It was launched in 1984 under the aegis of UNESCO and was originally published by Editions Edisud.

After his death in 2002, he was succeeded by Salem Chaker, Professor of Berber languages at the Aix-Marseille University.

[2] The online site allows part of the encyclopedia to be viewed in full text and in PDF and offers a search function to key words and authors.

However, the latest five volumes are excluded from the online edition, in agreement with Éditions Peeters, which sells the printed copies and had already been publishing other Berber studies.

XLIII (volume 43) for the entries (Siga - Syphax) has been published.