This gate in Oualata (Ouig Bir) impresses with its monumental appearance. But stylistically it is already strongly influenced by nearby Mali, the home of such rich and diverse Sudanese art. Here, the masonry is no longer made of stones, but of unbaked mud bricks dried in the sun and joined together with an earth mortar. Remarkably solid, as long as it does not rain, these buildings have the disadvantage of dissolving in water with astonishing rapidity, which is why constant attention must be paid to the condition of the roof. - Mauritania - 1970
