Tataouine
Tataouine (; ) is a city in southern Tunisia. It is the capital of the Tataouine Governorate. The below-ground "cave dwellings" of the native Berber population, designed for coolness and protection, render the city and the area around it a tourist and film makers' attraction. Etymology. The name means 'eyes' and 'water springs' in the Berber language. It is sometimes transliterated in European languages as "Tatahouine", "Tatahouïne", "Tatawin" or "Tatooine". The names "Tataouine", "Tatahouine" and "Foum Tatahouine" all appeared in the postcards portraying the city in the 1920s. The city used to be called (), alternatively spelled , , , or , which means 'mouth  of the springs'. History. From 1892 to 1951, Tataouine was the garrison town of the French penal military unit known as the "Battalion of Light Infantry of Africa". After the French established the town, a mosque (built in 1898) and homes were built in Tataouine. On June 27, 1931, a meteorite of unusual achondrite type and green color impacted at Tataouine; about 12 kg of fragments were found. The meteorite consists largely of the mineral enstatite, and is of the rare Diogenite type. Tataouine became the inspiration of Tatooine when the town was chosen as a filming location for exterior  scenes of the desert planet in the "Star Wars" film series. In March 2015, it was briefly reported that ISIL was using Tataouine as a military base, but later these claims were denied by the Tunisian government as false. In September 2016, a new oil field was found south of the town by the Italian company Eni. Culture. The Ksour Festival () is an annual festival held in Tataouine in March. In Tataouine some people speak a Berber dialect.