Nature
Sepiolite pits
A shallow depression near town where sepiolite clay is dug from the ground.
El Bur – history, culture and places to visit | Warar
Cities of Somalia Galguduud · Galmudug
El Bur
Ceel Buur · El Buur · ElburA central Somali town famed for its sepiolite (meerschaum) deposits, the soft white stone carved into the traditional dabqaad incense burner.
Unknown author · Public domain
AdministrationGalmudug
RegionGalguduud
Population83,729Estimate for the whole district (OCHA/IMWG projection, 2019), 2019
Location4.685°, 46.617°
Places to visit2
Overview
El Bur (Somali: Ceelbuur) is the seat of Ceelbuur District in Galguduud region, Galmudug State. In a playa-like depression near the town, almost pure sepiolite clay comes to the surface.
This mineral, also known as meerschaum, is a soft white stone that is easy to carve. Local craftsmen shape it into the dabqaad, the traditional burner for frankincense and uunsi incense, and into smoking pipes.
What makes it unique
- 01A major source of sepiolite (meerschaum), a soft white stone
- 02Local craftsmen carve the stone into dabqaad incense burners and pipes
- 03A site of resistance to Italian colonial rule in the 1920s
Places to visit
Market
Dabqaad craft
Local craftsmen who carve the stone into incense burners and pipes.
History
El Bur has long been home to local clans. In the 1920s it was a site of resistance to Italian colonial rule, and in 1925 forces led by Omar Samatar took the town. In August 2023 government forces and local militias regained control of it.
Culture
The dabqaad carved from El Bur stone is a fixture of Somali homes: frankincense or uunsi is burned in it to perfume the house, especially when guests are expected or on special occasions.
Economy
Quarrying sepiolite and carving it into dabqaad burners and pipes is a distinctive local industry, and livestock also plays an important part in the district's livelihoods.