Argan women (Morocco, Atlas)

In the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, two Berber women perpetuate an ancestral know-how: the artisanal production of argan oil , one of the most precious in the world. Using stone millstones, they grind the kernels extracted from the seeds, after having meticulously shelled them by hand. The gesture is precise, slow, circular—repeated hundreds of times to obtain this brownish paste from which the oil will be extracted, intended for gastronomy or cosmetic treatments.

This 100% manual process is the result of a tradition passed down from generation to generation, in a local economy often driven by women. In some cooperatives, this work constitutes their sole source of income, and a lever for emancipation in a rural world where opportunities remain rare.

This image was selected by the international platform 1X.com , which recognizes photographic works for their aesthetic and documentary value.