Publications
Conceptual Framework for CO2 Geological Storage in Salt Diapirsof the Abandoned Chinguetti Field, Mauritanian Coastal Basin
A robust offshore CO2 storage solution emerges from the abandoned Chinguetti Field, part of Mauritania's UNESCO-listed Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt, and Oualata. The study reveals that salt diapirs in this field can securely store over 2.5 gigatons of CO2, leveraging their ultra-low permeability and high ductility for long-term containment. Geomechanical analysis confirms safe injection below fracture pressure thresholds, minimizing leakage risks. Reusing existing wells further enhances cost-efficiency and operational control. This approach offers a scalable, technically viable method to mitigate CO2 emissions from Mauritania's energy sector, which contributed nearly one-third of the country's 13.96 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions in 2024.
Cultures villageoises du sud-est mauritanien : Néolithique récent de Tichitt (4200/2500 B.P.) et post-néolithique
A recent study sheds light on the enigmatic Tichitt Neolithic Culture (CNT) in southeastern Mauritania, revealing its unique village structure and societal organization. The research confirms that the CNT emerged around 4200 B.P., coinciding with a prolonged arid phase that drove populations southward from uncertain origins. While the culture's general chronology and lifestyle are well-documented, this study addresses gaps in understanding its later phases, including shifts in population centers towards the Tagant region and the southern Sahara, where favorable climates sustained prosperity. It also explores the roles of agriculture, metallurgy, and trade, particularly with the Niger Inner Delta, as well as the influence of Berber migrations from the north during the late Neolithic period. The study employs a combination of archaeological evidence, chronological analysis, and environmental reconstructions to unravel the complexities of this vast cultural ensemble.
Revisiting Tichitt: new dates and data from the 1968 excavations by Patrick Munson
New radiocarbon dating and pottery analysis of Patrick Munson's 1968 excavations at Dhar Tichitt, Mauritania, reveal significant gaps in the chronological understanding of the Tichitt Tradition. The study provides 14 AMS dates on charcoal samples, offering greater precision than previous conventional radiocarbon dates and shedding light on the growth, functioning, and interactions among settlements attributed to this tradition. Petrographic and organic residue analysis of excavated pottery adds previously unavailable descriptive details, including time-sensitive changes that were only briefly mentioned in Munson's dissertation. These findings challenge existing interpretive frameworks and open new avenues for understanding the dynamics of West African village development after 2000 BC.
Results of Preparatory Surveys on the Tagant Escarpment, Mauritania
A recent survey of the Tagant escarpment in southeastern Mauritania reveals a rich archaeological landscape with numerous stone-built settlements and funerary sites, many yet to be documented. The findings suggest continuity with the nearby Tichitt complex from the Ceramic Late Stone Age, though the region remains understudied despite earlier remote sensing efforts. This preparatory work lays critical groundwork for future research, addressing long-standing gaps in our understanding of this UNESCO-listed area's cultural significance.
Le pouvoir du chérif : perspectives sahariennes (XVIIIe/XIXe siècles)
Saharan šarīf (Cherifian) lineage groups wielded significant political power in 18th–19th century oasis societies of Touat and Oualata, distinct from maraboutic authority. Their influence stemmed not solely from genealogical ties to the Prophet or scholarly prestige but primarily from leadership roles and strategic use of force in inter-lineage conflicts. This study challenges conventional narratives by analyzing archival records and oral histories to demonstrate that šurafāʾ power was independently articulated, often overriding religious or saintly authority. The research highlights their pivotal role in shaping Saharan governance during a transitional period.
Memory, agency, and labor mobilization in the monumental funerary landscapes of southeastern Mauritania, West Africa
A novel analysis of funerary landscapes in southeastern Mauritania reveals that the spatial distribution and size variability of conical tumulus cairns reflect complex socio-economic dynamics, including labor mobilization and cultural attitudes toward ancestor memorialization. The study introduces a size-based classification system for these monuments, applicable across prehistoric Saharan archaeology, and applies Gini coefficients to quantify monument size inequality within three previously undocumented tumulus fields in the western Tagant Plateau. This approach provides new insights into the social energetics of remembrance, linking material culture to political agency and network obligations.
The Tichitt Culture and the Malian Lakes Region
Researchers have identified approximately 300 stone-walled sites in the Malian Lakes Region, tentatively linking them to the Tichitt culture of the Ceramic Late Stone Age. These sites, varying in size and complexity, are located around sandstone massifs and represent a significant addition to the understanding of this culture's spatial distribution. While no dating or material culture is currently available, the study highlights these features as a priority for future research, potentially shedding light on the connections between the Tichitt culture and the Middle Niger region.
Una aproximación a las ciudades del saber en el desierto a través del documental kitab
The ancient libraries of Ouadane and Chinguetti, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, hold vast collections of manuscripts that represent invaluable cultural heritage. These 'libraries of the desert' are not only repositories of knowledge but also symbols of identity for local communities. A recent study highlights their significance through an analysis of the documentary film 'Kitab' (2017), which showcases how these communities preserve and transmit ancestral texts, ensuring the continuity of wisdom and cultural diversity in the region.
Spatial Organization and Socio-Economic Differentiation at the Dhar Tichitt Center of Dakhlet el Atrouss I (Southeastern Mauritania)
Significant socio-economic differentiation existed at Dakhlet el Atrouss I, the largest site of the Tichitt Tradition in southeastern Mauritania. This finding challenges previous assumptions about limited complexity in the region by applying Lorenz Curves and Gini Coefficients—a first for African prehistory—to analyze compound size variation. The study reveals a multi-tiered settlement hierarchy with nearly 600 compounds, suggesting substantial wealth disparity despite minimal evidence of imported prestige goods. Using econometric methods and spatial analyses, researchers demonstrated that the site's intricate layout and monumental funerary architecture reflect complex agropastoral economies centered on pearl millet cultivation and livestock-raising.
The prohibition: reality and future prospects or the first educational system
The mahḍara, a traditional Bedouin educational institution centered around a mobile sheikh-led system, has persisted as a cornerstone of knowledge dissemination and Islamic learning in Mauritania. This study highlights its enduring role in preserving encyclopedic memorization techniques and social engagement, even during colonialism. The mahḍara produced influential scholars whose contributions extended across Sudan and Africa, leaving a lasting intellectual legacy. Its unique blend of free education, strong social integration, and resistance to cultural suppression underscores its significance as one of the earliest educational systems in the region.
Architecture and Settlement Growth on the Southern Edge of the Sahara
Archaeological research challenges long-held assumptions about the origins of urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa, revealing that complex settlement systems existed before Trans-Saharan commerce flourished. The study examines architectural development and settlement growth across the Hodh and Middle Niger basins, including sites like Tichitt, Walata, Tagant, and Néma, focusing on the emergence of dry stone, coursed earth, or mudbrick structures. By analyzing regional data sets, the research sheds light on pre-8th-century settlement patterns and interactions between Trans-Saharan and Berber worlds, providing a nuanced understanding of early urbanization in the southern Sahara.
Living with Uncertainty
Historical migration patterns across the Sahara, particularly through UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Ouadane and Chinguetti, reveal enduring mobility trends from the Sahel to North Africa. Analysis of trade routes—including the Ghadames, Garamantean, and Oualata roads—shows sustained movement of people and goods since 1500 BCE, peaking between the 8th and 17th centuries CE with commodities like salt, gold, and slaves. Contemporary migration flows remain active, with migrants from countries including Mali, Niger, and Chad moving to Libya and Tunisia, often engaging in circular migration. This continuity underscores the resilience of trans-Saharan mobility despite geopolitical changes.
Postcolonial Amnesia: The “Vanishing Present” of the Past in Le Cercle des noyés
The documentary 'Le Cercle des noyés' (Drowned in Oblivion) by Pierre-Yves Vandeweerd exposes the systemic political tyranny and collective amnesia in Mauritania, particularly targeting the Black minority. Through poignant testimonies of former detainees from Oualata's fort—described as a 'fort-mouroir' or death camp—and striking black-and-white imagery, the film challenges postcolonial narratives by problematizing historical representation and state-sanctioned violence. It serves as both a gesture against forgetting and a parable applicable to broader contexts of oppression, such as Guantánamo. The research approach combines aesthetic reflection with political analysis, avoiding sloganeering while delivering a powerful critique of power misuse and injustice.
Restoration of the historic libraries of Chinguetti, Mauritania
The restoration of Chinguetti’s historic libraries, located within the UNESCO-listed Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt, and Oualata, demonstrates a successful approach to preserving ancient manuscripts using traditional techniques. This project, led by Terrachidia NGO with support from AECID, restored multiple libraries within the ksar—home to generations of scholarly texts—by employing local materials and labor, ensuring cultural authenticity. Unlike a failed museum proposal in 2000, this method maintained the manuscripts' historical context while safeguarding them for future study. The initiative highlights the significance of trans-Saharan trade routes in fostering manuscript culture and underscores the importance of sustainable preservation practices in protecting intangible heritage.
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