Rahba Kedima, the Herbalists' Square

You've reached Rahba Kedima, which means 'the old square'. Baskets, hats and woollen caps are sold in the middle; around the sides are the herbalists' shops, whose owners are sometimes called 'Berber pharmacists'.

1Remedies and something more

On their shelves you'll see spices, henna, alum stones, kohl for the eyes, roots and jars of things that are hard to identify. Among the animal products are dried lizards and reptile skins. Many are sold as cosmetics or remedies; others, according to popular tradition, as ingredients for amulets and magic: against the evil eye, for love or for good luck.

The Finnish anthropologist Edward Westermarck documented many of these Moroccan beliefs about magic, jinn and protection against the evil eye in the early 20th century. What you see today is the commercial, tourist-facing version of a world of beliefs that really existed and partly lives on.

2A dark history

Rahba Kedima also has an uncomfortable past. The surrounding souks auctioned particular goods on set days, such as wool, carpets or weapons. In the passage leading to the Criée Berbère, the adjoining carpet market, slave auctions were also held until the early 20th century; most of those sold had been brought on the trans-Saharan caravans.

The charm of this place should not make us forget those who were sold a few steps from here.

3What to look for

• The pyramids of spice and the herbalists' jars.
• The baskets and hats in the centre of the square.
• The passage to the Criée Berbère, on the north side.