Kasbah Amridil is a historic fortified residence or kasbah ( tighremt in Amazigh ) in the oasis of Skoura , in Morocco . It is considered among the most impressive kasbahs of its kind in Morocco and was formerly featured on the Moroccan 50 dirham note.
22-528: The kasbah was originally founded in the 17th century. It initially consisted of a fortified village, a ksar , occupying a strategic location along the river and at the entrance to the Skoura palmeraie . Towards the end of the 19th century M'hamed Ben Brahim Nasiri, a faqih from a local privileged family living in the ksar (descendants of the family associated with the prestigious Zawiya Nasiriyya in Tamegroute ),
44-414: A mosque , hammam , oven, and shops. Ksur or igherman are widespread among the oasis populations of North Africa . Ksars are sometimes situated in mountain locations to make defense easier; they often are entirely within a single, continuous wall. The building material of the entire structure usually is adobe , or cut stone and adobe. The idea of the ksar as a granary is a confused notion of two things:
66-546: A large number of fortresses surrounded by water streams, These were dwellings of the Miknasa and Houara Berber tribes. in 1878, the fortresses were rediscovered by French anthropologist Émile Masqueray who produced a picturesque description of these "Eagle nests". The term "Guelaa/ Kalaa: plural: "taq'liath" is derived from the Arabic word for "citadel" or "fort" , Similar structures across North Africa have different names: in
88-514: A modern example of Jugurtha's treasure houses described by Sallust in antiquity. Historian Jean Despois notes that these granaries are emblematic of the Auresian political, social, and economic structures. In Aures, power resided with the heads of families within clans and fractions, or with their elected representatives, reflecting a highly organized and egalitarian society . These "Berber republics" resisted central control and Arabization , with
110-445: A pledge of fertility, sacrifice animals, and eat a communion meal. The fortified granaries of Aures are predominantly stone-built, with roofs reinforced by palm tree trunks. These granaries, often square in shape, sometimes include openings for ventilation and light, adorned with symbolic decorations that reflect the community's deep connection to agriculture and nature. High-elevation springs were used to fill reservoirs at night. Water
132-565: A portion as payment. The main gate stays closed, and the guard only opens it after being alerted by their dog's barking and verifying the visitor. Centuries after Sallust's description of the fortified treasure houses, the Byzantine historian Procopius shed light on these structures again, noting their use by Iaudas , the ruler of the Aures kingdom , against the invading Romans. Procopius describes how water canals were employed to divert water and repel
154-491: The tighremt is on the first (ground) level and is accessed through an outer courtyard on its east side. A vestibule room just inside the entrance gives access to the central courtyard and to the stairway leading to the upper floors. The rooms on the first level were used for the storage of food, goods, and animals. The second level above this was used for domestic purposes, mainly as kitchens, as well as to store other types of food like oil, fruits, and grain. The third level, which
176-450: The 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia . It is still owned and maintained by the Nasiri family to this day. The family continues to live in one part of the kasbah while other parts have been restored to serve as a museum showcasing the traditional architecture of the building and local traditional artifacts, including tools, an olive press, a bread oven, and an old well. The building follows some of
198-499: The Moroccan Sous region, they are called " Agadir " , a loan-word from phoenician that mean "wall" , while in southern Tunisia, they are referred to as "ghorfa" meaning "room" . These variations in terminology highlight the cultural specificity of these structures. A close examination of Auresian dwellings reveals a continuum of architectural evolution from simple caves to the multi-storied stone granaries, The development of
220-399: The Nasiri family and (historically) their servants, occupies the rest of the site, stretching towards the south along the river. Although it has various courtyards and elements, the most imposing structure is the main house, an almost square building with four corner towers (though a fifth tower has since been added on the south side of the structure). A garden has been added to the courtyard in
242-590: The Roman forces. The tactics used by Iaudas were echoed in the 17th century in the same region. This time, the Auresians diverted water streams to flood the fields surrounding their granaries, successfully massacring the invading Arab Bedouins in the process. The fortified granaries of Aures, despite their notable importance to the heritage of the region and Algeria as a whole, remain largely neglected and vulnerable. In 2023, advocacy efforts from local activists have drawn
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#1732852006497264-543: The fortified granaries of Aures is thus rooted in the agricultural and security needs of the Auresian people . In ancient times, the open crop fields were vulnerable to raids by camel marauders, prompting the cultivation of land closer to high altitude fortified granaries and the construction of terrace gardens for irrigation. The Auresians often attribute their agricultural techniques to the Romans, whose ruins are scattered across
286-572: The granaries symbolizing the cohesion and independence of these small, autonomous communities. While the use of granaries as dwellings has diminished under French colonial rule , they remain a significant part of the Aures Mountains ' cultural heritage. One notable example is the Ait Daoud clan. Their granary, which stands eight stories high, continued to be a place of veneration for their ancestral saints. Each month of May, members go there to perform
308-587: The granary itself, found within a ksar, and the ksar, a village, typically with granaries within it. Ksars form one of the main manifestations of Berber architecture . Fortified Granaries of Aures The Fortified granaries of Aures known as "taq'liath" in Shawiya , are a multi-storied defensible structures used for storing crops as well as a refuge during times of conflict. They were described in ancient times by Roman and Arab sources alike. 11th century Andalusian historian, Al-Bakri , specified that Aures had
330-507: The region. However, the influence likely extends to earlier civilizations that refined existing agricultural methods in North Africa, as historians have often identified fortified granaries, such as those in Ath Mansur and Jellal, with the ancient Numidian strongholds, with villages perched on rocky hills and accessible only by narrow paths. These structures, with single gateways, demonstrate
352-691: The regions predominantly or traditionally inhabited by Berbers (Amazigh). The equivalent Berber term used is ighrem (singular) or igherman (plural). The Arabic qaṣr ( قَصَر ) was probably borrowed from the Latin word castrum . Ksour in the Maghreb typically consist of attached houses, often having a fortified communal granary like those in Algeria, or the ghorfa and agadir types known in Tunisia and Morocco respectively, beside other structures like
374-453: The southern section of the kasbah, although this is a design element imported from Marrakesh during recent restorations. This main house rises on four levels arranged around a central courtyard or patio , the wust ad-dar ("middle of the house"). In the first two levels the courtyard is covered by a roof, while on the third level it is open to the air and the fourth level consists of the upper-floor terrace running around it. The entrance of
396-463: The terrace above this, featured a sundial and gave access to the towers. This article about a building or structure in Morocco is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ksar Ksar or qṣar ( Arabic : قصر , romanized : qṣar ), in plural ksour or qsour (Arabic: قصور , romanized: qṣur ), is a type of fortified village in North Africa, usually found in
418-417: The typical design elements of oasis architecture in the predominantly Berber regions of southern Morocco: it is made from rammed earth or mudbrick and has square corner towers with geometric decoration. The original ksar (village) corresponded to the walled enclosure still occupying the northern section of the site, but it is ruined today. The Kasbah itself (or tighremt ), a large late 19th-century mansion for
440-411: Was centered around the open-air patio, is where the actual living space began. The rooms here are enlivened with ochre and white paint and some sections are open to the patio through a gallery of arches, allowing more light to penetrate. The rooms are also more or less interchangeable rather than having predefined functions – they could be furnished and refurnished to suit different needs. The fourth level,
462-485: Was chosen by Madani El Glaoui (older brother of Thami el Glaoui ) to educate his sons in reading the Qur'an . As compensation, El Glaoui commissioned his craftsmen to build Nasiri a tighremt (fortified mansion) at the ksar. Today the kasbah is the most prominent structure and takes up the long southern part of the complex, while the ruined ksar (the former village) occupies the northern section. The kasbah made an appearance in
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#1732852006497484-444: Was then channeled to terrace gardens through a network of miniature canals, ensuring efficient irrigation and crop maintenance. The size of the granary depends on the prestige of the clan, The leading family often selects a caretaker, typically a poorer member who doesn't own land. This caretaker stays at the granary, maintaining order. They clear the snow, report water infiltrations, and assist with unloading grain, of which they take
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