Consultants discover Essaouira’s wealthy prehistoric previous

The prehistoric heritage of Essaouira took heart stage throughout a world workshop held Wednesday on the sociocultural area “Dar Souiri”, to rejoice 20 years of archaeological analysis on this culturally wealthy area.

Organized by the National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage (INSAP), in partnership with the University of Arizona and Aix-Marseille University, and n coordination with the Provincial Directorate of Culture, Essaouira-Mogador Association, and the Local Development Corporation Essaouira Culture, Arts, and Heritage (SDL. ECAP), the workshop showcased the newest findings from excavations at key websites comparable to Bizmoune and Jorf El Hamam, alongside different exploratory efforts within the surrounding space.

Under the theme “The Origins of Essaouira: 20 Years of Archaeological Research,” the occasion make clear the life, migrations, and interactions of prehistoric populations in Essaouira.

INSAP Director Abdeljalil Bouzouggar highlighted this system’s achievements over the previous 20 years, which have recognized over 300 archaeological websites in Essaouira province, in comparison with simply 30 when the initiative started.

Among essentially the most outstanding discoveries are the world’s oldest identified decorative objects, present in Bizmoune Cave and courting again 142,000 to 150,000 years. Additionally, flint instruments and proof of human presence close to Essaouira date again almost a million years, extending our understanding of human historical past within the area.

“These discoveries reveal Essaouira’s ancient legacy, showing its critical role not only in Morocco’s history but in humanity’s as well,” Bouzouggar emphasised, including that the workshop additionally serves to encourage and help the subsequent era of researchers, notably doctoral college students, by encouraging them to share their findings with the general public.

Jacques Collina-Girard, geologist and prehistorian from Aix-Marseille University, delivered a presentation titled “The Strait of Gibraltar: A Migration Hub Between Europe and Africa,” highlighting its pivotal position within the prehistoric migration of people and animals, fostering important cultural and organic exchanges.

Collina-Girard highlighted that discoveries in Essaouira, together with ornaments from Bizmoune Cave, illustrate the area’s significance in broader prehistoric exchanges throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa, showcasing its position as a historic crossroads.

“Morocco is a treasure trove for prehistoric archaeology, with incredibly rich sites across the country,” he mentioned, underscoring the Kingdom’s contribution to understanding human historical past and its strategic position in facilitating cultural exchanges between Africa and Europe.

Steven Kuhn, anthropology professor on the University of Arizona, centered on analysis carried out in Bizmoune Cave, explaining the strategies used up to now stratigraphic layers and reconstruct 1000’s of years of human exercise, he outlined the timeline of discoveries, emphasizing intervals of great human exercise linked to ornaments and flint instruments that mirror the evolving cultural and technical practices of prehistoric populations.

Young researchers from the United States and France contributed by sharing research on the ecological and weather conditions of prehistoric instances, shedding mild on how historic populations tailored to environmental adjustments and developed survival and mobility methods throughout Essaouira province.

The two-day workshop options periods on themes comparable to “Geoarchaeology and Lithic Resource Use at Bizmoune,” “Stone Tools and Landscape Use During the Middle Stone Age,” “Complex Behavior of Homo sapiens in North Africa,” and “Landscape and Climate in Essaouira During the Middle and Late Pleistocene,” amongst others. This gathering of worldwide consultants underscores the importance of Essaouira’s prehistoric heritage, providing new insights into the traditional previous whereas positioning the area as a cornerstone of world archaeological analysis.