Researchers Hamza Elbahraoui and Igor Kliakhandler have discovered hundreds of thousands of legal documents, known as “arraten,” that provide invaluable insights into the socio-economic history of the indigenous Amazigh tribes over a period of 400 years. This unprecedented find in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains includes up to 500,000 documents recorded on argan wood and paper. Many more are believed to be still buried in the region.
Elbahraoui, an antique dealer in Rabat, discovered the first arraten in a basket of antique tribal artifacts he had bought, sparking his interest and precipitating the investigation.
Hamza said that when he first found the arraten in the basket he bought he felt a sense of mystery such as one would find in the Scheherazade tales of 1001 nights, improbable in the 21st century.
Partnering with Kliakhandler, a former professor at Michigan Technological University who owns a diverse antique manuscript collection, the two men set off to explore the Anti-Atlas Mountains to find more of these rare arraten.
Ensuring the authenticity and provenance of the arraten is crucial, especially for a collector or museum curator such as Kliakhandler.
In their search, the two men visited 24 igoudar, ancient Amazigh storage facilities, where they uncovered piles of arraten preserved in various conditions.
Some documents were found in jars, others scattered on floors, and often covered in dust due to the deteriorated state of some of the igoudar.
A cursory analysis of the arraten texts indicated that they are legal contracts or deeds, often with a Hijra date from the Islamic calendar.
The agreements broadly cover transactions such as home sales, land sales, and other property transfers, such as leases.
They also include marriage arrangements, money lending, status changes such as adoptions, wills, and inheritance, and inter-tribal matters.
Specifically, some of the arraten codify rules for the use of the agoudar, and traditional construction and establish agreements or resolve issues between various tribes.
The researchers estimate that over 5,000 documents remain in situ, beyond their collection of more than 4,000 arraten already.
They believe the entire Atlas Mountains may house up to 100,000 caves, potentially containing up to 500,000 more of these historical documents.
Although the men sought to obtain more information about arraten from the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (IRCAM) in Rabat, the principal institution responsible for the Berber cultural Renaissance in Morocco, no specific information or reports on arraten documents were found there.
Kliakhandler and Elbahraoui*said that scientifically recovering these artifacts is crucial for preserving Morocco’s Amazigh heritage. The arraten offer a unique glimpse into the legal, social, and economic organization of the Amazigh people over the centuries.
The researchers’ findings, published in a travelogue-style paper in August, are a significant contribution to understanding Amazigh history.
Kliakhandler and Elbahraoui are considering donating their collection to a suitable institution for their preservation and further study. They hope their discovery will encourage more efforts to recover and protect this rich cultural heritage.