Dvirat

Near the new village - about 1 km to the north - are the ruins of an old village, stretching along the hillsides, most of the houses are in dilapidated condition with the exception of a mosque and several restored buildings. In the central part of the old village is located ksar . Like most other ksars in North Africa, it is built on top of a hill.

Dvirat was supposedly founded about 600 years ago by Berbers who migrated to Tunisia from the Moroccan region of Tafilalt . In 1850, the population of Duiret was about 3,500 people. The village was on a caravan route from Ghadames in the south to Gabes in northern Tunisia and was one of the main stops for caravans. Since 1882, the French colonial administration of southern Tunisia was located in Dvira for some time (before moving to Tatavin ). Since the middle of the 20th century, Dvirat has experienced a decline, due to migrations to the capital of Tunisia, the population has declined significantly, the remaining part of the population has moved to a new place, and the old village has gradually begun to collapse ^[7] .

One of the traditional activities of the local population is the cultivation of cereals, figs, olives and dates.

Dvirat is one of the most popular tourist sites in southeastern Tunisia.

In 1986, the non-governmental association Association de Sauvegarde de la Nature et de Protection de l'Environnement Douiret (ASNAPED) was created, the purpose of which was to revive the local culture, traditional lifestyle and ecosystem of the ancient village of Duiret. ASNAPED members are both locals and enthusiasts coming from other regions, including researchers in archeology, history and culture. ASNAPED began its activities with the restoration of the most significant parts of the Berber village - a mosque, an elementary school (converted into a youth hostel), retaining walls and some houses. Attempts are being made to revive traditional farming practices. In particular, in 1995, old water collection systems (including many stone dams and water tanks) were restored near the village. Given the frequent droughts in the region, ASNAPED's goal recently has been to diversify the Duiret economy by developing alternative sources of income, such as ecotourism ^[8] .

Currently, restoration of old buildings and houses continues, an olive mill, tombstones of religious figures have been restored, the building of the former administration of the French colonial authorities has been restored (it houses a center for research work related to the Berber village). A number of ancient buildings are being rebuilt as hotels and hostels. The local museum is ready to open, in addition to presenting exhibits (traditional agricultural implements, dishes, clothes, etc.), the museum’s employees are planning to demonstrate traditional methods of cutting and processing wool, spinning and weaving. It is planned to recreate an exact copy of the Roman theater for various kinds of performances and holidays. ASNAPED is trying to repair the road network that connects Dvirat with other monuments of architecture and nature in southern Tatavin County - in the villages of Shenini , Ksar Ghilane, in the park Ain Dkouk, etc. ASNAPED also intends to get UNESCO to include Dvirat on the List World Heritage Sites ^[8] .

•  

  Ksar and mosque view

•  

  Inside the ksar

•  

  The streets of the old village

•  

  Minaret of a mosque

•  

  Buildings in Dvirat

• Tamezret
• Taujut
• Zraua

• Douiret. Hillside cave village . Lexicorient.com. Archived May 24, 2013. (Retrieved May 23, 2013)
• Presentation de Douiret (French) . Association de Sauvegarde de la Nature et de Protection de l'Environnement Douiret. Archived May 24, 2013. (Retrieved May 23, 2013)
• Douiret Fotopedia. Archived May 24, 2013. (Retrieved May 23, 2013)
• Douiret Fotopedia. - A site dedicated to the history and culture of the village of Dvirat. Archived May 24, 2013. (Retrieved May 23, 2013)