Jump to content

Ghadames

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 95.195.212.141 (talk) at 02:26, 7 February 2016. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about the town; for the former Libyan district see Ghadames District.
Ghadames
ʕademis(Berber)
Town
Ghadames Mosque at night
Ghadames Mosque at night
Country Libya
RegionTripolitania
MunicipalityGhadames
Elevation
[1]
1,080 ft (330 m)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Totalapprox. 10,000
Time zoneUTC + 2

Ghadames or Ghadamis /ɡəˈdæm[invalid input: 'i-']s/ (Berber: ʕademis; [ɣadāmis] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help), Libyan vernacular: ɣdāməs, Latin: Cidamus, Cydamus) is an oasis town in the Nalut District of the Tripolitania region in northwestern Libya.

The indigenous language of Ghadames is Ghadamès, a Berber language.

Geography

Ghadames lies roughly 462 kilometres (287 mi) to the southwest of Tripoli, near the borders with Algeria and Tunisia. Ghadames borders Illizi Province, Algeria and Tataouine Governorate, Tunisia.

The oasis has a population of around 10,000, mainly Berbers. The old part of the town, which is surrounded by a city wall, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Each of the seven clans that used to live in this part of the town had its own district, of which each had a public place where festivals could be held.


Climate

Ghadames has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) with long, extremely hot summers as average high temperature is around 41 °C (105.8 °F) in July, the hottest month of the year as well as short, warm winters. The town is virtually rainless throughout the year as average annual precipitation is only 33.1 mm (1.30 in) and the sky is nearly always clear all year long.

Climate data for Ghadames, Libya
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 61
(16) 		67
(19) 		73
(23) 		84
(29) 		92
(33) 		102
(39) 		102
(39) 		102
(39) 		96
(36) 		86
(30) 		72
(22) 		63
(17) 		83
(29)
Daily mean °F (°C) 52
(11) 		57
(14) 		63
(17) 		72
(22) 		81
(27) 		90
(32) 		90
(32) 		90
(32) 		84
(29) 		76
(24) 		62
(17) 		54
(12) 		73
(22)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 43
(6) 		47
(8) 		52
(11) 		61
(16) 		69
(21) 		77
(25) 		78
(26) 		77
(25) 		73
(23) 		65
(18) 		52
(11) 		45
(7) 		62
(16)
Source: http://www.myforecast.com/bin/climate.m?city=W62103&metric=false

History

Ancient eras

It has been suggested, based on archaeological evidence, that this area has been settled since the 4th millennium B.C., and is one of the oldest pre-Saharan settlements. Its situation near a water source in the middle of a desert would have made it an important spot for anyone seeking to settle in the area.

The first written records about Ghadames date from the Roman period when the settlement was known as Cydamus, from which modern Ghadames derives its name. In the 1st century BC, the Roman proconsul Lucius Cornelius Balbus invaded Cydamus during the reign of emperor Augustus.[3] A permanent Roman garrison was established during the reign of Septimius Severus, and the emperor may have visited the settlement around AD 202.[4] However, the Romans withdrew from the area a few decades later during the Crisis of the Third Century.

Houses in Ghadames are made of mud, lime, and palm tree trunks with covered alleyways between them to offer good shelter against summer heat.

During the 6th century, a Bishop lived in the oasis, after the population had been converted to Christianity by Byzantine missionaries.

During the 7th century, Ghadames was ruled by the Muslim Arabs. The population quickly converted to Islam and Ghadames played an important role as base for the Trans-Saharan trade until the 19th century.

Etymology

The etymology of the name Ghadames is very closely linked with its history. It is believed that the name Ghadames is originally connected to the name of the ancient Berber tribe of Tidamensi, a tribe from Fezzan. It is also believed that the name Tidamensi was corrupted by the invading Romans to form the name Cydamus, which in turn gave way to the name Ghadames.[3]

1900s–present

In the 1970s, the government built new houses outside of the old part of the town. However, many inhabitants return to the old part of the town during the summer, as its architecture provides better protection against the heat.

During the Libyan Civil War, National Transitional Council forces entered the town on 30 August 2011,[5] which had been under siege by NTC forces since the beginning of the conflict. As of 2015, the city is under control by independent Tuareg troops. [6]

Old Town of Ghadames

Old Town of Ghadamès
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Old Town of Ghadames
CriteriaCultural: v
Reference362
Inscription1986 (10th Session)

The old town, inscribed in 1986 as a UNESCO World Heritage site, was de-populated of its inhabitants throughout the 1990s, leaving the old buildings at risk of collapse due to a lack of maintenance.[7]

  • Ghadames Old Town Inside of small dwelling
    Ghadames Old Town Inside of small dwelling
  • Libya Ghadames Old Town Rooftop View
    Libya Ghadames Old Town Rooftop View
  • Libya Ghadames Old Town Spring Water Pool
    Libya Ghadames Old Town Spring Water Pool
  • Libya Ghadames Old Town Wall Entrance
    Libya Ghadames Old Town Wall Entrance
  • Libya Ghadames Old Town Fruit Trees
    Libya Ghadames Old Town Fruit Trees
View over the rooftops of the old town of Ghadames

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Wolfram Alpha
  2. ^ Der Spiegel, 2011 Aug 23
  3. ^ a b "Ghadames (Ghudamis), Cydamus: the Pearl of The Libyan Sahara". Temehu.
  4. ^ Birley, Anthony R. Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. London: Routledge. (2000) [1971]. pg 147.
  5. ^ "Libyan fighters set to seize border town". PressTV. August 30, 2011.
  6. ^ Libya: what about the south? The Guardian, 24 August 2011
  7. ^ The World Heritage Newsletter, No.9, December 1995.

Further reading

  • Edmond Bernet (1912). "Ghadames". En Tripolitaine: Voyage a Ghadames (in French). Paris: Fontemoing. {{cite book}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ghadames.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ghadames&oldid=703698739"