Troglodytic Caves of Sened Jebel
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Fouad Ben Ali EARTH-SHELTERED DWELLINGS IN SOUTH TUNISIA: TROGLODYTIC CAVES OF SENED JEBEL Abstract The Earth-sheltered Dwelling, such as troglodytic caves of Sened Jebel, represents a specific traditional architecture of South Tunisia, present since Berber period. It consists in the development of underground habitats in the rock of mountainside or hill. Troglodytes represent, generally, places of refuges and protection against enemies. They represent, also, constructions having a purpose of protection against the hardness of the climate and looking to minimize impact on the environment. Recognizing the role that this precious Fig. 1 - [17]: Underground habitat in the Berber Fig. 2 - [18]: A semi-troglodyte habitat in the Berber village of Matmata. village of Toujane heritage can play as a lever for sustainable development, a conservation, safeguarding and management project must necessarily be of size), Techin and Chemlali (see Fig. programmed in a socio-economic 01). development strategy for this region. The - A semi-troglodyte habitat perched on elaboration of a nomination file seems a stone: These are groupings located at the priority for the inscription proposal of this top of the rocky mountains which offer a heritage in the World Heritage List of good base of stability for the UNESCO. constructions. They are mainly built although they still contain excavations in Keywords: Earth-sheltered Dwellings | the rock "ghar" which would have been Sened Jebel | Energy-efficient | the first homes. Currently these Conservation | Sustainable Development. excavations serve as animal shelter and for storing food and cooking wood. This Fig. 3 -[19]: Ruined Berber village of Chenini Introduction habitat corresponds to those of Tamezret, Taoujout, Toujane, Zraoua and The effects of nature, the activity of animals Identification of Sened Jebel Troglodytic Beni Zeltan (see Fig.02). or men have shaped an underground world caves - A troglodyte habitat dug horizontally in over the centuries. The troglodyte habitat is, Settlement and caves design the mountain: It corresponds to the perhaps, the most spectacular imprint, by The mountain village of Sened Jebel, located region of Tataouine and Beni Khedache. the type of relationship between the man about fifty kilometers east of Gafsa, bears It encompasses the villages of Chenini, and the nature that it induces. In addition to witness to the traces of ancient human Douiret, Guermassa, Beni Barka, the permanent habitat function, the use of civilizations (see Fig.04, Fig.05,Fig.06 ). It is Ghomrassen, Galaà Ouled Chéhida, Blidet the subsoil is motivated by religious, one of the most secular places in Tunisia Meguadmin and others less important. defensive or functional considerations hosting the first Berber inhabitants. The The region of Sened Jebel, which will be (extraction, storage, transport, etc.) [1]. As National Heritage Institute has identified no studied in this paper, is also part of this an original way of life and form of less than 70 caves in Jebel Dhahra, nine of category (see Fig.03). architecture, troglodytism is part of the which have been rehabilitated by the world's cultural diversity. But the traditional Institute's services [4]. This traditional architecture style is systems to which it belongs and which have Sened Jebel is characterized by a beautiful designed based on local needs. It represents functioned for thousands of years now seem natural landscape but also by aggressive areas for habitation and for social and doomed gradually to disappear under the climate conditions, especially extreme economic activities as well as for sanctuary pressure of growing standardization. Both temperatures. This vernacular architecture, and defence. The specific design and the the ancient and the modern forms of the that has its origins in nature, represents a ecological advantages of these troglodytes, heritage are in danger [2]. result of human creative genius [5], using especially moderation of temperature, have In South of Tunisia, it exists a variety of local natural resources for surviving in this attracted the interest of many researchers. troglodytes habitat characterized by their extreme surrounding [6]. In this paper we report the preliminary diverse forms and typologies. There are According to the interior design of the Sened results of a study aiming to better three specific categories of this traditional caves we can distinguish three categories understand and analyze the troglodytic architecture [3]: [7]: caves of Sened jebel for the valorization of - A troglodyte habitat dug vertically on the - Simple or one-room caves: They are this specific heritage and for the sustainable ground: It corresponds to the groupings composed mostly of one unit that takes development of this region. of the old Matmata (the largest in terms an irregular shape with average size Focus 025 Fig. 4 - [4]: Troglodytic caves of Sened Jebel. Figg. 5 e 6 -[4]: Inside troglodytic cave. about 10 m deep, 4m wide, 3m high (see Energy-efficient and performance Recognizing the role that this precious Fig.07). Troglodytic caves of Sened Jebel are located heritage can play as a lever for sustainable - Compound or multi-chamber caves: in a hard climate conditions that have mostly development, a conservation, safeguarding These caves are broader than the simple significant temperature extremes. In spite of and management project must necessarily ones. They are composed generally of a this, these dwellings provide a comfortable be programmed in a socio-economic central space giving on one or more and weather-resistant interior. development strategy for this region. This rooms. They contain up to four openings The most significant value of earth shelters project must essentially include an inventory used for lighting and ventilation (see Fig. and the basis for the exploitation of earth in and a detailed identification of all existing 08). energy saving building initiatives is its troglodytic caves in Sened Jebel. It must - Olive mills caves: They are composed of a energy preservation potential [11]. Earth provide for an adequate protection system central space almost circular with temperatures vary much less than air by focusing on regular maintenance and around 6m diameter used for olive oil temperatures in mountain areas, which preventive conservation. Given the specific extraction and others cells reserved for means the earth can absorb extra heat from cultural and natural quality of this heritage, specific oil production stages (see Fig. the troglodyte in hot weather and insulate an orientation towards sustainable tourism 09). the troglodyte to maintain warmth in cold can be an interesting solution for local weather [12]. development. Tourism requires, in fact, the Building materials The exposed façade of the dwelling, usually setting up of a planned and thoughtful 1.Troglodytic caves of Sened Jebel are facing south, allows the sun to light and heat tourism development: tourism becomes a embedded in a hillside. Earth covers the the inside. These earth-sheltered dwellings tool for planning this fragile territory [15]. entire caves, except where there are also require less outside maintenance, and This project must necessarily include the openings. The hill on which houses are the earth surrounding the cave provides contribution of all local actors: State, local staged is composed of a crumbly rock, a soundproofing [12]. authorities, experts, associations, mixture of marl and dolomite fragments inhabitants, etc. The sensitivity of these easily attackable by pickaxe [8, 9]. The Conservation and Sustainable actors to the values of heritage conservation composition of this hill rock is similar to that Development of Sened Jebel Village and their organization has a great influence of mountains rocks forming Berber Conserving a cave dwelling is a totally on the direction of investments, decisions troglodyte dwellings in South-East regions. different activity from conserving a building and options to be taken in the field [16]. These mountains rocks are composed made of "dead" stone removed from its Some major troglodytic sites classified in specially of marl and limestone [10]. environment. A cave building lives, changes the World Heritage List of UNESCO are now 2.The almost total absence of the use of the and ages with the earth of which it is a part strictly protected and have an international usual building materials can be noted. The [13] assistance. We can mention: Mesa Verde soil is in itself the building materials. The Although for a long time, this cultural (United States) , Matera (Italy), stone brought from the surroundings in heritage has remained relatively safe from Cappadoce( Turkey) , Pétra(Jordan) , Abou small quantities was used only for the human degradation and damage, today it is Simbel (Egypt), Lalibela (Ethiopia), Ajantaj marking of the main entrance door, stairs increasingly exposed to multiple threats that Elioraj Elephanta ( India) and Mogao(Chine). and to make up for the inclination of the seriously affect it [14]. These threats can be The inscription of Sened Jebel troglodytic land. The palm wood was used for making summed up essentially in natural risks such caves with the others earth-sheltered the doors. The olive wood for the as erosion, humidity, proliferation of plants... dwellings of southern Tunisia on the list of manufacture of its amount [10]. and human menace such as bad world heritage is an opportunity to enhance interventions and exploitations… preservation and valorization of this 1. exceptional heritage and to improve the 026 Focus sustainable development of this region. This [7] M. Boukthir, Water and population in cultural heritage is perfectly suited for the mountain villages of southern insertion in UNESCO's World Heritage List. It Tunisia. Comments and clarifications responds especially to the criteria of around the village of Sened (en langue selection (i), (iii) and (v): (i) it represents a arabe), BIBLID , 1133-8571, 2012, pp. masterpiece of human creative genius, (iii) it 35-36. bears an exceptional testimony to a cultural [8] V. Mayet, Voyage dans le sud de la tradition which has disappeared, (v) it is an Tunisie, Challamel, 1887.