The pottery @ Tamegroute

Historically, Tamegroute is an important centre of learning and religion due to its famous Sufi Zawiya, one of the most influential – and in its time one of the largest – Sufi orders in the Islamic world.

Next to the main mosque, the graves of eight marabouts (religious teachers), are visited by patients from all parts of the country, some of whom remain in Tamegroute for months and sometimes even years, in the hope of healing and redemption. We could look inside and nock three times at the door, which brings you luck.

In the 18th century, the famous library of Tamegroute was one of the most extensive in North Africa, with thousands of manuscripts. Among them are a 14th century Koran with beautiful calligraphy in the Kufi ductus, as well as writings by Avicenna (Ibn Sina), Averroes (Ibn Ruschd), El Khwarizmi, a translation of Pythagoras, treatises on theology, astronomy, geography and pharmacology. That day, the library was closed, not sure if we would have seen much of this famous books otherwise.

We visited the first Ksour on this journey, a village consisting of attached houses, with separate districts for each family of around 400 members, dedicated to a specific trade like pottery, date farming or blacksmiths. Each family has their own mosque, hammam, oven and shops.

Of course, our guide took us to the pottery, famous for its green glazed products, like the tiles for religious buildings but also plates, bowls and many more. It was fascinating to see the way how ceramic is produced in the traditional way.

Potter’s wheel built into the ground
In only a few minutes, these pieces were finished
Furnace is getting fired up
A donkey brought fuel for the furnace
Behind the cemetery the furnace is producing some smoke

We had a great lunch in front of the mosque and an interesting visit of the village thanks to a guide who took us around. We are only some kilometres from Zagora, where we want to spend a couple of days to get work done with good internet reception. More soon!

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