Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 3
Examples of one of the landscape paintings performed by the
Belgian artist Jean Verame in granitic landforms near Tafraoute, known
as the
“
Roches Peintes
”
. Since created in 1984, the colours become
increasingly loose and faded due to weathering by the wind and the
strong solar radiation. In 2010, the enterprise
“
Peintures Atlas
”
has re-
painted some of the site to its former Verame
'
s colours.
a
Some of the
painted forms photographed in 2007.
b
The same forms as in
(
a
) photographed in 1984 (Verame
1984
, reproduced with author
'
s
popular form photographed in 2012, 2 years after being re-painted.
d
The same form as in (
c
) photographed in 2007. Notice the presence of
superposed graf
ti
colours become increasingly loose and faded due to weath-
ering by the wind and the strong solar radiation (Fig.
3
a, d).
In 2010, the enterprise
(PII) quartzitic rocks (Fig.
5
). A sharp contact separates the
PII quartzites from the Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary
rocks (PI) at the bottom of the valley, a contact which cor-
responds to a Pan-African shear zone (the Ameln Valley
shear zone; Hassenforder
1987
; Soulaimani and Piqu
went through a
renovation project that restored part of the site to the former
Verame
“
Peintures Atlas
”
s colours (Fig.
3
c). Divergent opinions exist
between those who consider this type of human modi
'
é
cation
of natural formations as an artwork that improves the land-
scape and those who object and refute these kind of practices
that are damaging the landscape.
The cultural and archaeological heritage of the small
villages in the area aesthetically harmonizes with this geo-
logical landscape heritage. This is the case of the ancient
villages such as Adai, Imyane and Tazekka (Fig.
4
a). Many
traditional Berber houses were built on the slopes of the
granitic promontories and, in this cases, the materials and
shapes used in these buildings perfectly match with the
natural pinkish-orangish smooth boulders of granite. Finally,
it is important to mention here that prehistoric art is also
locally represented in this area in the form of rock engrav-
ings or petroglyphs. Among them, one of the most visited
and appraised carving is the Gazelle near Tazekka (Fig.
4
b).
2004
).
Several small villages of great beauty and historical-cul-
tural value are harmonically aligned along the base of the
cliff such as Tighzt, Tandite and Oumesnate (Fig.
5
b).
Unfortunately, most of the ancient buildings in the valley are
partly or totally abandoned and threatened by ruin.
3.3
Aït-Mansour Gorges, Southeast
of Tafraoute (AMG)
This is another site of prime geological and geomorpholog-
ical heritage. Here, narrow gorges were carved by the river
through the PIII Cambrian limestones at the bottom of which
there is a magni
cent palm forest (Fig.
6
). Also prominent
from the geoscienti
c point of view is the unconformity
between the folded metamorphic rocks and migmatites of the
Eburnian basement and the horizontal Cambrian limestones
(Fig.
6
a) that can be observed along the zig-zagging road that
drives down to the oasis. The most striking scene of this
geozone is given by the strong contrast between the brownish
rocky cliffs and the green landscape of dense palm trees that
dominate the bottom of the valley (Fig.
6
b).
3.2
Valley of the Ameln, North of Tafraoute
(VA)
This is a scenic valley bounded to the north by an impressive
mountain cliff made of sub-vertical beds of Neoproterozoic
