Typology
Building Types
Source-of-truth for the building-type terminology used elsewhere in the archive: kasbah, ksar, igherm, agadir, tighremt, ghorfa, and related forms.
01
Agadirإيگودار
A fortified collective granary, particularly in the Anti-Atlas region of southern Morocco, used to store grain, oil, and valuables for surrounding communities.
morocco — stone, adobe
02
Ighermقصر
The Tamazight term for fortified collective village or granary, broadly synonymous with ksar in usage but sometimes specifically denoting communal grain storage structures in the Anti-Atlas.
morocco — stone, adobe, wood
03
Kasbahقصبة
A fortified residence, typically the seat of a tribal leader, governor, or extended family in southern Morocco and parts of the wider Maghreb.
morocco · algeria · tunisia — pisé, adobe, wood
04
Ksarقصر
A fortified village built collectively by an extended community, with shared defensive walls enclosing a dense fabric of dwellings, granaries, and communal spaces.
morocco · algeria · tunisia · libya · mauritania · mali — pisé, adobe, mudbrick, stone
05
Tighremtقصبة
The Tamazight word for kasbah, denoting a fortified residence built of rammed earth with corner towers, typically of three stories. Used principally in Central Atlas Tamazight regions.
morocco — pisé, adobe, wood