The workshop in Berlin will focus on Mauritania’s manuscripts and critically evaluate previous conservation measures in order to develop a strategy for the future. According to estimates, Mauritania is home to more than 30,000 manuscripts in over 800 private family libraries. The majority of these manuscripts deal with religious topics, mainly in the form of classical Islamic commentary literature, but also texts on medical, astronomical, literary and historical topics. Personal family documents and purchase contracts are also preserved. These libraries are an important part of the cultural legacy of the Sahara-Sahel region. Together with southern Morocco, southern Algeria, southern Libya, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger, northern Nigeria, Chad and Darfur (Sudan), the commitment of interconnected Muslim scholars and traders has resulted in this testimony to a history that has not yet been fully explored. However, this heritage is partly under threat due to the different commitments of the nation states involved. The collection in Mauritania must be considered particularly endangered. Such a collection of diverse written sources from different centuries is exceptional for the African continent. The collected manuscripts cover the period from the 18th to the 20th century, with individual texts dating back to an earlier date of origin.
The aim of the two-day workshop is to assess the status of manuscript preservation in Mauritania and develop a feasible plan for further work. Scholars with different areas of expertise will take part in order to research and preserve the material. It is important that the stakeholders cooperate more closely in the future in order to present an “overall package” for the rescue work instead of individual actions. This is the only way to attract potential donors, without whom the preservation of Mauritania’s precious manuscripts will not be possible. The results of the workshop should be available in a publication by June 2016.
