Berber Granary Chambers in Southern Tunisia: Historical Storage and Defense
Ghorfas are barrel-vaulted granary rooms primarily located in southern Tunisia, with some in Libya, associated with Berber communities. Constructed around the 14th century, these structures measure about 4-5 meters long and 2 meters high, featuring single doors and stacked arrangements. They stored food like cereals and dates to mitigate dry seasons, with ground floors sometimes housing animals and caretakers. Built without wooden beams due to local material scarcity, they used sand-filled sacks to form vaults. In fortified Berber villages called ksars, ghorfas also served defensive purposes, with outward-facing blind walls. A notable complex in Medenine once had over 6,000 ghorfas across 25 courtyards until its demolition in 1962 for urban redevelopment, leaving only two courtyards today.
Key facts
- Ghorfas are granary chambers built in the 14th century in southern Tunisia and parts of Libya
- They are barrel-vaulted rooms stacked up to four levels, used for storing food and sometimes as dwellings
- A major complex in Medenine had over 6,000 ghorfas until destroyed in 1962 for urban planning
Entities
Locations
- Southern Tunisia
- Libya
- Medenine