Volubilis
Petroglyphs
Phoenicians
Upper Palaeolithic burials
Prehistoric camps
Further Information
Archaeology Picture Gallery
Morocco is full of interesting archaeological discoveries and sites. For example, the ruins of the Roman town of Volubilis are extensive and quite spectacular. However, what is really special about Morocco is the quantity of petroglyph sites dating from prehistoric times. Engravings on the sandstone ridges and boulders show wild and domestic animals, humans, their weapons, and their behavior. These sites are well worth visiting, but you either need a 4x4 vehicle or must be ready to walk quite a good distance. Some of the most significant discoveries and events of 2005 are given below. The list is by no means exhaustive. Coins At the beginning of 2005, an astonishing total of 468 coins were found on a building site in a small village in the hilly area just south of the Rif mountains in north Morocco. The local authorities got wind of the fact that "strange coins" were circulating among the young people of the village and the gendarmes managed to identify the finder - who had no idea of their great historical value. The coins have an inscription proclaiming "There is no God but God" on one face and "Mohammed is God's messenger" on the other. From the Hegira (Moslem) date they bear, they are thought to have been struck during the 11th-12th century AD, that is during the rule of the Almoravid dynasty. But they were not necessarily struck in Morocco, since the Almoravids ruled far beyond Morocco. Volubilis
In April 2005, an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Culture and the big Moroccan company, ONA. The ONA Foundation had already been responsible for the renovation of the splendid Almohad mosque of Tinmel, in the mountains south of Marrakech. Now they agreed to pay part of the costs of a project designed to improve Volubilis, Morocco's best-known archaeological site. Improvements will include the construction of administrative offices, a research laboratory, storage areas and a museum. The general appearance of the site, which attracts thousands of visitors each year, will also be enhanced. Even if work is far from complete, these well-excavated and restored ruins are well worth a visit. They are easily accessible from Meknes (between Rabat and Fez). Petroglyphs
Moving south, Marrakech was home to an exhibition of rock art engravings in July. This event marked the 11th anniversary of the National Center of the Rock Art Heritage, and was designed to make the general public aware of the importance of this heritage. The exhibition included photographs of engravings and paintings, and casts of actual engravings made on one of Morocco's numerous rock art sites. The Center was set up to initiate measures to protect these vulnerable sites, which are in constant danger of degradation and damage - caused by the climate and, alas, by humans. Phoenicians
A chance discovery during work on a new motorway brought to light in August a multi-period site near Ksar Sghir. Excavations showed that the site, overlooking a marshy zone near a river leading to the nearby coast, had been founded by the Phoenicians in the 6th century BC. The Phoenicians, adventurous merchants from present-day Lebanon, were active in the Mediterranean from the 9th century BC. Their best-known settlement in Morocco is said to date from the 11th century BC, but no certain remains of this age have been found. The local Mauretanian people (nothing to do with modern Mauritania) followed the Phoenicians from the 5th-2nd century BC. Towards 40 BC, the Romans took over, staying until the 5th century AD. Coins and pottery then indicated a Moslem presence from the 12th-13th century AD. Two Moroccan associations have pleaded vigorously for this site to be classified, in view of its exceptional archaeological and tourist value. Upper Palaeolithic burials In the autumn, Moroccan archaeologists, in collaboration with British colleagues, continued work in the well-known Grotte des Pigeons cave at Tafoghalt, near Oujda, first excavated in the 1940s. These early excavations had revealed a human occupation of the site about 20,000 years ago. Most conveniently (for the archaeologists), these prehistoric people carefully buried their dead in the cave and about 100 skeletons were unearthed. A lot of ostrich egg-shell beads were found with them. The latest research has brought to light human remains dating to around 11,000/12,000 BC. One of the skeletons had been buried with the horns of a Barbary sheep, giving a significant insight into prehistoric burial rites. Prehistoric camps Early in October, an archaeological team, involved in a research program on early populations in the Middle Atlas, discovered a prehistoric camp going back over 50,000 years. The site, near Azrou, contained stone weapon-heads and scrapers. Their makers belonged to the Aterian culture, which flourished in North Africa from the Atlantic to the Nile, and from the Mediterranean to Mali. The maker of these tools was a primitive Homo sapiens - like us, but a very early version. It's very unusual to find their camp-sites, so this is an important discovery. The same team also located a Neolithic and Copper Age site near Azrou, comprising flint-working workshops and hearths with the bones of the wild animals (Barbary sheep, gazelles and wild boars) hunted by these early Moroccans. Fragments of ceramics and grinding material showed that pottery was made and agriculture practised. Animal bones and seashells had also been used to make personal ornaments. The date of the site has not been announced, but Neolithic people elsewhere in the country were keeping animals and making pottery around 4,000 BC. Further Information For further information on rock art, visit the Friends of Saharan Rock Art web site where you will find some beautiful photos of rock art and links to other sites.For some photos of Moroccan sites and items, go to our Archaeology Picture Gallery.
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