From Rabat to Marseille: Šālla and the 1922 Exposition Coloniale in France

Whereas earlier scholarship has, to varying degrees, investigated the ancient and medieval history of Šālla and its popular rituals in the 20th century, the present paper discusses one of its hitherto overlooked aspects. It focuses on the period beginning in the second half of the 19th century, when travellers and scholars initiated the research on Šālla, and continuing through the first decade of the French protectorate of Morocco (1912–1956). As described in various sources at the time, especially admired was Šālla’s main gate, which thus became one of the most widely illustrated buildings in the country. Consequently, the commissioners of the 1922 Exposition Coloniale in Marseille chose this gate to be rebuilt amongst numerous other key monuments of the French Empire from West Africa to Indochina. The article outlines the history of scholarship on Šālla between 1874 and 1922, describes how research under colonial rule facilitated the reproduction of its main gate in Marseille and proposes an explanation as to the rationale behind this phenomenon. In other words, this paper addresses the modern reception of Šālla’s main gate.