There are competing sotires of how Tombouctou got its name...but this is one that gets a lot of traction. No doubt because of the oh-so-convenient placement of this well in a small (but very interesting) ethnographical museum.
A scholarly work dating from 1655 by Es-Sadi claims that the town owes its name to an amalgam of the Tuareg word tin (well) and a woman by the name of Bouctou. She was the caretaker of this primary well when the town was an important oasis stop on the edge of the desert. So in effect, the name is a simple translation of "Bouctou's well". And yes, this picture is of her well. While I must admit to being greatly skeptical, I warmed to the site as we wandered about. The truthful location or not, I liked the attempt at preserving history...and if it IS the well, doing so in such a quaint fashion makes me smile.
A scholarly work dating from 1655 by Es-Sadi claims that the town owes its name to an amalgam of the Tuareg word tin (well) and a woman by the name of Bouctou. She was the caretaker of this primary well when the town was an important oasis stop on the edge of the desert. So in effect, the name is a simple translation of "Bouctou's well". And yes, this picture is of her well. While I must admit to being greatly skeptical, I warmed to the site as we wandered about. The truthful location or not, I liked the attempt at preserving history...and if it IS the well, doing so in such a quaint fashion makes me smile.
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