Ksar orqṣar (Arabic:قصر,romanized: qṣar), in pluralksour orqsour (Arabic:قصور,romanized: qṣur), is a type of fortified village in North Africa, usually found in the regions predominantly or traditionally inhabited byBerbers (Amazigh).[1][2] The equivalentBerber term used isighrem (singular) origherman (plural).[1]
Ksour in the Maghreb typically consist of attached houses, often having afortified communal granary like those in Algeria, or theghorfa andagadir types known in Tunisia and Morocco respectively, beside other structures like amosque,hammam, oven, and shops. Ksur or igherman are widespread among theoasis populations ofNorth Africa. Ksars are sometimes situated in mountain locations to make defense easier; they often are entirely within a single, continuous wall. Thebuilding material of the entire structure usually isadobe, or cut stone and adobe. The idea of the ksar as a granary is a confused notion of two things: the granary itself, found within a ksar, and the ksar, a village, typically with granaries within it. Ksars form one of the main manifestations ofBerber architecture.
^Wehr, Hans; Cowan, J. M.A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (Third ed.). Ithaca, N.Y.: Spoken Language Services. p. 768.
^Binous, Jamila; Baklouti, Naceur; Ben Tanfous, Aziza; Bouteraa, Kadri; Rammah, Mourad; Zouari, Ali (2010). "X.6 Chénini (of Tataouine)".Ifriqiya: Thirteen Centuries of Art and Architecture in Tunisia. Islamic Art in the Mediterranean (2nd ed.). Museum With No Frontiers & Ministry of Culture, the National Institute of Heritage, Tunis. p. 269.ISBN9783902782199.
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