If I may be so bold as to clumsily share my thoughts I would like to begin near the end of the book. In a chapter titled Conclusion the Unity of the Mediterranean.
There were two Mediterraneans- East and West, Turkish and Spanish, Islamic and Christian.
As I hope is somewhat evident by now, we can say that there are many Mediterraneans. There is the Mediterranean as defined by climate, another defined by the sea, and yet another defined by history. There is a human Mediterranean marked by movements of its peoples, and it is this Mediterranean that can provide a unifying concept. The human Mediterranean reveals itself through literature, art and architecture, and gastronomy. The movement of peoples has also meant the continual repopulation of the Mediterranean.
From my own point of view I have seen the Mediterranean as North and South, the European side and the African side. This of course has to do with the history of the Magrheb and Algeria in particular. But the North and South of course can be considered the West when seen in relation to the Mashriq. And East and West make more sense for historical purposes which I won't get into too much now.
Yes, the art and architecture of Maghreb have been discussed in this forum in other threads. The Roman mosaics of Tunisia. The Byzantine and Roman ruins in Setif, Algeria. Ancient footprints are petrified next to modern buildings. The Maghreb has a long memory as does the Mediterranean itself.
Edited by chefzadi, 30 April 2005 - 04:13 PM.
