Ghadames

This article is about the town; for the former Libyan district see Ghadames District.
Ghadames
غدامس
ʕademis (Berber)
Town
Clockwise from top:
Ghadames Mosque, Old Town, Old Town street view
Ghadames

Location in Libya

Coordinates: 30°8′N 9°30′E / 30.133°N 9.500°E / 30.133; 9.500Coordinates: 30°8′N 9°30′E / 30.133°N 9.500°E / 30.133; 9.500
Country  Libya
Region Tripolitania
Municipality Ghadames
Elevation[1] 1,080 ft (330 m)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total approx. 10,000
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
Official name Old Town of Ghadamès
Type Cultural
Criteria v
Designated 1986
Reference no.
State Party Libya
Region Arab States

Ghadames or Ghadamis /ɡəˈdæmɪs/ (Berber: ʕademis; Arabic: غدامس‎‎ ɣadāmis, Libyan vernacular: ɣdāməs, Latin: Cidamus, Cydamus) is an oasis Berber town in the Nalut District of the Tripolitania region in northwestern Libya.

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

Ghadamès, known as 'the pearl of the desert', stands in an oasis. It is one of the oldest pre-Saharan cities and an outstanding example of a traditional settlement. Its domestic architecture is characterized by a vertical division of functions: the ground floor used to store supplies; then another floor for the family, overhanging covered alleys that create what is almost an underground network of passageways; and, at the top, open-air terraces reserved for the women.[3]

Geography

Ghadames lies roughly 462 km (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 receives little precipitation throughout the year as average annual precipitation is only 33.1 mm (1.30 in).

Climate data for Ghadames (1961–1990, extremes 1913–1993)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 32.0
(89.6)		 35.0
(95)		 41.3
(106.3)		 48.0
(118.4)		 52.0
(125.6)		 55.2
(131.4)		 53.4
(128.1)		 52.4
(126.3)		 50.0
(122)		 48.0
(118.4)		 39.0
(102.2)		 30.4
(86.7)		 55.2
(131.4)
Average high °C (°F) 17.6
(63.7)		 20.7
(69.3)		 24.4
(75.9)		 29.7
(85.5)		 34.6
(94.3)		 39.8
(103.6)		 40.3
(104.5)		 39.8
(103.6)		 36.4
(97.5)		 30.0
(86)		 23.8
(74.8)		 18.2
(64.8)		 29.6
(85.3)
Average low °C (°F) 3.6
(38.5)		 5.7
(42.3)		 9.0
(48.2)		 13.8
(56.8)		 17.8
(64)		 22.3
(72.1)		 22.4
(72.3)		 22.5
(72.5)		 20.1
(68.2)		 15.0
(59)		 9.0
(48.2)		 4.4
(39.9)		 13.8
(56.8)
Record low °C (°F) −6.9
(19.6)		 −8.0
(17.6)		 −2.6
(27.3)		 0.0
(32)		 6.0
(42.8)		 7.8
(46)		 10.8
(51.4)		 13.0
(55.4)		 10.0
(50)		 1.4
(34.5)		 −4.0
(24.8)		 −6.0
(21.2)		 −6.9
(19.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 5.0
(0.197)		 4.6
(0.181)		 6.8
(0.268)		 3.6
(0.142)		 2.3
(0.091)		 0.1
(0.004)		 0.0
(0)		 0.3
(0.012)		 0.8
(0.031)		 4.0
(0.157)		 2.1
(0.083)		 3.4
(0.134)		 33
(1.3)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 1.1 1.2 1.5 0.9 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 1.0 0.8 1.2 8.7
Average relative humidity (%) 52 41 36 28 26 22 22 23 29 35 47 53 34
Mean monthly sunshine hours 248.0 240.1 257.3 273.0 313.1 309.0 372.0 353.4 273.0 263.5 246.0 232.5 3,380.9
Mean daily sunshine hours 8.0 8.5 8.3 9.1 10.1 10.3 12.0 11.4 9.1 8.5 8.2 7.5 9.3
Source #1: WMO [4]
Source #2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes and humidity),[5] Arab Meteorology Book (sun only)[6]

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.[7] A permanent Roman garrison was established during the reign of Septimius Severus, and the emperor may have visited the settlement around AD 202.[8] 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.[7]

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,[9] which had been under siege by NTC forces since the beginning of the conflict. As of 2017, the city is under control by independent Tuareg troops. [10]

Old Town of Ghadames

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.[11] It has been listed on the list of world heritage in danger since 2016 among four other sites in Libya, because of damage caused by the Libyan Civil War affecting the country and the threat of further damage it poses.[12]

View over the rooftops of the old town of Ghadames

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Wolfram Alpha
  2. ↑ Der Spiegel, 2011 Aug 23
  3. ↑ Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Old Town of Ghadamès - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". whc.unesco.org. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
  4. ↑ "Climatological Information". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Klimatafel von Ghadames / Libyen" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Appendix I: Meteorological Data" (PDF). Springer. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Ghadames (Ghudamis), Cydamus: the Pearl of The Libyan Sahara". Temehu.
  8. ↑ Birley, Anthony R. Septimius Severus: The African Emperor. London: Routledge. (2000) [1971]. pg 147.
  9. ↑ "Libyan fighters set to seize border town". PressTV. August 30, 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11.
  10. ↑ Libya: what about the south? The Guardian, 24 August 2011
  11. ↑ The World Heritage Newsletter, No.9, December 1995.
  12. ↑ Libya’s five World Heritage sites put on List of World Heritage in Danger UNESCO, 14 July 2016]

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