The Amazigh Population of North Africa

Who are the Amazigh people?

Timeline

About

Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco boast some of the richest and unique histories in the world.

The Amazigh inhabited the region for thousands of years, deeply influenced the fates of ancient Empires, and centuries later, would embrace the Islamic faith on their terms to become some of the most powerful peoples of the Medieval Mediterranean.

DIHYA

• Commonly referred to as the “Kahina,” meaning “seer” in Arabic, this brave and defiant woman belonged to a Judaized Amazigh tribe in the Aurès Mountains of modern Algeria.
• Amazigh warrior-queen and seer who led her people in resisting the Arab Invasion of North Africa during the 7th century CE.
• Married a tyrant to free her people in her youth.

TAMAZGHA

The Amazigh women in Algeria were forced by a French photographer to remove their veils to be photographed in 1960.

The Amazigh first appear in the historical record more than 3,000 years ago in the ledgers of the New Kingdom of Egypt, who frequently interacted with the ancient Libyans, a Amazigh people.

Broadly speaking, the Amazighs are a people indigenous to a huge swath of land known as Tamazgha, which stretches from western Egypt to the Atlantic coast, and penetrates deep past the Atlas Mountains into the Sahara desert.

LALA FATIMA N'SOUMER

The ancestors of the Amazigh have been living throughout Tamazgha for at least 12,000 years.

• Refused to marry at the age of 16 and worked hard on her education
• Was a leader in many battles and was able to inspire men through her speeches
• Was able to terminate 200+ french soldiers during the french colonialism

Amazigh tattoo

• The first one was purely ornamental. Most Amazigh women were living in the mountains and couldn’t afford jewellery. Thus, they used tattoos to beautify their bodies and faces.
• Triangles, lines, diamonds, and dots are common geometric designs found in Amazigh tattoos. In addition to being beautiful designs, these patterns have cultural importance as symbols of spirituality, fertility, and protection.

945 BC: The Meshwesh tribe conquers parts of Egypt, establishing themselves as Pharaohs of Egypt's 22nd and 23rd Dynasties.

814 BC: Phoenicians from Tyre establish Carthage on the coast of modern-day Tunisia, expanding their control over much of the Amazigh-dominated African coast.

7th century BC: Ancient Greeks colonize Cyrenaica, interacting with the Amazigh population and sharing cultural aspects.

3rd century BC: Punic Wars erupt between Carthage and Rome, with various Amazigh tribes fighting alongside both powers.

112 BC: War breaks out between the expanding Roman Republic and King Jugurtha of Numidia, leading to the Roman conquest of the Amazigh coast.

3rd century AD: Many Amazigh convert to Christianity during Roman rule, including influential figures like Augustine.

5th century AD: Germanic Vandals conquer parts of North Africa, leading to the establishment of small indigenous Amazigh kingdoms.

7th century AD: Muslim conquest of North Africa begins, encountering fierce resistance from Amazigh tribes.

Amazigh tribes expand and unite under their own brands of Islam, forging powerful empires in African history.

Amazighs Way of Life

IMPACT

Amazigh’s Ancient Granaries: Igudar granaries

Over thousands of years, Amazigh society has been molded to thrive in the harsh desert environment. Traditionally, the majority of their tribes lived by driving flocks of livestock between pockets of oases in a semi-nomadic lifestyle.

Many tribes took advantage of the fertile Mediterranean coastline to establish themselves as sophisticated agriculturalists, while others took to commerce, becoming intrepid camel-back merchants who braved the trade-routes of the Sahara for the gold of West and Central Africa.

• According to historians, the Igudar granaries in Morocco are the world’s oldest bank, going back as far as the 13th century. Some historians believe they may even go farther than that since the granaries are as old as the mountains they are built in.

• Each Amazigh family owned a granary and stored their valuables inside it. These valuables ranged from documents and weapons to food and jewelry.