Algerian Ethnobotanical Knowledge in Late Nineteenth Century

Abstract

Algerian ethnobotanical knowledge has deep historical roots in North Africa. It developed and evolved over generations, strengthening the bond between Indigenous people and their natural environment. This article aims to explore the state of that knowledge at the end of the 19th century, just before the wave of modernization and technological advances began to gradually erase most of its original traces. The ethnobotanical practices revealed from that period highlight scientific, ancestral, and symbolic dimensions, through which Algerians crafted tools and made extensive use of plants in construction, food, and medicine. This study also examines the characteristics of this ethnobotanical heritage and addresses the criticisms directed at its scientific validity and relevance. Given the cultural and ecological significance of this ancestral legacy, it is essential to shed light on it today in order to preserve, valorize, and reintegrate it into modern life, particularly through initiatives such as ethnobotanical gardens and cultural tourism for current and future generations.