Until 12th century
Fezzan, southwestern Libya
Tassawa, also identified as Tessaoua, was a large city of medieval Fezzan. According to al-Idrisi, the Black inhabitants of the region called it “Little Djarma,” suggesting a recognized relationship with the better-known city of Djarma. Its exact archaeological location is uncertain in the supplied passage.
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The Story
Tassawa was one of the large cities of Fezzan during the period described by medieval Arabic sources. The passage gives an alternative form, Tessaoua, preserving the variation of names through different traditions and modern usage. Its inclusion among Fezzan’s major cities shows that the region possessed more than one substantial urban center.
Al-Idrisi recorded that the Black inhabitants, perhaps identified with the Fezzanis, called Tassawa “Little Djarma.” The designation may indicate a perceived connection between the two cities, whether through scale, regional importance, or local comparison. The passage itself does not establish the precise nature of that relationship.
Tassawa stood within a wider cultural landscape populated by groups collectively known as the Fezzan. The nearby area of Agar or Aggar is associated with the first part of the name Adj ar Fezzan, but the supplied passage does not provide enough evidence to fix Tassawa’s exact position or urban form.
Until 12th century
Fezzan, southwestern Libya
Tassawa, also identified as Tessaoua, was a large city of medieval Fezzan. According to al-Idrisi, the Black inhabitants of the region called it “Little Djarma,” suggesting a recognized relationship with the better-known city of Djarma. Its exact archaeological location is uncertain in the supplied passage.
Continue exploring
The Story
Tassawa was one of the large cities of Fezzan during the period described by medieval Arabic sources. The passage gives an alternative form, Tessaoua, preserving the variation of names through different traditions and modern usage. Its inclusion among Fezzan’s major cities shows that the region possessed more than one substantial urban center.
Al-Idrisi recorded that the Black inhabitants, perhaps identified with the Fezzanis, called Tassawa “Little Djarma.” The designation may indicate a perceived connection between the two cities, whether through scale, regional importance, or local comparison. The passage itself does not establish the precise nature of that relationship.
Tassawa stood within a wider cultural landscape populated by groups collectively known as the Fezzan. The nearby area of Agar or Aggar is associated with the first part of the name Adj ar Fezzan, but the supplied passage does not provide enough evidence to fix Tassawa’s exact position or urban form.
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