Ksarorqṣar(Arabic:قصر,romanized:qṣar), in pluralksourorqsour(Arabic:قصور,romanized:qṣur), is a type of fortified village in North Africa, usually found in the regions predominantly or traditionally inhabited byBerbers(Amazigh).[1][2]The equivalentBerberterm used isighrem(singular) origherman(plural).[1]
Ksour in the Maghreb typically consist of attached houses, often having afortified communal granarylike those in Algeria, or theghorfaandagadirtypes known in Tunisia and Morocco respectively, beside other structures like amosque,hammam,oven, and shops. Ksur or igherman are widespread among theoasispopulations ofNorth Africa.Ksars are sometimes situated in mountain locations to make defense easier; they often are entirely within a single, continuous wall. Thebuilding materialof the entire structure usually isadobe,or cut stone and adobe. The idea of the ksar as a granary is a confused notion of two things: the granary itself, found within a ksar, and the ksar, a village, typically with granaries within it. Ksars form one of the main manifestations ofBerber architecture.
^Wehr, Hans; Cowan, J. M.A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic(Third ed.). Ithaca, N.Y.: Spoken Language Services. p. 768.
^Binous, Jamila; Baklouti, Naceur; Ben Tanfous, Aziza; Bouteraa, Kadri; Rammah, Mourad; Zouari, Ali (2010). "X.6 Chénini (of Tataouine)".Ifriqiya: Thirteen Centuries of Art and Architecture in Tunisia.Islamic Art in the Mediterranean (2nd ed.). Museum With No Frontiers & Ministry of Culture, the National Institute of Heritage, Tunis. p. 269.ISBN9783902782199.
