Djenné-Djeno is part of the Old Towns of Djenné, which are an archaeological urban ensemble located in the Djenné site Mopti Region in Mali. The towns consist of four archaeological sites, namely Djenné-Djeno, Hambarkétolo, Kaniana and Tonomba. Settlement dates back to 250 BC, and then in the 15th and 16th centuries the region became an important market for the trans-Saharan gold trade. Djenné was also one of the centers for the propagation of Islam. The Old Towns of Djenné are distinguished by their traditional houses built on hills to protect against seasonal floods. Today, nearly 2,000 buildings have survived. The site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988, as part of the Old Towns of Djenné.