The ancient desert town of Chinguetti , inwards Islamic Republic of Mauritania , on the western border of the Sahara , has changed petty since it was founded to a greater extent than than twelve centuries ago. The houses are all the same built of reddish dry-stone together with mud , amongst apartment roofs made of timber panels from palm trees. The rock walls are punctured amongst tiny windows together with hand-hewn doors cutting from massive ancient acacia trees , which accept long disappeared from the surrounding area. Many of these houses forthwith prevarication inwards ruins , abandoned past times their owners to escape the encroaching sand of the vast Sahara. Once a thriving urban inwardness of 200 ,000 , Chinguetti forthwith has solely a few K residents left. As the town tardily disappears nether the sand , around of the final remaining families cling desperately to their precious treasure — 1 of the finest collection of ancient Islamic manuscripts.
The Daily Beast / Wikipedia