Endangered civilizations. The Chenaguetta of Mauritania : the books under the sand

Summary

During the time of trans-Saharan trading, its strategic location along the caravan route enabled it to prosper. It was also the gathering place for the pilgrims from western Sahara as they began th...

During the time of trans-Saharan trading, its strategic location along the caravan route enabled it to prosper. It was also the gathering place for the pilgrims from western Sahara as they began their journey to Mecca. It had already attained the position as a prestigious economic and spiritual center. Chinguetti was considered the capital of the "Land of the Moors". The original town of Chinguetti had been buried beneath an ocean of dunes. Three thousand ancient manuscripts written by Arab scholars form the 18th century have become victims of the sands and the climate. "The Books Under the Sand" tells the story of Dah, a young Mauritanian who is determined to build a future for his village, while, at the same time, preserving the traces of its glorious past. Having already survived seven centuries in the desert, Chinguetti now faces the prospect of becoming a ghost town within another decade or two. But maybe it is not too late to save it from its pending fate.

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