Souq level of municipal administration. The Muhtasib was responsible for supervising business practices and collecting taxes for a given souq while the Arif are the overseers for a specific trade. Shopping at a souq or market place is part of daily life throughout much of the Middle East. Prices are commonly set by bargaining, also known as haggling, between buyers and sellers. In the 18th and 19th centuries, as Europeans began to conquer parts of North Africa and the Levant, an interest in Middle Eastern culture and architecture began to flourish. This interest spawned a genre of literary works and paintings
Souk Erbaa (Sfax) It is crossed in its middle by Souk El Attarine that is composed of two old Souks: Souk El Hannatine in the east, and Souk Erbaa Esghir in the west. It is composed of two rows of small shops, with a ceiling made of stone and plaster arches. It is linked to Souk El Balghajine by a small eastern alley that used to be called "Farkha" during the 9th century, and that has two doors: the first in Souk Erbaa while the second is located in Souk El Balghajine (also known as Souk El Okba). Souk Erbaa is composed of