Abstracts of English Language Theses on Morocco 2012–2013

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences (Physical Sciences)

The Maghreb Review, Vol. 39, 4, 2014 © The Maghreb Review 2014 This publication is printed on longlife paper ABSTRACTS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE THESES ON MOROCCO 2012-2013 COMPILED BY MOHAMED BEN-MADANI NOTE: This is a supplement to Volumes 26, nos. 2-4, 2001 and 38 issue. 2, 2013. After publication of Volume 38. Number 2, 2013, I discovered that theses which were not available for consultation at the time of completion due to embargo imposed by the authors are now accessible for researchers. Adams, Anthony Edward, The stratigraphy and sedimentology of middle and upper Jurassic limestones from south-west Morocco. PhD, Swansea: University College, 1976. This study has involved an investigation of the Middle and Upper Jurassic limestones of the western High Atlas, south-west Morocco. The aims of the study have been to erect a workable lithostratigraphy. To date the strata as closely as possible, and to analyse environments of deposition and diagenesis. To achieve these aims, detailed field logging has been supplemented by petrographic work on thin sections and peels, and where necessary the identification of faunas. The investigation has shown the presence of a sedimentary basin with an easterly shoreline here called the Western High Atlas Basin. An Upper Bathonian to Callovian transgression brought marine deposits to the area, culminating during the Oxfordian with the deposition of fine-grained argillaceous limestones followed by the development of small knoll reefs. A regression followed, bringing a return to continental deposits during the Kimmeridgian. Thickness data as shown that, superimposed on the general pattern of westward thickening of sediments, are a series of east-west trending belts of thinner sediments related to present day anticlinal areas. The investigation has suggested that these features are not controlled by the activity of Late Triassic salt as suggested by previous workers, but are related to movements along basement faults. The basin and its sediments and fauna are compared with other areas in Europe, North Africa and North America. The similarity of certain fauna elements with forms from the so-called “Ethiopian Province” is discussed, and the Oxford! an reefs are compared with other reefs of the same age in Europe. Finally, offshore data from Africa has indicated that the basin is larger than is immediately apparent and is similar to other basins found around north-west Africa and off North America. In fact, these “basins” are embayments of a ABSTRACTS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE THESES ON MOROCCO 2012-2013 483 single seaway believed to be the early counterpart of the present-day Atlantic Ocean, although there is nothing oceanic exposed on shore. Al-Dihan, S., Critical edition of Mu˛ammad al-‡ayyib’s manuscript “Travel to ˘ijaz: annotated and authenticated, Ph.D., Salford, 2003 One of the outstanding scholars of the field of Moroccan travel literature was Mu˛ammad b. Mu˛ammad al-‡ayyib b. Mu˛ammad b. Müs b. Mu˛ammad alSharq ı al-Sumaylı, al-Fsı al-Madani. Born in the city of Fez in 1110/1698. He studied with some of the most known scholars of Morocco at that time including Abü alfibbas A˛mad al-Misnwı, Abü fiAbdullah Mu˛ammad alMisn wı, Abü al fiAbbas A˛mad al-Fsı and Abü ‡ahir Mu˛ammad al-Kuram. Having acquired his early education in his home country he emigrated eastward to Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and finally to Medinah where he died in 1170/1756 after living and teaching there for many years. It is not surprising then that this great scholar left behind him a treasure of works in a variety of fields; indeed we find Ibn al-‡ayyib wrote many works, including four in jurisprudence, three in ˛adith and sixteen in grammar and in linguistics. Despite this however many of his academic contributions remain in manuscript form and therefore are inaccessible to the greater majority. One such work is “Ri˛ lah il  al-˘ijaz,” which is particularly important to the field of travel literature as it represents a major contribution. This is because Ibn al-‡ayyib came relatively late, historically, compared to other travel writers. In addition, it contains many minute details, which the author took care to record during his journey from place to place. It...