I recall an underground cave in a troglodyte village in Tunisia where four women were squatting: the old, one eyed, and toothless wife, her face ravaged, was cooking dough on a small brazier surrounded by acrid smoke; two slightly younger but equally disfigured wives were rocking children in their arms; one was breastfeeding; seated before a weaver's loom was a young idol, magnificently dressed in silk, gold, and silver, knotting strands of wool.