Origins of Sijilmasa

Sijilmasa was a medieval trading city in the Tafilalt oasis of southeastern Morocco, on the northern edge of the Sahara. It was founded by Berber people, and it was ruled by the Midrarid dynasty, which followed the Kharijite branch of Islam. The city grew rich as the northern terminus of the trans-Saharan caravan trade, particularly in gold from West Africa, which was sent north to the Mediterranean, in exchange for salt and goods. Sijilmasa was fought over by the Fatimids, Almoravids, Almohads and Marinids, and it declined during the later Middle Ages. Its ruins lie near the modern town of Rissani, and archaeologists have uncovered sections of the city walls and buildings.

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