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Images of Daily Life in Morocco
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| The traditional Middle Eastern city is walled. Walls have gates, which are points of access to the city. Here you see that the walls of Marrakech are fortress-like; often 20 to 30 feet thick and 30 to 40 feet high. There are half a dozen prominent gates, and this, the Gate of Guinea (Bab Aguenaou), was built by order of Sultan Yaacoub el Mansour in 1185. An impressive design made from local blue granite, it is a prime example of Moroccan decorative art from the Almohad period (1150-1250).
-How old was Marrakech when Bab Aguenaou was constructed? -How long has Bab Aguenaou been in use? Until a generation ago, these gates were closed at night. A gatekeeper stood guard to see that only people who belonged in that section of the city were let in at night. During the day, gates were open, just as you see Bab Aguenaou here. -What kind of neighborhoods are guarded in today's America? You also see a variety of Marrakechis here. Moroccan city women, and women from the country when they come into the city, typically wear an overgarment called the djellaba. The djellaba has a long hood which is drawn over the head, and a veil is usually aDDed. This aDDs a sense of privacy to the world outside the home, and women thereby lessen their noticeability and see the djellaba and veil as a way of protecting themselves from the world of men. The woman on the right is carrying her infant child on her back, strapped in by a long diaper. Men wear a form of the djellaba, too. |