiddens. These stretch along the shoreline for a distance of around a kilometer. The site also contains the remains of what was apparently a dam that was built from boulders. This structure is located in an area near a shallow drainage line, which passes through mounds.[1]
Additionally, some pottery sherds have been found in Botiala. The fragments are gritty and coarse, and resemble the ware atHafun.[1]
11°28′23″N49°56′58″E / 11.4731°N 49.9494°E /11.4731; 49.9494
![[1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lib.utexas.edu%2fmaps%2fhistorical%2faden_gulf_1860.jpg){kind=link}