Preserving Oualata's fragile manuscript legacy amid desert threats

Oualata forms part of a quartet of fortified towns, or ksour, granted World Heritage status for their historical significance as trading and religious centres. Today, they preserve vestiges of a rich medieval past.

- (Al Jazeera)

Throughout Oualata, doors fashioned from acacia wood, adorned with traditional designs painted by local women, punctuate the earthen facades. Family libraries safeguard centuries-old manuscripts, invaluable records of cultural and literary heritage passed down through generations.

Yet, Oualata's proximity to the Malian border leaves it acutely vulnerable to the unforgiving environment of the Sahara. Scorching heat and seasonal downpours have left piles of stone and gaping holes in the town's historical walls, the aftermath of especially severe recent rains.

"Many houses have collapsed because of the rains," said Khady, standing beside her crumbling childhood home, now her inheritance from her grandparents.

Depopulation has only accelerated Oualata's decline.

"The houses became ruins because their owners left them," explained Sidiya, who is a member of a national foundation dedicated to preserving the country's ancient towns.