The oasis’s architecture is notable for its use of kershif, a traditional building material comprising salt and mud-brick. The ancient fortress of Shali Ghadi, constructed from kershif, stands as a testament to this vernacular architecture. However, a devastating three-day rain in 1926 severely damaged the fortress, leading to its abandonment. Today, the ruins of Shali Ghadi remain a prominent feature, symbolizing both the resilience and vulnerability of Siwa’s architectural heritage.
“People used to pump to 60 metres, but now they go upto 100m. For crops which need really good water, we go down to the geological water, maya helwa, which is 1000m deep. But it is a huge problem, it is the livelihood of Siwans.”The practice of deep groundwater pumping in Siwa Oasis has introduced significant environmental and agricultural challenges, threatening the long-term sustainability of this historically significant ecosystem. While groundwater extraction has facilitated agricultural expansion and economic development, its unregulated use has led to severe ecological consequences, including rising water tables, increased soil salinity, and the formation of saltwater lakes.
“Everyone has their own pump now...so it is pointless, because the water level is lowering and forcing us to use gas or solar pumed to pump water from a deeper well to a shallow reservor which we can then use to irrigate.”
“It’s difficult because I don’t know what we will grow if there is too much salt, but it is good because some of the [legumes] are very salt-tolerant, and we will make new recipies.”
“Everything in Siwa comes from wood, mud, and salt (kershef), it is the building blocks of our life, we make everything from it. With the inflation of the Egyptian pound, it is difficult to harvest kershef from farms, mud from the harvest, and the palms are dying because of the overconsumption...but we will find a way for us to continue our tradition.”