 According to historians of the Middle Ages, the Berbers were divided into two branches, Butr and Baranis (known also as Botr and Barnès), descended from Mazigh ancestors, who were themselves divided into tribes and subtribes.Each region of the Maghreb contained several tribes (e.g.Sanhaja, Houaras, Zenata, Masmuda, Kutama, Awraba, Barghawata, etc.