CONTRIBUTION DE L’HYDRAULIQUE MEDIEVALE DANS LA DYNAMIQUE URBAINE DU MAGHREB. CAS DE LA MEDINA DE TLEMCEN EN ALGERIE

Abstract

In the mass of literature on the history of Tlemcen, the section reserved for water and medieval hydraulic techniques remains, despite the efforts made, very limited or marginalized. Of course, the socio-economic dynamics of cities requires communities to not fold on the past, but in our case the wealth of material and immaterial heritage is undeniable. A diagnosis of present and look to the future can only be truly achieved only by the appreciation of the knowledge of the past and its integration into the socio-economic and cultural daily. In this perspective of reconciliation between past and present, the issue of water in the ancient medieval cities in general and more specifically that relating to hydraulic systems deserves special attention and urgent care. To better understand this problem, a return to the memory is imperative. He calls us to more than one way to analyze more deeply the evolution of water and its role in medieval urban dynamics of ancient cities. Nearest to us, the Maghreb region offers a variety of examples in which common elements are aridity, water and man. With this modest contribution, the aim is to enrich the debate around this topic of current and vital to our society. For this purpose, a living examples that challenges us by its technical perfection, its sociological context, historical and environmental system is that supply and wastewater in the Medina of Tlemcen.The analysis on the particular system wastewater, known locally as "sloukia" is a testimony to our sense innovations Arabic school water derived from the ingenious technique of exploration and transportation of water of qanat. Currently facing unprecedented degradation, this heritage is threatened with ruin and largely destabilizes the structure of the built heritage and architecture.