In Marrakechs Medina, the morning call to prayer, known as adhan, stirs both locals and visitors alike. Hundreds of Muslims are summoned into the citys mosques to pray together. But thats far from the only sound youll hear in the buzzing UNESCO world heritage site, once considered a significant political, economic and cultural hub of the western Muslim world.

A morning walk tends to be flooded by the buttery aroma of msemen, the sounds of pomegranates being hand-juiced, and countless craftsmen working with leather and copper, painting, wood carving and sewing. Everywhere you look, theres a souk where youre expected to haggle for anything from spices and Moroccan carpets to tajine and zellige, a tile-work known for its vivid colors and patterns.

But strolling through the medina will leave you wondering: Where are the women? I didnt see many in the souk, though I know they are very much the backbone of this society. If they are not working, then where do they fit in Moroccan culture? As it turns out, theyre running businesses and expressing themselves creatively and spiritually just not publicly.

Take the ancient tradition of carpet weaving as an example. In the Atlas Mountains, Berber (more accurately known as Amazigh ) women spend their free time making rugs out of wool for their own homes. This practice started out as a practical way to keep their family warm during winter nights but has now shifted into a source of pride: The carpets are passed down from generation to generation as a form of tangible heritage now a highly sought-after souvenir for tourists and international home design buyers.

You wont see these particular rugs in the medina, though. Im told that its usually middle-men who buy them directly from Amazigh tribes or even exchange and resell them to foreigners in the big cities or online, leaving the women artists with almost no compensation.