Paper short abstract:

This presentation aims to discuss house form, construction techniques and materials, space use and housing culture in dry land area of the Sahara and Sahel.

Paper long abstract:

The purpose of this paper is mainly to discuss on what kind of cultural exchange has been done during the Trans-Saharan Trade Time from architectural and cultural perspective. This presentation is based on the results of research on the History of Afro-Eurasian Inner Dry Land Civilizations and their Modern Changes.

A comparative study on the subject was conducted in countries, which use to be part of the so-called Trans-Saharan Trade area. The field surveys were conducted in Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

In this area exchanges have been made of construction technics and living habit and knowledge, which resulted from the dynamism of travel and trade activities supported by animal power.

The field survey focused on spatial organization and their social meaning. For understanding spatial organization of houses, the surveys were conducted by measurement of plans, observations material and construction details, interview of householders and householder behaviours' observation. Different ethnic groups were chosen as subjects for understanding the social role house spaces in their social interaction.