Tichit Ancient Abandoned Village, Mauritania
Tichit or Tichitt is a partially abandoned village at the foot of the Tagant Plateau in central southern Mauritania that is known for its vernacular architecture. The main agriculture in Tichit is date farming, and the village is also home to a small museum.
The Dhar Tichitt region forms part of a long sandstone cliff formation that define the northern limit of the Hodh depression. The area was settled by late stone age agropastoral communities around 2000 BC. The settlements were generally situated on the cliffs and included stone building. The area was abandoned around 500 BC probably because of the onset of more arid conditions.
Hundreds of rock art images have been discovered, depicting various animals and hunting scenes. Archaeologists such as P.J. Munson, Augustin F.C. Holl, and S. Amblard have provided some indication that millet was farmed seasonally as early as 2000 BC. It is the oldest surviving archaeological settlements in West Africa and the oldest of all stone base settlements south of the Sahara.
Epic Mauritania Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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