Maurer's most important contribution to history is a series of books on the early institutions of the Germans. These are: _Einleitung zur Geschichte der Mark-, Hof-, Dorf-, und Stadtverfassung und der öffentlichen Gewalt_ (Munich, 1854); _Geschichte der Markenverfassung in Deutschland_ (Erlangen, 1856); _Geschichte der Fronhöfe, der Bauernhöfe, und der Hofverfassung in Deutschland_ (Erlangen, 1862-1863); _Geschichte der Dorfverfassung in Deutschland_ (Erlangen, 1865-1866); and _Geschichte der Slädteverfassung in Deutschland_ (Erlangen, 1869-1871). These works are still important authorities for the early history of the Germans. Among other works are, _Das Stadt- und Landrechtsbuch Ruprechts von Freising, ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Schwabenspiegels_ (Stuttgart, 1839); _Über die Freipflege (plegium liberale), und die Entstehung der grossen und kleinen Jury in England_ (Munich, 1848); and _Über die deutsche Reichsterritorial- und Rechtsgeschichte_ (1830). Sec K. T. von Heigel, _Denkwürdigkeiten des bayrischen Staatsrats G. L. von Maurer_ (Munich, 1903). MAURETANIA, the ancient name of the north-western angle of the African continent, and under the Roman Empire also of a large territory eastward of that angle. The name had different significations at different times; but before the Roman occupation, Mauretania comprised a considerable part of the modern Morocco i.e. the northern portion bounded on the east by Algiers. Towards the south we may suppose it bounded by the Atlas range, and it seems to have been regarded by geographers as extending along the coast to the Atlantic as far as the point where that chain descends to the sea, in about 30 N. lat. (Strabo, p. 825). The magnificent plateau in which the city of Morocco is situated seems to have been unknown to ancient geographers, and was certainly never included in the Roman Empire. On the other hand, the Gaetulians to the south of the Atlas range, on the date-producing slopes towards the Sahara, seem to have owned a precarious subjection to the kings of Mauretania, as afterwards to the Roman government. A large part of the country is of great natural fertility, and in ancient times produced large quantities of corn, while the slopes of Atlas were clothed with forests, which, besides other kinds of timber, produced the celebrated ornamental wood called _citrum_ (Plin. _Hist. Nat._ 13-96), for tables of which the Romans gave fabulous prices. (For physical geography, see MOROCCO.)