الماء و الاستقرار في شمال أفريقيا خلال الحقبة القديمة

Abstract EN

Classical literary texts and modern historical and archaeological studies alike connect the emergence and evolution of ancient eastern civilizations to their proximity to the major rivers of the Nile, Tigris and Euphrates: for the Greek historian Herodotus, ancient Egypt was merely a "gift from the Nile." To what extent does this civilizational model apply to the ancient civilizations of North Africa? This study seeks to find an answer to this question by analyzing classical texts and archeological findings from prehistory to the rise of the Roman Empire, in order to reveal the limits of the relation between water and the settlement choices of both local people and the foreigners frequenting the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of North Africa.

It finds that there was a marked preference for settling close to springs, riversides and lakes for economic purposes, including agriculture, fishing, pottery, preparing garum, transportation and mobility, as well as domestic uses, such as cooking and bathing.

Keywords: North Africa, Ancient Era, Settlement, Springs and Rivers, Economic Benefits of Water.