Description
The well! Like any well in the desert, the one at Hassi Meniet (Immidir, Algeria) is a favourite spot where all the nomads gather to camp. But in the immensity of the great desert, the well is also the secret of the initiated: Find it if you can! Depending on the location, it reaches 10, 20, 50, even 100 metres deep. The unlucky person who has set out on an adventure with a rope that is too short runs the risk of dying of thirst at its edge if he does not summon up the courage to descend by taking advantage of the alternating steps installed by the daring well builders. Incidentally, the reward for so much effort is often very meagre, for clear and pure water is rare, and often the bucket raises only a greenish, stinking, salty, undrinkable broth! ... Note that the wreath of the well is replaced by four crossed pieces of branch laid on the bare ground. - Algeria - 1966
Description
The well! Like any well in the desert, the one at Hassi Meniet (Immidir, Algeria) is a favourite spot where all the nomads gather to camp. But in the immensity of the great desert, the well is also the secret of the initiated: Find it if you can! Depending on the location, it reaches 10, 20, 50, even 100 metres deep. The unlucky person who has set out on an adventure with a rope that is too short runs the risk of dying of thirst at its edge if he does not summon up the courage to descend by taking advantage of the alternating steps installed by the daring well builders. Incidentally, the reward for so much effort is often very meagre, for clear and pure water is rare, and often the bucket raises only a greenish, stinking, salty, undrinkable broth! ... Note that the wreath of the well is replaced by four crossed pieces of branch laid on the bare ground. - Algeria - 1966
