The Afriq Demon: The Origin of Africa's Name
According to Berber tradition, the name 'Africa' (Ifriqiya) derives from Afriq, a legendary demon or tribal deity worshiped by ancient North African peoples. The Afriq was a powerful spirit associated with the cave-dwelling peoples of Libya and Tunisia. Some accounts describe Afriq as a serpentine demon who demanded human sacrifice and terrorized the ancient Berber tribes. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder recorded that the name 'Africa' came from the 'Afri' tribe, but Berber oral tradition offers a mythological alternative: the demon Afriq was eventually defeated by a hero who sealed it in a c