Editing Awjila (section)

==History==

===Classical times===

The oasis is mentioned by Herodotus, who also describes the nomadic [[Nasamones]], a Berber tribe, migrating in fixed seasons between the coasts of [[Gulf of Sidra|Syrtis Major]] (Gulf of Sirte) and the Augila oasis. According to Herodotus, it was a journey of ten days from the oasis of Ammonium—modern-day [[Siwa Oasis|Siwa]]—to the oasis of Augila, where men live around a spring of water. In the summer, the Nasamones left their flocks by the coast (Gulf of Sirte) and traveled inland to the oasis of Augila to gather dates where they grew in great abundance.<ref name=":0">Herodotus. The Histories volume 4. Translated by [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126%3Abook%3D4&force=y A. D. Godley. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1920.]  Book IV, p. 173 and 183.</ref> The distance was traversed by the German explorer [[Friedrich Hornemann]] (1772–1801), whose caravan reportedly took eleven days in 1798; he described Augila as a small and miserable town belonging to [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] during the Ottoman era.<ref>Hornemann, Frederick. ''The Journal of Frederick Hornemann's Travels from Cairo to Mourzouk... in the Years 1797–8''. London: W. Bulmer and Co., 1802. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/71426/71426-h/71426-h.htm See: ''Extracts from a Letter accompanying the above Informations, dated Tripoly, 19th of August, 1799'', line 117.</ref> although caravans normally took thirteen days.

[[Ptolemy]] (c. 90 – 168) implies that the Greek colonists had forced the Nasamones to leave the coast and take up residence in Augila.{{sfn|Smith|1872|p=338}} 
[[Procopius]], writing around 562, says that even in his day sacrifices continued to be made to [[Amun|Ammon]] and to [[Alexander the Great]] of Macedon in two Libyan cities that were both called Augila. He was probably referring to what are now [[El Agheila]] on the Gulf of Sirte and the oasis of Awjilah.{{fact|date=October 2021}}
According to Procopius the temples of the oasis were converted into Christian churches by the Byzantine Emperor [[Justinian I]] (c. 482 – 565).{{sfn|Smith|1872|p=338}}
The 6th-century geographer [[Stephanus of Byzantium]] described Augila as a city.{{sfn|Smith|1872|p=338}}

===Early Arab era===
[[File:The Old mosque, Awjilah.jpg|thumb|240px|12th-century [[Atiq Mosque (Awjila)|Grand mosque of Atik]], Awjilah]]
The Arabs launched a campaign against the [[Byzantine Empire]] soon after [[Muhammad]] died in 632, quickly conquering Syria, Persia and Egypt. After occupying [[Alexandria]] in 643, they swept along the Mediterranean coast of Africa, taking [[Cyrenaica]] in 644, [[Tripolitania]] in 646 and [[Fezzan]] in 663.{{sfn|Falola|Morgan|Oyeniyi|2012|p=14}}

The region around Awjila was conquered by Sidi [[Abdullah ibn Saad|‘Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarḥ]].{{sfn|Awjila: Libyan Tourism}}
He was a [[companion of Muhammad]] and standard bearer, and an important saint. His tomb was established in Awjila around 650.{{sfn|Mason|1974|p=396}}
A modern structure has since replaced the original tomb.{{sfn|Ham|2007|p=132}}
The Sarahna family, who consider themselves the family of Sidi Abdullah, are the protectors of his tomb.
When the [[Senussi]] center was established in Awjila in 1872, the Sarahna assumed the role of Islamic teachers.{{sfn|Mason|1974|p=397}}

After being introduced in the 7th century, Islam has always been a major influence on the life of the oasis.
The Arab chronicler [[Al-Bakri]] says that there were already several mosques around the oasis by the 11th century.{{sfn|Mason|1974|p=395}}
According to oral tradition, in the 12th century a learned man from the coast of Tripolitania said that there were forty shrines in Awjila, 
and forty saints hidden among the people of the oasis. By the late 1960s only sixteen shrines remained.{{sfn|Mason|1974|p=395}}
Some of the saints in the surviving tombs lived during the early years of Islam, 
and the details of their life and even their family lineage have been forgotten.{{sfn|Mason|1974|p=396}}

===Trading centre===
[[File:Caravane dans le Désert blanc.jpg|thumb|240px|Caravan in the [[Farafra, Egypt|Farafra]] desert to the east of Awjila]]
In the 10th century Awjila was a stage on the trading route between the [[Ibadi]] Berber capital of [[Zuwayla]]{{efn|The medieval gate of [[Bab Zuweila]] in Cairo takes its name from Zuwayla.{{sfn|Martin|1983|p=555}}}} in the Fezzan and the newly established [[Fatimid]] capital of Cairo in Egypt.{{sfn|Martin|1983|p=555}}
The east-west caravan route from Cairo to Tripoli, the Fezzan and Tunis went via [[Jaghbub]], [[Jalu]] and Awjila.{{sfn|Fage|Oliver|1985|p=16}} 
In the early [[Mamluk]] era (13th century), trade from Egypt was along a route that led via Awjila to the Fezzan, and then on to [[Kanem Empire|Kanem]], [[Bornu Empire|Bornu]] and to cities such as [[Timbuktu]] on the [[Niger River|Niger]] bend. Awjila became the main market for slaves from these regions.{{sfn|Oliver|Atmore|2001|p=19}}
Most of these slaves supplied domestic needs.{{sfn|Oliver|Atmore|2001|p=20}}
Gold was purchased from [[Bambouk]] and Bouré in what is now [[Senegal]] but then was part of the [[Mali Empire]] of the [[Mandinka people]]. 
In exchange, Egypt exported textiles.{{sfn|Oliver|Atmore|2001|p=19}}

During the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] period in Egypt, Awjila lay on the route taken by pilgrims traveling from Timbuktu via [[Ghat, Libya|Ghat]], [[Ghadames]] and the Fezzan, 
avoiding the main Ottoman centers.{{sfn|Oliver|Atmore|2001|p=46}}
In 1639 Awjila came under the rule of the Turkish ruler of Tripolitania, who stationed a permanent garrison at Benghazi.{{sfn|Holt|Lambton|Lewis|1977|p=263}}
In the 18th century, the merchants of Awjila held a monopoly over the trade between Cairo and the Fezzan.{{sfn|Walz|1975|p=665}}
Describing the trade between Egypt and [[Hausaland]], Hornemann lists:
{{Quote|... slaves of both sexes, ostrich feathers, zibette (musk from civet cats), tiger skins (sic), and gold, partly in dust, partly in native grains, to be manufactured into 
rings and other ornaments for the people of interior Africa. From Bornu, copper is imported in great quantity. Cairo sends silks, ''melayes'' (striped blue and white calicoes - i.e. ''milayat'', wrappers, sheeting) woolen cloths, glass... beads for bracelets, and an... assortment of East India goods... The merchants of Bengasi usually join the caravan from Cairo at Augila, import tobacco manufactured for chewing, or snuff, and sundry wares fabricated in Turkey...{{sfn|Martin|1983|p=567}}}}

[[File:Awjila caravan routes.svg|thumb|240px|Caravan routes in Libya, 19th century. Awjila and Jalu in the northeast]]
[[File:CentralEastAfrica1750.png|thumb|240px|States to the south with whom caravans from Awjila traded.]]
Around 1810 a Majabra trader from Jalu named Schehaymah became lost while travelling to [[Ouaddai Empire|Wadai]] via [[Murzuk]] in the Fezzan.
He was found by some [[Bidayat]], who took him via [[Ounianga Kébir (town)|Ounianga]] to Wara, the old capital of Wadai.
The Sultan of Wadai, [[Abd al-Karim Sabun]] (1804–1815) agreed with Schehaymah's proposal to open a caravan route to Benghazi along a direct route through [[Kufra]], and Awjila / [[Jalu]]. 
This new route would bypass both Fezzan and [[Darfur]], states that until then had controlled the eastern Saharan trade. 
The first caravans travelled the route between 1809 and 1820.{{sfn|Cordell|1977|p=22}}

The trade was disrupted for a while in the 1820s due to political instability in Wadai, but starting in the 1830s every two or three years a caravan would travel the route.
Usually there were two or three hundred camels carrying ivory and skins, along with a batch of slaves.{{sfn|Cordell|1977|p=23-24}} 
Trade increased from the 1860s. The main stations between Benghazi and the southern terminal at [[Abéché]] were the assembly point at Awjila / Jalu where the caravans were made up, and the center at Kufra where food and water could be obtained.{{sfn|Cordell|1977|p=24}}
Later the north-south route again grew in importance due to disruption of traffic on the Nile by the [[History of Mahdist Sudan|Mahdist revolution]] in the [[Sudan]].{{sfn|Cordell|1977|p=22}}

[[Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi]] stayed in Jalu and Awjila before opening his first lodge in al-Baida in 1843.
Over the next ten years the lodges of the [[Senussi]] became established throughout the [[Bedouin]]s of Cyrenaica.{{sfn|Cordell|1977|p=28}} 
Later they spread the Senussi influence further south, helping quell violence and resolve trade disputes.{{sfn|Cordell|1977|p=29}}
Each post on the north-south route, including Awjila, was protected by a Senussi sheikh.{{sfn|Cordell|1977|p=22}}
As late as 1907, a significant amount of the trade passing through Benghazi was in goods carried over this route, and goods would also have been routed from interior points such as Awjila and Jalu east to Egypt and west to Tripoli.{{sfn|Cordell|1977|p=21}}