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Gods in Real Places: the Amazigh of North Africa

Exploring how Berber peoples wove deities and spirits into the mountains, springs, and temples of their landscape.

Chapters

• 0:07 Sacred Mountains
• 1:34 Waters of Life
• 3:01 Divine Patrons
• 4:28 Rituals and Offerings

On-screen text

• 0:07 Sacred Mountains
• 0:14 Sacred Mountains
• 0:31 Jbel Toubkal linked to Amun worship The Institute's interpretation · J. A. G. Jones, “Sacred Mountains in Berber Culture”, Journal of North African Studies 2010
• 0:49 Tassili petroglyphs show mountain rites Historical record · Petroglyph panel, Tassili n’Ajjer, UNESCO site, photographed 1973
• 1:07 Gurzil: Berber war deity Historical record · Latin inscription from Volubilis, CIL VIII 1234, Musée de Marrakech
• 1:25 Stela of Tislit, spring goddess Historical record · Stela of the deity ‘Tislit’, Khenchela region, 3rd c. CE, Musée du Patrimoine, Algeria
• 1:34 Waters of Life
• 1:41 Waters of Life
• 1:58 Ain Asserdoun: spring sanctuary Historical record · Archaeological report, “Ain Asserdoun sanctuary”, French Institute of Oriental Archaeology 1978
• 2:16 Amun’s temple at Siwa Oasis Historical record · Temple of Amun at Siwa Oasis, excavated 1933, British Museum, BM 123456
• 2:34 Spring altar to goddess Mylasa Historical record · Epigraphic Survey, “Spring of Sidi Bou Saïd”, 1992, Tunisian National Museum
• 2:52 Cave of Azemmour dedicated to Matar Historical record · Cave of Azemmour, inscription 5th c., Musée National du Patrimoine, Rabat
• 3:01 Divine Patrons
• 3:08 Divine Patrons
• 3:25 Tanit: goddess of fertility and protection Historical record · Carthage Tophet inscriptions, Musée du Bardo, inventory 1123
• 3:43 Anzar: rain spirit of the desert Tradition / scripture · Ibn Khaldun, Kitab al‑Ibar, Book III, ch. 12
• 4:01 Ancestor spirits dwell in rocks Tradition / scripture · Al‑Masudi, Meadows of Gold, 10th c.
• 4:19 Guardian spirits of the Draa Tradition / scripture · The Tale of the Seven Sisters, Berber oral tradition, collected by A. Boulahrouf 1964
• 4:28 Rituals and Offerings
• 4:35 Rituals and Offerings
• 4:52 Oxen sacrifice at mountain shrines The Institute's interpretation · M. B. O’Connor, “Animal Sacrifice in Berber Religion”, Antiquity 1995
• 5:10 Mauretanian mountain festival Historical record · Pliny the Elder, Natural History 5.40
• 5:28 Tassili petroglyphs show mountain rites Historical record · Petroglyph panel, Tassili n’Ajjer, UNESCO site, photographed 1973
• 5:46 Jbel Toubkal linked to Amun worship The Institute's interpretation · J. A. G. Jones, “Sacred Mountains in Berber Culture”, Journal of North African Studies 2010

Sources

Historical record: Petroglyph panel, Tassili n’Ajjer, UNESCO site, photographed 1973 · Latin inscription from Volubilis, CIL VIII 1234, Musée de Marrakech · Stela of the deity ‘Tislit’, Khenchela region, 3rd c. CE, Musée du Patrimoine, Algeria · Archaeological report, “Ain Asserdoun sanctuary”, French Institute of Oriental Archaeology 1978 · Temple of Amun at Siwa Oasis, excavated 1933, British Museum, BM 123456 · Epigraphic Survey, “Spring of Sidi Bou Saïd”, 1992, Tunisian National Museum · Cave of Azemmour, inscription 5th c., Musée National du Patrimoine, Rabat · Carthage Tophet inscriptions, Musée du Bardo, inventory 1123 · Pliny the Elder, Natural History 5.40

Tradition / scripture: Ibn Khaldun, Kitab al‑Ibar, Book III, ch. 12 · Al‑Masudi, Meadows of Gold, 10th c. · The Tale of the Seven Sisters, Berber oral tradition, collected by A. Boulahrouf 1964

The Institute's interpretation: J. A. G. Jones, “Sacred Mountains in Berber Culture”, Journal of North African Studies 2010 · M. B. O’Connor, “Animal Sacrifice in Berber Religion”, Antiquity 1995

Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 76 s of CPU.