The Jewish quarters in most Moroccan cities are called the Mellah which in Arabic means salt. Our guide in Fes said that it was because the Jews controlled the salt trade that the quarters were named thus. Other sources (including my guide book) claim that it was named after the job commonly given to Jews of salting the heads of beheaded criminals in preperation for hanging on the city's gates.

Historically, the Mellahs were socially and economically quite separate from the Arab areas and often had their own walls and guards to separate them from the Medina. Most Jews in Fes emigrated to Israel soon after its founding and now few Jews are left in Morocco. One of my guide books said that there are at most 12 Jewish families still living in Fes' Mellah.

Here we see a wool seller's shop.