The Ornamental white marble use and reuse at the Ottoman palaces of Algiers’ Regency: New knowledge to a provenance study

This multi-disciplinary study examines from a historical and technical approach the supply of ornamental white marble in Ottoman Algiers between the 17th and 19th centuries. Our systematic analysis of Ottoman Regency administration archives, in particular the correspondence between the provincial chiefs of Algiers and Cherchell dating from 1824 to 1825 AD , reveals two completely different supply routes for white ornamental marble to Algiers' building sites: the �rst identi�es Genoa as the unique source of imports, while the second con�rms the use of the remains from the ancient Roman city of Cherchell/Caesarea. In order to verify these provenances of ornamental white marble, petrographic and geochemical analyses were carried out on �fteen (15) samples of white marble from the decorative elements of the Algiers Citadel: a palatial complex whose construction and subsequent completion correspond to the same period as these exchanges of o�cial correspondence. Experimental results con�rm the Italian provenance of some samples, particularly from Carrara, while others appear to be of local origin from Fil�la.


Introduction
The palaces of Algiers' Medina arouse a real interest in quality of architectural heritage inherited from the Ottoman period (Golvin 1988, Ravéreau 1989, Missoum 2003, Abdessemed-Foufa 2005, 2012, Vidal-Bué 2014, Piaton 2018), due to their architectural and decorative richness.Since 1992, they have been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, along with the city where they are located (Fig. 1), by preserving their authenticity and their originality.
However, scienti c research on their decorative stones and the reality of its provenance, especially white marble, still remains a rarely explored eld.For this purpose, this multidisciplinary study focuses on the ornamental white marble provenance of the Ottoman architecture of Algiers and its identi cation, in the aim to enrich the historical, technical and patrimonial knowledge about the Ottoman architecture of Algiers' Regency, particularly its decorative elements in white marble.
Due to the economic richness of Algiers' Regency between the 17th and 19th centuries, its Medina construction had known a large use of marble, which re ected the Ottoman wealth in Algiers.It was the most recommended material for various forms of use (Fig. 2), paving interior courtyards and stair steps, embellishing basins and fountains and decorating window frames, door pilasters, as well as the columns of patios and gardens (Golvin 1988, Ravéreau 1989, Chergui 2011).
The ornamental white marble in the ottoman architecture of Algiers: what source of supply?
According to scholars and historical sources, the marble industry seems to have been rarely established in Algiers' Regency, to this end, considerable quantities of white marble were supplied from other countries (De Haëdo 1612, Shaw 1830, Fournel 1848, Chergui 2011).Undoubtedly, its position at the border of the Mediterranean encouraged the transportation of this heavy material from the northern shores, mainly from Italy, as gifts, maritime captures or simply orders, and transported from the ports of Genoa or Livorno to the ports of the Regency (Chergui 2011, Bouzid 2015, Vidal-Bué 2014, Eudel 1902).S. Chergui (2007) was provided with precious indications on the Italian origin of considerable quantities of marble used in the construction site of the New Mosque of Algiers (1656-1666 AD ).Thus, depending on their dimensions, the raw blocks of marble were either previously worked in the workshops of Carrara or nished on the construction site.Even in the Roman times, the marble industry was very little exploited on this land.Apart from the Fil la and Cap de Garde deposits, the import action was already practiced from Italie and Asia Minor towards North Africa (Shaw 1830;Pensabene 1982).
Although the provenance of this ornamental stone and its forms of supply are reported in some narrative sources (De Haëdo 1612, Shaw 1830, Clausolles 1831, Estry 1845, MacCarthy 1830, Rozet 1833, De Paradis 1898) , many uncertainties hover around it, thus requiring further research.Moreover, the marble reuse from the antique ruins deserves thus to be investigated, given that this form of supply was certainly practiced at the arrival of the Ottomans in Algiers (Cresti 1982) .As a proof, the rst head of the Regency Khair Ed'din Barberousse, carried out the extension of the port of Algiers by the reuse of construction's materials extracted from the Penôn (Rang Des Adrets et Denis 1837, Estry 1845) , even the construction of the rst Ottoman religious and civil buildings (mosques or palaces) that was mostly based on the reuse of buildings and decorative materials brought from the nearest antique site of Rusgûniae (Chergui 2011) .During his visit to Algiers' Medina around 1550 AD , the French geographer Nicloas de Nicolaï, described the beauty of the royal palace galleries, which were supported by columns made from various types of marble, assuming that they came from the reuse (De Haëdo 1612, Cresti 1982) .In fact, the ornamental marble's reuse by Ottomans was justifying by their fascination towards antique architectural elements.But also, they thought rarely to exploit the marble quarries, where they settled, so they considered the extraction and cutting of marble, and its transportation to the building sites, as complicated procedures that could hinder the political and geographical expansion of their Empire (Vatin 2000) .
However, there is wide historical controversy over the supply of white marble to the Algiers' regency.As example, Charles Ferraud (1877) testi ed that the head of Constantine's Province El Hadj Ahmed Bey, charged a Genoese Jewish merchant to supply marble from Carrara for the construction of his palace in 1821 AD , while M.P. Clausolles (1831) con rmed that this head had achieved his palace just by reusing from the Roman vestiges, such as of Hippo-Regios, of Cirta or even of Tunis.
Ottoman archival data on the ornamental white marble supply in Algiers' regency: The trigger for this study came from the discovery of some indications about the ornamental white marble supply during our systematic exploitation of the Ottoman administration's archives preserved at the Center of National Archives in Algiers (C.N.A).These archival sources offer rst-hand information on the white marble supply in the studied period.
The examination on registers of import-export between Algiers' Regency and several countries, even from Europe, dating from 1824 -1825 AD (1240 AH ), revealed evidence of the import of white marble in an order for products transported by sea from Genoa to Algiers (Fig. 3).The order is inscribed at the end of an archive document ( led in the register: N° 308/ Beyt El Beylik/CNA ), entitled as follows: "Declaration of sending money to ---Tābet Ben Tabbī with the ship of Mūssa ---, on the 23 rd Rabī al-thānū 1242 Hidjrī".The highlighted sentence is translated from dialectic Arabic as follows: " ----With the above-mentioned money sent to this one for the purchase of goods by sea ---the money sent to Tabet Ben Tabbi from Mohamed ----sixty Sultani --of the goods sent bought by the above-mentioned money --he buys me by these money stone (marble) columns from Genoa".
An additional examination on the Ottoman archives at the National Library of Algeria (B.N) was necessary, mainly on the register containing correspondences between the Ottoman provinces' heads, such as of Cherchel and Algiers.The correspondence ( led under: N°15/Boite 3206/ Correspondances/Service manuscrits/BNA) sent by Kāïd M'ḥ arūssat Cherchel (head of the province of the town of Cherchel) to the Waqīl al-Khardj (Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Regency of Algiers); in the end of Dhu al-Hijja in the year 1234 AH /1826 AD , attests the transport by boat to the port of Algiers for fourteen white marble columns taken from the ancient ruins of Caesarea, under the instructions of Yahya Agha [1] (Fig. 4).The highlighted sentence in the correspondence inscribes the reuse action, translated from dialectic Arabic as follows: "We inform you about the marble columns that the ship brought with the cutter of the stones before and they are fourteen of our master Yahya Agha and we ordered the sculptors to put them back in shape..." However, these various sources and historical studies are still insu cient to provide a de nitive answer to the question of the provenance of white marble in the Regency of Algiers.Furthermore, in situ observation of certain architectural elements (columns or pilasters) in white marble from the surviving Roman remains at Caesarea reveals reshaped sections that undoubtedly date from the Ottoman period.However, the large size of these antique elements compared to those of the Ottoman ones makes it di cult to distinguish them from the Ottoman architecture of Algiers.At this stage of the study, it is not yet possible to be sure that these elements have been completely re-cut in the case of replacement and devoid of any antique sculpture (Fig. 5).
In order to successfully identify the provenance of ornamental white marble in Ottoman architecture in Algiers, it is absolutely essential to proceed with experimentation.This allows us to convincingly eliminate all possible speculation.
Case study: the ornamental white marble of the Citadel of Algiers -Al-Qaṣ aba - The Citadel is a palace-fortress located in the upper part of the Algiers' Medina; it is last evidence of the Ottoman presence in Algiers.It was constructed in the 16 th century, as a defensive building characterizing by a purely military architecture.Until 1817-1830 AD , where its conversion into a palace-fortress was accomplished due the construction of two palatial buildings by "Ḥ uṣ ayn Bāshā", the last Dey of Algiers.Besides, archives register on the daily expenses of Algiers royal court, dated between 1817 AD and 1818 AD , demonstrates an important expense for the supply of more than 30 marble blocks, 387 pilasters and 425 columns of white marble (Khellassi, 2007) .In addition the original military structures (barracks, powder magazine, bastions, Janissary quarter) and religious buildings (mosques), the palatial architecture can be seen through the Dey Palace (the palace of the sovereignty between 1817-1830 AD ) and the Beys Palace (the reception palace of the provinces heads of the Algiers' Regency) (Abdessemed-Foufa 2012, Chergui 2017) (Fig. 6).
Such as all the Ottoman palaces in Algiers, these two palaces underwent several reconversion operations during the French colonization (1830-1962 AD ), undergoing a distortion to its architecture, notably to its decorative elements (destruction, disappearance).Since the 1980's, they have undergone several restorations works, indeed the whole citadel, to ensure their conservation.
As in all the Ottoman palaces of Algiers, the provenance of the ornamental white marble used in the Citadel, particularly in its two palaces, remains unclear.We therefore choose this palatial complex as our focus of study.This choice is justi ed by the fact that the completion of work on these complex dates from the same period as the reuse and import actions recorded in the archival documents that we have examined (1824 -1826 AD ).

Materials and Methods
The sampling artefacts: Fifteen (15) marble samples were carried from a storage of decorative and ornamental elements in a state of destruction i.e., columns, pilasters and window frames within the citadel (Fig. 7), ensuring that no archaeological, historiographic, or aesthetic value was damaged or lost.The samples were taken from various fragments of the marble architectural elements of the Citadel's two palaces.They are illustrated in Fig. 8, and they are identi ed and sorted in a table ( First of all, the observation in situ with a human eye and then, with the use of a magnifying glass is necessary to record the primitive information on the color and the texture of the sample.Indeed, all samples are white and ne-grained marbles.No impurities can be observed macroscopically.

The experimental methods
The laboratory experiments were based on the non-destructive mineralogical and geo-chemical characterization, traditionally applied on the identi cation of As one single method of experiment investigation will be not su cient to safely determine the origin of the studied white marble samples, these different methods and a subsequent statistical evaluation was applied as follow: Petrography: The size of the samples supplied allowed the preparation of a thin section (30µ max).The polarizing microscope on thin marble sections enables us to apprehend the relevant petrographic characteristics of the analyzed samples, thus an evaluation of the MGS (maximum grain size) of each sample (Antonelli and Lazzarini 2015, Bomblet and Blanc 2016, Giresse, Bromblet and de Barrau 2020).The operation was carried out in Algeria at the Geology and Mines Research O ce (ORGM) in coordination with the geology department of the Bab-Ezzouar University (USTHB) of Algiers.The equipment used consists of a LEITZ polarizing microscope and an OPTIKA binocular.
Petrographic analysis allowed us to examine the texture of each of the marble samples investigated, comparing them rst with petrographic data from presupposed quarries, such as Carrara, Asia Minor, and some local deposits (Fil la).
In order to achieve effective reliability of our results, petrographic analysis requires the variability of methods applied in marble provenance studies, including stable isotope analysis, chemical analysis of trace elements and statistical analysis.
The stable isotope analysis: The analysis of the stable isotopes of O and C is a standard method in marble provenance analysis.Performing this analysis is now the fundamental step in any study of marble provenance.It allows us to determine the isotopic content of O and C, regarded as the DNA speci c to each marble deposit.The massspectrometry analyses were carried out in the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.
The chemical analysis: The chemical analysis of trace elements had been carried out prior to the application of isotopic analysis.The isotope analysis, coupled with the petrographic study, is not su cient to provide clear answers to the question of the marble's provenance.This is due to the overlapping petrographic and isotopic characteristics of certain white marbles, making it impossible to distinguish between them.Chemical analysis of trace elements is one of the new methods used to identify inherited white marbles.The trace element analysis of the sample was done by ICP-MS analysis after dissolving the carbonate phase by hot HNO3.For this investigation the samples were analyzed in the laboratories of the Technical University of Vienna.The elements to be de ned in this operation are (Mg, Mn, Fe, Sr, Cr, V, Y, Cd, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Dy, Ho, Yb, Pb, U).
The analytical data obtained through the cross-referencing of these three previous analyses is evaluated and processed in a multi-variate statistical analysis using STATISTICA and SPSS software.The result is an accurate distinction between the analyzed marble samples.

The petrographic characteristics
The investigated marble samples comprise a very homogeneous group of ne-grained very white and high-quality marbles.The microscope observation (Fig. 9) reveals a polygonal texture in manufacture for the majority of marble samples.These are real marbles, of metamorphic origin and mono-mineral composition (Lorenc & Lorenc, 2018).
Due to their textural purity and clear whiteness, the marbles analyzed contain very low quantities of minor minerals and accessories (Fig. 10).Their average grain size varied from 0.2 mm to 0.7 mm to 0.8 mm, re ecting the high degree of metamorphism they have undergone.Crystals, either elongated or polygonal in shape, are present in the samples (CI06, CI07, P05, P06).They correspond to muscovite (CI06, CI07) (Fig. 11), sanidine (P05) (Fig. 12) and pyrite (P06).Other opaque minerals are present in the form of xenomorphic crystals.A low content of dolomite and quartz is detected in (P01, CI02, CI03).The content of these various minerals does not exceed 1% in all samples, with sizes of less than 0.3 mm.The rest of the samples show a calcite mineralogical composition of 100%.
As suggestion, all the samples present the major characteristics of the Carrara marble (Antonelli & Lazzarini, 2015; Prochaska & Attanasio, 2022) such as: the calcite as the main component for the marble destined for the ornamentation, with a very ne granulometry (between 0,2 and 0,5 mm), the MGS (maximum size of the grains) is not less than 0,5 mm, crystals largely polygonal, with a frontal contact in a straight, or sometimes curved way (Antonelli & Lazzarini, 2015; Giresse, Bromblet, & de Barrau, 2020; Prochaska & Attanasio, 2022) However, the analysis of ne-grained marbles that may overlap petrographically with Carrara, such as those from Dokemeon and Pentelikon (Anevlavi et al., 2022), requires the use of geochemical variables applied later, notably trace element analysis.In this case, it should be noted that only the low Mn content can help distinguish Carrara marble from these other two deposits (Prochaska et Attanasio 2022).Regarding local marble, the Fil la deposit is more similar to the investigated marbles.This white marble is recognized for its similarity to Carrara marble in terms of its polygonal texture, its mineralogical composition consisting essentially of 99% calcite, with a slight presence of minerals such as pyrite and sometimes dolomite with a content of < 1%, and its grain size ranging from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm (Fig. 10) (Ramdane et Dahmane 2017).
The analytical geochemical data

Evaluation of the stable isotope results
To check the analyzed composition of the marble artefacts against other well-known ancient ne-grained marbles, the data of the investigated samples were compared with those of Pentelikon, Dokimeion and Carrara.
Furthermore, some stable isotope data of the marbles from Fil la are available and incorporated in the considerations as a local white marble (Antonelli et al., 2010).The ne-grained marbles from Paros (Lychnites) and those from Göktepe were excluded a priori from the evaluation for their obvious incompatible isotopic composition compared to the investigated marble samples.
In Fig. 13, the stable isotope diagram of the investigated marble sample and some data elds of ancient quarries or quarry areas are presented.The compositional elds of the chosen marble producing locations exhibit a strong overlap in the isotopic composition.However, the investigated marble samples plot clearly in the eld of the marbles from Carrara and from Afyon/ Dokimeion (Prochaska & Attanasio, 2022).The compositional elds of the quarry regions displayed are presented as statistical 90% ellipses.The data eld of the Fil la marbles is a hand-drawn ellipse because the low number of data available from literature (Antonelli et al., 2010).

Multivariate statistical calculation of the obtained data
The multivariate calculation with the help of the program packages STATISTICA and SPSS has been carried out by linear discriminant function analysis, in order to achieve a simultaneous evaluation of a large number of analyzed components by statistical computation.To distinguish between the selected locations, the following discriminant variables were used: δ 18 O, δ 13 C, Mg, Mn, Fe, Sr, Cr, V, Cd, La, Ce, Pr, Dy and Yb.The analytical results are graphically displayed in Fig. 14.
It is necessary to note that this graph is a two-dimensional simpli cation of a multidimensional system, and it is only an approximation of a multidimensional reality.The exact results are those numerically obtained by the statistical procedure presented in table.2.The presented statistical parameters clearly are in accordance with an origin of the investigated marbles from the Carrara quarries in Italy and any alternative can be safely excluded (Fig. 14).

Discussion of the results
The statistical discrimination analysis clearly shows the best t for an assignment to the Carrara quarries while other similar international marbles can safely be excluded.
Indeed, the import of decorative white marble from Genoa, mentioned in the import-export archives of the Ottoman administration in Algiers (Fig. 3), is certainly con rmed.Between the 17 th and 19 th centuries, this Italian port city was a major trader of white Carrara marble to the Maghreb countries (Santamaria, 2004; Franchini Guel , Santamaria, Silvestri, Berresford , & Bertelloni, 2011; Pensabene, Domingo, & Zevi, 2020) .The same is true for the action of reusing the ancient marble from Caesarea mentioned in the correspondence addressed by the Cherchell provincial chief to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Algiers (Fig. 4), which is in turn authenticated by our experiments.It's also important to note that most of the white marble architectural elements found at Caesarea were supplied from the colony of Luna, between the time of Emperor Juba II (25-23 BC ) and the time of Emperor Ptolemy (23 BC -40 AD ), periods during which the city underwent great urban and architectural expansion (Pensabene 1982).
For the local marbles, the Fil la quarries exhibit a lighter O isotope composition in general and show only a minor overlap with the Carrara marbles.For this purpose, further investigations (chemistry, petrography) certainly could help to make this assignment even more clear.
If this provenance is con rmed, it opens up new debates in relation to historical speculation on the absence of the marble industry in Ottoman Algiers.This is all the more reasonable if we also take into consideration the migration of Italian craftsmen between the 17 th and 19 th centuries to the lands of the Ottoman Empire, of which Algiers was a part.On the other hand, it's highly possible that this marble was reused from the ancient site of Cuicul (Djemila), which attests to its use in late Roman times (Antonelli et al. 2010;Herrmann et al. 2012).

Conclusion and Perspective of research
The history of ornamental white marble in the architecture of the Ottoman palaces of the Regency of Algiers is as complex as it is unknown.This led us not only to carry out historical investigations, but also to experiment with the stone itself, in order to demonstrate the data relating to its provenance.
The historical study of ancient textual documents and narrative sources relating to the Algiers Regency has highlighted the absence of a marble industry in the country between the 16th and early 19th centuries, pointing to other sourcing actions such as: reusing marble from nearby Roman sites, or importing it from the northern shores of the Mediterranean, particularly from Italy, where Carrara is indicated as the main supplier of white ornamental marble for the Regency of Algiers.
Archival exploitation of the import-export registers of the Ottoman administration in Algiers, in particular the correspondence between the heads of the provinces of the Algiers Regency, dating from 1824 -1825 AD , reveals two completely different supply circuits for ornamental white marble.These were either import orders from Genoa, or re-use from the ancient site of Caesarea/Cherchell.This provenance study involved comparing our archival data with a petrographic and geochemical characterization of fteen (15) white marble samples extracted from decorative elements in a state of destruction from the palatial complex at the Algiers Citadel.The choice of this complex is explained by the fact that its completion dates from the same period as the reuse and import actions recorded in the archival documents we examined (1824 -1825 AD ).
The combination of petrographic, isotopic and chemical analyses of trace elements, evaluated by multi-variate statistical analysis, has provided us with precise results relating to the identi cation of Italian provenance, particularly Carrara, for the majority of the marble fragments investigated.As for the local provenance, it seems that Fil la marble is strongly revealed in certain fragments, although this needs further con rmation given the lack of data in the literature concerning the geochemical characteristics of this deposit.
Moreover, the presence of Asia Minor marble in the Ottoman architecture of Algiers is a mystery that deserves to be explored in future for another collected samples.It is quite possible that the Turkish emperors of Algiers ordered this marble to decorate their palaces (Vatin 2000, Bacqué-Grammont 1987) .It also appears that Asia Minor had delivered white marble to Caesarea in the age of Septimius Severus (2 nd -3 rd AD-JC), notably from Dokemeon.In addition to the Carrara marble brought from the port of Genoa, the Dokemeon marble may have been reused from Caesarea to Algiers during the Ottoman period (Pensabene 1982).
The multidisciplinary approach adopted for this study has enabled us to obtain not only technical but also historical information on the supply of white marble in the Mediterranean basin between the 17 th and 19 th centuries.The present research has motivated further in-depth investigation into the provenance of ornamental white marble in the Ottoman palaces of Algiers.Apart from con rming the Carrarian origin of some of the white marbles, there are still gaps to be made in further verifying the local provenance, materialized by the Fil la quarries for other samples.Furthermore, the dating factor of the investigated marble samples will certainly enable us in the future to distinguish between reused marble and imported marble, particularly in the case of marble from Carrara.

Declarations
Author      Microphoto of the sample CI04 with a massive texture and polygonal structure, consisting mainly of calcite with a low opaque mineral content of at least 1% (Ph: ORGM/USTHB) Microphoto of the sample CI04 with a massive texture and polygonal structure, consisting mainly of calcite with a low opaque mineral content of at least 1% (Ph: ORGM/USTHB) Microphoto of the sample P05 with massive texture and polygonal structure, essentially composed of calcite with the presence of sanidine in very low the inherited marbles, and widely described and explained by recent published researches (Al-Bashaireh et Al-Housan 2014, Mahindad et Hamiane 2016, Antonelli et Lazzarini 2015, Prochaska 2023).

Figures Figure 1 Up:
Figures

Figure 2 DifferentFigure 3 A
Figure 2 Different views on the interior palaces of Ottoman Algiers, where the white marble manifesting (Ph: A. Bibimoune ETAP / IAU)

Figure 4 Correspondence
Figure 4 Correspondence sent by the head of Cherchel city to the head of external affairs of the Algiers' Regency which date from the 1826 AD (1242 AH ), mentioning the supply of the reused marble columns.Note: The piece is written in dialectic Arabic.

Figure 5 a&b.
Figure 5 a&b.Parts of antique architectural elements with traces of reshaping from the Ottoman period; c.Antique white marble column base reused to hold an Arabic inscription from the year 1518 AD concerning the inauguration of the Ottoman fort at Cherchell.N.B: all these elements are preserved in the Musée d'Antiquité at Cherchell, Algeria.

Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 9
Figure 6 Recent photos of the palace-fortress named citadel or Al-Qasaba of Ottoman Algiers-: a) Model of the complex preserved in the citadel museum.(b) (d) and (e) Interior of the Dey palace.[By : Authors].Note: the complexe is under restoration (Ph: A. Bibimoune; S. Chergui, IAU/ETAP)

Figure 13 Isotope
Figure 13 Isotope diagram of the investigated sample and the compositional elds (90% ellipses) of the ne-grained marble sites considered for comparison (ed.W. Prochaska, ÖAI/ÖAW).

Figure 14 Bivariate
Figure 14 Bivariate diagram of the two most powerful factors of the multivariate discriminant analysis of the investigated sample and the compositional elds (90% ellipses) of the selected marble quarries.Fil la marbles are not displayed in this diagram because of the lack of the corresponding chemical data (ed.W. Prochaska, ÖAI/ÖAW).

Table 1
Table.1) for a clear description.Description of the fteen (15) ornamental white marble samples carried from the Citadel of Algier Declarations Funding details.The research was supported by Direction Générale de la Recherche Scienti que et du Développement Technologique (D.G.R.S.D.T), Algeria.Disclosure statement.The authors declare no competing interests.Data availability statement.The marble samples were carried from a storage of decorative and ornamental elements in a state of destruction (columns, capitals, door and window frames) , ensuring that no architectural, historiographic, or aesthetic value was damaged or lost.All relevant data are within the manuscript.The fteen (15) marble samples are stored in the ETAP Laboratory (Environment and Technology for Architecture and Cultural Heritage), in the Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning (I.A.U), University Blida 1, Algeria.On request, the samples are available for scienti c re-evaluation.The archives in supports ( gures 3 and 4) are available on request at the Manuscript Department of the National Library of Algiers (B.N), and in the archive service "El-Beylik" of the Ottoman administration of the Algiers Regency, at the Center of the National Archives of Algeria (C.N.A).All documents were consulted and taken in scan capture after an o cial authorization granted in the context of this study.Data deposition.The archival document supporting g.3 is available on micro lm format under the reference of: the register N°380 / Beyt El Beylik / CNA, in the archive service "El-Beylik" of the Ottoman administration of the Algiers Regency, at the Center of the National Archives of Algeria.The archive in support of g.4 is available in paper format at the Manuscript Department of the National Library of Algiers (B.N), under the reference: N°15/ Box3206 /Correspondences /Service manuscripts/ BN .Geolocation information.The study covers on the old Ottoman city of Algiers, which is currently the commune of Casbah of Algiers, belongs to the capital of Algeria.