Black Wool Research Articles

Genome-wide association study for polledness, horn shape, and wool traits in Original Valachian sheep

Abstract. The Original Valachian sheep is an endangered Slovak national breed that is well adapted to high-altitude pastures. The sheep can be horned with various shapes and can have multi-coloured or completely white or black wool. Breeders are interested in learning about the genetic basis of these traits. We conducted a genome-wide association study based on the genomic information of 96 sheep genotyped by the GeneSeek GGP Ovine 50K SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) chip and on the following traits: polledness (presence or absence of horns), horn shape, and wool colour (completely white and completely black). The univariate linear mixed model was used to discover genetic variants significantly associated with tested traits. The Bonferroni correction and the false-discovery rate were used as significance thresholds. The RXFP2 gene (chromosome 10, 29.5 Mb) was identified as a strong candidate for polledness. In addition, when compared to animals with sideways-turned horns vs. polled, the region around the ADAMTS3 gene (chromosome 6, 88.47 Mb) was significant. A total of nine significant genomic regions were found when comparing the sideways-turned spiral horns with the backwards-curled horns, the two most frequent horn types in Original Valachian sheep. The RXFP2 may also contribute to the genetic control of horn shape. Genes identified in other regions were involved to osteogenic differentiation and osteoblast proliferation (PCP4, chromosome 1, 260.7 Mb), bone mineral density and mineral content (NKX1-2, chromosome 22, 43.75 Mb). The significant genetic variants close to the region of MC1R (chromosome 14, at 14.2 Mb) were associated with the wool colour of sheep that were fully white or fully black animals. The results of this study will contribute to a better understanding of the phenotypic variability of the Original Valachian sheep, especially regarding traits that are very important for breeders of this endangered breed.

Selection signatures of wool color in Gangba sheep revealed by genome-wide SNP discovery

BackgroundGangba sheep as a famous breed of Tibetan sheep, its wool color is mainly white and black. Gangba wool is economically important as a high-quality raw material for Tibetan blankets and Tibetan serge. However, relatively few studies have been conducted on the wool color of Tibetan sheep.ResultsTo fill this research gap, this study conducted an in-depth analysis of two populations of Gangba sheep (black and white wool color) using whole genome resequencing to identify genetic variation associated with wool color. Utilizing PCA, Genetic Admixture, and N-J Tree analyses, the present study revealed a consistent genetic relationship and structure between black and white wool colored Gangba sheep populations, which is consistent with their breed history. Analysis of selection signatures using multiple methods (FST, π ratio, Tajima's D), 370 candidate genes were screened in the black wool group (GBB vs GBW); among them, MC1R, MLPH, SPIRE2, RAB17, SMARCA4, IRF4, CAV1, USP7, TP53, MYO6, MITF, MC2R, TET2, NF1, JAK1, GABRR1 genes are mainly associated with melanin synthesis, melanin delivery, and distribution. The enrichment results of the candidate genes identified 35 GO entries and 19 KEGG pathways associated with the formation of the black phenotype. 311 candidate genes were screened in the white wool group (GBW vs GBB); among them, REST, POU2F1, ADCY10, CCNB1, EP300, BRD4, GLI3, and SDHA genes were mainly associated with interfering with the differentiation of neural crest cells into melanocytes, affecting the proliferation of melanocytes, and inhibiting melanin synthesis. 31 GO entries and 22 KEGG pathways were associated with the formation of the white phenotype.ConclusionsThis study provides important information for understanding the genetic mechanism of wool color in Gangba, and provides genetic knowledge for improving and optimizing the wool color of Tibetan sheep. Genetic improvement and selective breeding to produce wool of specific colors can meet the demand for a diversity of wool products in the Tibetan wool textile market.

Impact of sheep wool residues as soil amendments on olive beneficial symbionts and bacterial diversity

In recent years the use of organic matter soil amendments, such as agricultural by-products, has been implemented with the aim of increasing soil fertility, while minimizing the environmental impact of agriculture. Sheep wool residues (SWR) have shown beneficial effects on plant nutrition and soil properties, while only few works assessed their impact on soil microbial communities. The main aim of this work was to investigate the possible valorization of two SWR types (scoured residues, white wool, WW, and carbonized scoured residues, black wool, BW) as organic soil amendments, in pot-grown olive trees, by evaluating their impact on soil bacterial communities and mycorrhizal symbionts. The two SWR types did not negatively impact on the diversity and composition of soil bacterial communities, as revealed by PCR-denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) of partial 16S rRNA gene, and on the activity of native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), while positively affecting plant growth. Only the highest doses of one SWR type (2% BW) caused a decrease in bacterial diversity and native AMF ability to colonize olive roots. DGGE bands sequencing allowed the identification of the major bacterial taxa. Sequences corresponding to Ohtaekwangia spp., Beta proteobacterium, Blastocatella sp., Ramlibacter monticola and Massilia frigida/rubra, Dongia sp. and Chloroflexi were mainly represented in SWR-amended soils, while those represented by Chryseolinea soli and Acidobacteria were abundant in control soil. Overall, this work showed that SWR may be valorized as organic soil amendments, as soil bacteria and AMF, representing key factors of biological soil fertility, were not negatively affected, while the activity of bacterial genera and species known for their ability to decompose complex compounds was boosted. Further studies will investigate the biodegradation efficiency of the diverse bacterial taxa developing in SWR-amended soils.Graphic

Performance evaluation of Gurez sheep in farmer’s flocks—A threatened sheep breed of Kashmir

Gurez is an indigenous breed of sheep native to the Gurez Valley of J&K, India. Despite being a unique genetic resource, this breed is largely unexplored and meagre studies have been conducted on it. Hence, a comprehensive study was conducted to study the breed in its native breeding tract. Data on growth, wool, reproduction and morphometric traits of Gurez sheep maintained under farmers' flocks in its native tract were recorded and analyzed for performance evaluation as well as the farming practices in that area with regards to the breed. Screening for parasites and brucellosis, blood biochemistry and mineral profile were also conducted. This triple purpose breed produces milk, meat as well as apparel quality wool. The average values for wool traits were 76.12, 28.31, 4.42, 5.35 and 8.18 for clean wool yield (CWY) (%), fibre diameter (FD) (μ), staple length (SL) (cm), crimps per cm (NCPC) and medullation (%), respectively. The coefficient of variations % of these traits ranged from low to very high indicating that the traits had low to very high variability. The least squares mean for clean wool yield (%), fiber diameter (μ), staple length (cm), crimps per cm and medullation (%) were 77.07±0.33, 29.83±0.41, 4.80±0.17, 5.04±0.28 and 9.26±0.79, respectively. The sexual dimorphism was observed in favour of males with respect to all these traits. Age had non-significant effect on these traits in the present study. Black wool samples were having higher estimates of FD, CWY (%), SL and medullation (%). NCPC was higher for white wool samples. Conservation of this unique breed and its selective breeding is highly recommended. The incidence of Eimeria (37.50%) was found to be highest in the area.

Investigation experimentally the impact of condensation rate on solar still performance at different thermal energy storages

In this paper, an experimental investigation is performed on the impact of condensation rate of solar still condenser at different thermal energy storage materials on the performance of single slope passive solar still. The condensation rate is changed by installing different designs of the still condenser: (i) glass plate condenser, GC, (ii) corrugated aluminum sheet heat sink condenser, CHS, (iii) aluminum heat sink condenser having vertical rectangular fins at its outer surfaces RHS, (iv) aluminum heat sink condenser having pin fins at its outer surface, PHS, (v) aluminum heat sink condenser having pin fins at its outer and inner surfaces, DPHS. Two different thermal energy storage materials inside the still basin are used; sand and black wool fibers (BWF) plus pure saline water which yield different evaporation rates of the saline water. The findings show that increasing the heat transfer rate (HTR) by the condenser increases the still yield to a limit and then decreases this yield at higher rates. Moreover, increasing the evaporation rate by using thermal energy storage material reduces the negative impact of high condensation rate. The still yield of GC is the minimum while the still yield in case of PHS has the maximum production. Solar still with PHS condenser achieves maximum yield increments of 54%, 63%, 76% in case of saline water only, sand, and BWF medium in the basin, respectively compared to the case of GC condenser with saline water only (conventional still) in the basin. The conventional still has the minimum efficiency of 23.3% and the still with PHS condenser and BWF achieves the maximum still efficiencies of 40.7%. Moreover, enhancement of HTR through using of DPHS condenser reduces the still efficiency to 29.2%, 34.3%, and 37.5% in case of pure saline water, sand, and BWF, respectively. Using PHS condenser with BWF in the still basin reduces the freshwater yield cost by about 21% compared to conventional still.

Assessment of Two Sheep Wool Residues from Textile Industry as Organic Fertilizer in Sunflower and Maize Cultivation

Sustainable agricultural practices that enhance soil fertility and increase its capacity for carbon sequestration are increasingly needed. This study evaluates two types of sheep wool residues (SWRs)—carbonized (black wool, BW) and non-carbonized (white wool, WW) to enhance soil fertility and act as a N-source. The two SWRs were tested on two plant species, in two pot experiments: ornamental sunflower on soil mixtures with each of SWR types at different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, and 2% w/w), and maize on BW- or WW-soil mixture (1% w/w) and supplementary N fertilization (0, 50, and 100% of recommended N rates). In sunflower, with the exception of WW at 2%, all SWRs-soil mixtures increased plant growth and biomass production. Lower SWRs concentrations enhanced the growth rate at an initial stage, and in general, BW provided optimal biomass, and flower yield. In maize, the SWRs (1%), especially BW, even without N-fertilization, were beneficial for plant physiological behavior and biomass production. High mineral N-fertilization (100% N with BW1%- or WW1%-soil mixture) resulted in lower biomass than the other BW-treatments. The results highlighted the efficacy of BW on biomass production for both species growing in a sandy-loam soil, and for maize, no need for further mineral N-fertilization.

The potential of recycling wool residues as an amendment for enhancing the physical and hydraulic properties of a sandy loam soil

PurposeClimate change and global food demand in coming decades urge effective actions for more efficient uses of water and soil resources. This paper reports the preliminary findings of a study assessing the potential of sheep scoured wool residues (SWRs) as soil amendments to enhance the physical and hydraulic properties of a sandy loam soil under rain conditions.MethodsTwo different SWRs were used: scoured residues (white wool, WW) and carbonized scoured residues (black wool, BW) at different SWRs/soil ratios (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0%). Soil bulk density (BD), total porosity (TP), aggregates stability, aggregate size distribution, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and water retention properties were determined under rain conditions, in addition to rainwater balance (storage, percolation and runoff).ResultsBoth WW and BW, particularly at the high wool/soil ratio (2%), significantly reduced soil BD by 11.98% and 9.85%, respectively. Moreover, WW and BW increased TP by 16.45% and 13.57% and available water capacity by 6.5% and 18.1%, respectively. SWRs increased the formation of macro-aggregates and increased aggregate stability. The results of rainwater balance showed higher percolation percentages and less rainwater storage in the wool-treated soil.ConclusionsThe increase in water percolation is in line with the increased total porosity and the higher saturated hydraulic conductivity of wool-treated soil. Despite the high capacity of absorbing water, SWRs affected the water movement of the soil more than its water retention.

A study on the vest shape and tailoring of the Korean Empire in the 1900s

The purpose of this study is to fundamentally examine the vests of the robes “Daeraebok” and “Soraebok” of the Korean Empire from the 1876 Port Opening to the 1910 annexation of Korea to Japan. Among the collections of different robes of the Korean Empire which belong to various universities and institutions, only the vests were surveyed. The shape of the vests in the Korean Empire were single-breasted and doublebreasted. Most V-necklines and vests with a shawl collar look like a tailored collar, where the collar outline was shaped like a notched and picked collar, which is a mix of the step collar and roll collar of the 19th century. The rear center line was not flat, but inclined to a triangle. All vests of the robe Daeraebok were equipped with gold buttons, and those of the robe Soraebok had black satin buttons. The tailoring characteristic is that the front has a different material (dark black wool) from the back (black silk). This characteristic is expected to be an important basic piece of information in the restoration and reproduction of the vest, which was worn during the imperial period, especially to reveal its shape, characteristics and composition. This characteristic can also be used as data of cultural contents based on Korean modern history.

Sorption of Monoazo Dyes on Wool Fibers for Textile

An attempt has been made to characterize and to compare the structure, properties and mechanical behavior of popular Indian white wool fiber, black wool races and its blend. The XRD measurements reveal that Wool fibers of white, black wool races and blend are amorphous in nature. The amide-I band at 1700–1600 cm–1 is characteristic to the peptide C=O stretching reveals the information whether the carbonyl groups participate in the bonding and 1623 cm–1 for Amide-I band, which are characteristic peaks of wool fibers. In compare with pure wool fiber with its blend the additional peaks reflects at 1645 cm–1 for 1day and 1652 cm–1 which indicates the presence of Monoazo yellow in the fiber were identified using Fourier Transformation Infrared spectroscopy. The apparent diffusion coefficient is found to be 0.5122 × 10–7 cm2s–1 for monoazo diffused in wool and 0.5367 ×10–7 cm2s–1for monoazo diffused in blend. Hence these wool fibers and its blend can be used for textile fabrication.

A study of the shape and tailoring of frock coats in the Korean Empire - Park Ki-Jong’s frock coat -

This research is regarding Park Ki-Jong's Western-style court costume and emphasizes the shape and style peculiarities of Western-style court costumes in the Korean Empire from the 1876 Port Opening to the 1910 annexation of Korean to Japan. Park Ki-Jong's frock coat was made during the period of the established law from 1900 to 1910. 1) The brand was ASADA TAILOR from Kyung-Sung. 2) The shape was long at the front and back, and it featured a picked lapel and double breast with six buttons to fasten and two buttons for decoration on the upper part. 3) The frock coat's materials were black wool fabric and black ridged silk. The lining's material was black plain silk and the sleeve's lining was white with blue striped silk. 4) The front separated the upper and bottom parts. The bottom was composed of a one-piece A-line skirt that continued from the front to back. The top of the back was separated by the princess line and the center-back seam was also separated with a vent. However, the center-back of the waistline was not separated, and it continued to one piece. The sleeve shape was a two-piece sleeve style with a phony vent and two wrapping buttons.

Monster, and: Poke

Monster, and: Poke Hailey Leithauser (bio) Keywords Hailey Leithauser, Monster, Poke Monster Many nights I talk in silence to the stars.Only I and the dim, distant fires, none else to throw a shadow on the shadowed ground. Some hearts rest a smaller roof, a closer fire,the warmth of other voices sung to nearer ears. Evening, soft black wool pulled neat beneath the chin,rain, a bog-bred thief, tethering dark to wind. [End Page 103] Poke Better the gloriousroar thana dank,clammy breathon the neck,brighter the teethwhen surlyand snow-white and neat,and surpassingby star and light yearthe thistleand burr, the needleand prick,over bickeror buffering, blusteroussneer,is the lureof the tumbledown cageand the bearand the stick. [End Page 104] Hailey Leithauser HAILEY LEITHAUSER is the author of Swoop, published by Graywolf Press in 2013. She has recent or forthcoming work in 32 Poems, the Gettysburg Review, Poetry, the Yale Review, and The Best American Poetry 2015. Copyright © 2015 University of North Carolina Wilmington

Bleaching of black pigmented karakul wool fibers using copper sulfate as catalyst

The best chance for an efficient bleaching of highly pigmented wool with minimum fiber damage is provided by the use of metal catalysts in mordanting step preceding peroxide bleaching. This study evaluates the catalytic effect of copper sulfate (CuSO4) in the bleaching process of pigmented wool fibers under the used condition. The effects of CuSO4 and Na4P2O7 (as a stabilizer) concentration, bleaching time and rinsing time after mordanting on yellowness index, optical and mechanical properties were investigated and the optimum conditions for each step was reported. The results showed that an excellent depigmentation with minimum fiber damage is provided by using 1 %w/v CuSO4 and subsequent rinsing for 60 min, as well as bleaching with 60 ml/l H2O2 and 7 %w/v Na4P2O7 for 15 min. The optical properties of fibers were improved after bleaching under optimum conditions compared with raw samples. The color indices revealed that the black wool fibers have turned into a pale light brown shade. The morphology and structure of wool fibers, before and after bleaching, were characterized by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and EDAX test method.

Dress as Civic Celebration in Late Sixteenth-Century Venice: The Woodcuts of Cesare Vecellio’s <em>Habiti antichi et moderni</em> and the Paintings of Paolo Veronese

In this essay, we discuss words and images in sixteenth-century Venice in two forms: the prose commentary and woodcuts in Cesare Vecellio's Degli habiti antichi et moderni di diverse parti del mondo (Venice, 1590), and the paintings of Paulo Veronese from 1550 to 1578. Our theoretical framework is the analysis of ideology as it is materialized in the making, wearing and representation of clothing. We study three kinds of dress in Venice: the red silks worn by wealthy merchants, the black wool and velvet worn by patrician men, and the white and gold brocades worn by noblewomen. Differences in medium, technique and scale separate Vecellio and Veronese, but they both invoke ancient history and present-day mercantilism to affirm the myth of Venice as a paragon of political order and man-made beauty. That is, the printmaker-writer and the painter share a common rhetorical purpose: through clothing, to celebrate their city as a center of textile wealth and social harmony. In spite of the contrasts between a costume book combining small woodcuts with textual commentary and a range of large portraits and allegories commissioned by patrons at the top of the social hierarchy, both men's work communicates the same matrix of beliefs, condensed into their representations of the dress worn in contemporary Venice.

The Discrimination of Colored Acrylic, Cotton, and Wool Textile Fibers Using Micro‐Raman Spectroscopy. Part 1: In situ Detection and Characterization of Dyes

Raman spectroscopy has been applied to characterize fiber dyes and determine the discriminating ability of the method. Black, blue, and red acrylic, cotton, and wool samples were analyzed. Four excitation sources were used to obtain complementary responses in the case of fluorescent samples. Fibers that did not provide informative spectra using a given laser were usually detected using another wavelength. For any colored acrylic, the 633-nm laser did not provide Raman information. The 514-nm laser provided the highest discrimination for blue and black cotton, but half of the blue cottons produced noninformative spectra. The 830-nm laser exhibited the highest discrimination for red cotton. Both visible lasers provided the highest discrimination for black and blue wool, and NIR lasers produced remarkable separation for red and black wool. This study shows that the discriminating ability of Raman spectroscopy depends on the fiber type, color, and the laser wavelength.

Utilization of thermoelectric cooling in a portable active solar still — An experimental study on winter days

In this study, an attempt has been made to produce a portable solar still. Because of the small size and low productivity, some techniques have been used to enhance and improve the performance of solar still. These techniques consist of using a solar collector, a wall covered with black wool, and water sprinkling system to increase evaporation rate and a thermoelectric cooling device to enhance water condensation. All walls are made from Plexiglas to make the still, unbreakable. To evaluate the performance of the still, the equipment was tested under the climate condition of Semnan (35° 33′ N, 53° 23′ E), Iran. The experiments were carried out in nine winter days and the results were measured in the same manner for each day. The results show that ambient temperature and solar radiation have direct effect on still performance but water productivity decreases when the wind speed increases. By comparing between the results of summer and winter, it is concluded that efficiency in summer is higher than winter. The results also show that the cost per liter of still is comparable with other type of solar stills.

The Pecora Nera di Arbus: a new sheep breed in Sardinia, Italy

SummaryA study of the genetic diversity of Sardinian sheep identified a small population of Pecora Nera di Arbus sheep. This population is composed of about 1000 ewes located in the southwest of Sardinia (Medio-Campidano district), mainly in the area surrounding the village of Arbus. The main features of this breed are black fleece, small size, small or absent auricles and a high frequency of horns in both sexes. These ancestral traits suggest that the population escaped the selection process, that was mainly oriented toward milk yield and the white colour of the fleece, for which the predominant white strain of Sardinian sheep was established. Currently, a programme of promoting this new breed is ongoing. It is mainly based on the production of natural black wool for apparel without chemical dyes.

The Cu, Mn and Zn concentration of sheep wool: Influence of washing procedures, age and colour of matrix

No standard or wholly proven method to determine the trace metal status of human or animal ‘hair’ yet exists. It is well known that hair–metal concentrations are highly influenced by washing procedures applied before analysis. A novel method to determine the efficiency of washing procedures at removing exogenous contaminants was devised. It was shown that suitability of washing procedures was element-specific and increased sonication time during washing progressively removed more Mn and Zn from sheep wool. The efficiency of exogenous contaminant removal by including sonication during washing was also dependant on the efficiency of procedures under study. The Cu, Mn and Zn concentration, and thus exogenous contaminant level, of sheep wool increased in tandem with its age. Additionally, Cu and Zn concentrations of black wool were significantly higher than white wool: a relationship ascribed to melanins. This investigation shows the necessity to standardise procedures used during analysis of ‘hair’ fibres, and to assess each washing procedure for each element before performing routine analysis.

“For Us the Living”: Visits to Civil Rights Museums

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MEMPHIS How many of you know what a lynching really is? The tour guide at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis is speaking to a high school group, mostly African American. Well, here's a picture of one. She points to a grim, grainy photograph. No doubt, most in the group could have defined lynching, but how many had ever seen a photograph of one? From the looks on their faces, very few. The group moves on, but several boys hang back to examine the photograph in silence. An Amish family from central Illinois passes by--men with long squared-off beards, girls in white lace bonnets, long modest dresses, black wool stockings. The Amish do not drive motor vehicles; they travel as little as possible. What brought them here? A member of the group explains that they've come to Memphis that one of their children can receive treatment for colon cancer. Yet in spite of this pressing personal mission, they've asked a friend to drive them to the National Civil Rights Museum. Our people know what it means to be persecuted, their driver says. standing in front of a large projection screen displaying news footage of Birmingham police blasting demonstrators with fire hoses. You know, the Amish trace their roots to the Reformation. They called us Anabaptists then treated us like enemies of God. admire Dr. King because he believed in non-violence. Back at the time of World War I, they drafted our boys, but we were conscientious objectors. Folks took it pretty hard when we refused to fight--there were quite a few beatings. His words compete with the din of Birmingham: whooshing hoses, crackling police radios, the shouts of scattering demonstrators. You look at this, the Amish driver says, and you can see those police are not thinking as people--as individuals, I mean. They've become a mob. They're not acting like people of conscience. The National Civil Rights Museum is housed in the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. The front of the historic motel remains intact: every visitor must pass beneath the balcony where Dr. King was slain. someone like myself, who remembers the Civil Rights Movement vividly whose own life was changed by those times, it's bewildering to see that events of my youth are already that people are gathering up images artifacts narratives from those days to present them in institutes museums scattered throughout the South. What are these museums like? What effect do they have on the people who visit them? That's what I've come to find out. I'm from Bartlett County, Jill Crumpton says. We're in the suburbs, you can see that my students are mostly white. I bring them here every year. Her ten-and eleven-year-olds are clean cut extremely attentive--and they're getting an earful from their guide. ... After they hung Nat Turner, they left him hanging there. Then they peeled his skin off boiled it down for oil--and they used the oil to grease wagon wheels. Now, why would they do that to a man they'd already killed? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To punish him, one child responds. But he already was punished, the guide prompts. He was dead. To show blacks they were slaves to let them know their masters could do what they wanted to them. He killed fifty-four whites, a tow-haired boy adds, so maybe they wanted to scare the other slaves--but I bet they were scared too. We try to do a lot with black history, Jill Crumpton says. But I'll tell you, we still have some parents who won't let their children come to the museum. They may say they're worried about Memphis, about coming to the 'big city,' but you can tell when it's something else. Their children are missing a valuable educational experience. This is the thing I think I'll remember, Rachel observes. …

The Role of Architecture in Society: Structuring of the Family Unit among Moorish Pastoral Nomads of Mauritania

Abstract This paper sheds new light on the existence of a multitude of architectural concepts amongst Moorish nomadic herders of Western Sahara. The description and the analysis of its three variations help us to better understand the nuclear family's genesis in this society and the important role of architectures and, more generally, of objects in this process. In the Mauritanian nomadic society, the type of habitation most used and the best known is the tent, the khayma.1 Its most likely heritage is from the progressive arrival of Arab Bedouin tribes into the Western Sahara regions starting in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries AD. (Feilberg 1944). It consists of a rectangular cloth about 7 m by 6 m, made up of strips woven from black wool and the hair of camels (often replaced today by strips of imported cotton cloth) and supported at the centre by the crossing of two long slanted wooden poles, giving the whole a pointed and pyramidal form. The khayma is at the base of the strong metonymical relationship with the family living there,2 benefiting from a privileged status in the Moor's system of representations and in their contemporary identity among the Bedouins and the rest of the population (Boulay 2004). Nevertheless, on-site investigations have allowed us to discover that the khayma is not the only kind of tent used by pastoral Mauritanians.3 There is, in effect, another type, or more precisely another architectural concept, less known and named the benye. This feminine noun, based on the Arab root BNY, expresses the idea of 'build', 'erect' or 'construct'4 and takes the form not of the two long slanted poles of the khayma but rather is based on arcs or stakes placed vertically. Through a careful examination of the three current uses of the word benye - 'secret' shelter of a young couple, double roof 'discreet' of the black tent, light structure for long migrations - we will see how the study of this architectural concept can instruct us regarding the process of forming the marital couple and family in a Muslim society. We will also better understand how, even today, this contributes to the confidentiality and marginality of this important factor and its different known materials in this part of the Western Sahara.

Slavery in South Africa: Captive Labor on the Dutch Frontier

Historiography of South African slavery, Elizabeth A. Eldredge and Fred Morton the Cape slave trade, Robert Shell slavery and enslavement on the Cape frontier, Clifton Crais and Susan Newton-King the fortunate slave - slaves as labour tenants in the 19th century Cape, John Mason patterns of slave-raiding across the shifting frontier, E.A. Eldredge slavery and slave-trading in Natal, Carolyn Hamilton and John Wright Black Ivory - slavery and the indenture system in Zoutpansberg, 1848-1869, J. Boelyens slave-raiding and slavery in the Western Transvaal, 1845-1870, F. Morton Black Wool - the Ngamiland-Marico slave trade, Barry Morton.