التشكل الثقافي شمال الصحراء : النسق الشنقيطي نموذجا

Abstract EN

After reviewing the cultural entities of Northern Sahara, we have found that the common denominators, and similarities, are so important to enable us to take one of them as a model for study; we have established, through the comparison between Wadan and Chinguetti, the existence of an almost identification in the acting factors in those entities, namely the ancient cities of (Walata, Tichit, Wadan and Chinguetti).

It seemed that the spiritual factor comes, first among these actors, followed by supernatural miracles as a serving agent; this dominating factor is then positioned as sub-consciousness of the social formula, embodied in a system, based on equity and balance.

In Chinguetti, chosen as a case study, this status was made easier by a favorable environment, and a well organized economic activity leading to the prevailing of a system of thought, governing the activity of both mind and behavior; characterizing every aspect of a life with rigidity, and stamping with rigor all individual acts; thus, defining to the individual what one should or should not do.