• Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Agadir Tasguent made of stamped clay perches on a hill
    Door leading into courtyard of the castleSecond door leading into the interiorA contract written on a piece of wood.Local authorities dad an inventory stamping everything in the AgadirA Berber lock. Pins fall from above into the lock blocking it. A key of bronze lifts these pinsThe keyholeMore contractsUtensils and jugs for oilCorridor leading to the heart of the buildingSlabs protruding from the wall are used to climb to the various "safe rooms"Entrance to a "safe" roomJug for storing valuable Argan oilDried carrotsStairs leading up to the captain's quartersThe door to the captain's quartersDrawing water from the well in the interior.Signs of gun fightDate 1969, list of goods deposited by the familiesA ledger of what the families have paid to the captainEntrance to a "safe" roomDown below the soldiers had their living quartersThe kitchen of the soldiers

    Agadir Tasguent, the bank of the Berber

    November 18 in Morocco ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    Around 1000AD the Berber kingdom spanned the whole of north western Africa, and was led by a wise, warrior Queen, around whom whole legends are woven. These Berbers already had a system of banks, called "AGADIR" for the storage and protection of their valuables.
    About 12 villages shared one AGADIR, a type of fortress on a hill managed by a captain, a person of trust with a team of guards. In the AGADIR we're tiny rooms, each rented to one family where they could store their "Riches". Berber gold and jewellery was buried in covered holes in the walls or floor. To remember where the holes were, they would code the number of handwidths from a certain point in the room. Furthermore they stored their contracts here. Due to the lack of paper, these were written on a piece of wood and signed by both parties under whitness. Other treasures were garments, argan oil, grain and even dried vegetables.
    The AGADIR Tasguent, which had 360 compartments, is world heritage but has been closed to visits due to danger of collapse. A local villager who had access, gave us an exclusive tour spiked by many stories.
    In 1969 several years after maroccan indépendance, the captain of this AGADIR robbed what valuables he could find by breaking into the various compartments and disappeared to Paris.
    Now, does that remind us of the banks we have today??????    Read more