Tozeur

Tozeur, oasis in west-central Tunisia. It is located to the south of Tunisia’s steppe region in the jarīd (palm) country, which displays a colourful landscape marked by numerous chott (or shaṭṭ, salty lake) depressions and palm groves. The town is situated on the isthmus that separates the Chotts of El-Jarid (Al-Jarīd) and Al-Rharsah (Al-Gharsah), and it is referred to as the gate of the desert.

Tozeur was an important Numidian town on the ancient caravan route between Vescra (modern Biskra, in Algeria) and Tacapae (modern Gabès [Qābis], in Tunisia). The oasis was settled in Roman times before its conquest by Amazigh (Berber) tribes; it existed as an almost independent statelet until the rise of Ḥafṣid rule in the late Middle Ages. In the 14th century it was an active marketplace, and it has always been a centre of Amazigh resistance to Arabization in Tunisia. The characteristic architecture of the region is displayed in the decorated facades of Tozeur’s traditional buildings, often of yellow bricks laid in relief forming stylized geometric patterns. This is seen in Sīdī ʿAbīd Mosque, the zāwiyah (seat of a religious fraternity) Sīdī Mūldi, the Great Mosque built in 1030, and the marabout (holy man) tomb of Sīdī ʿAlī Abū Lifah, which was built in 1282.

The area in which Tozeur is situated is known for its mirages, which are caused by the warm air and the glittering mineral salts of the chotts and which often sent early caravans astray. With its international airport and the development of a significant tourism industry, modern Tozeur serves as a regional political and commercial centre.

The surrounding Al-Jarīd region derives its name from the date palms cultivated there, which produce two varieties of high-quality dates; together with handwoven rugs and hand-fashioned silver jewelry, they have constituted the town’s main exports since the 11th century. The oasis is famous for its complex irrigation system, built in the 13th century and fed by 200 springs. Pop. (2004) 32,400.