Archaeologists in Morocco have made a groundbreaking discovery of the earliest farming society from a little-known period in northwest African prehistory. This new study sheds light on the vital role of the Maghreb in the development of complex societies around the Mediterranean.
The Maghreb, with its Mediterranean climate and strategic location between the Sahara desert and Europe, served as a crucial hub for cultural advancements and cross-continental connections in ancient times. Despite the region’s significance in other historical periods, there has been a notable gap in understanding the archaeology of the Maghreb between 4000 and 1000 BC, a time of significant change across the Mediterranean.
To address this gap, researchers Youssef Bokbot, Cyprian Broodbank, and Giulio Lucarini conducted collaborative archaeological fieldwork at Oued Beht in Morocco. Their findings have shed light on the dynamic contributions of Africans to the early Mediterranean societies, filling a long-standing void in our knowledge of the region’s prehistory.
The excavation at Oued Beht uncovered a large agricultural complex dating back to the Final Neolithic period, making it the most extensive site of its kind in Africa outside of the Nile region. The discovery of domesticated plant and animal remains, pottery, lithics, and deep storage pits points to a thriving farming settlement comparable in size to Early Bronze Age Troy.
Evidence suggests that Oued Beht was part of a network of sites across the western Mediterranean, with similar storage pits found in contemporaneous sites in Iberia. This indicates strong connections between the Maghreb and the wider western Mediterranean during the fourth millennium BC.
The significance of Oued Beht and the northwest Maghreb in shaping the Mediterranean region cannot be overstated. These findings challenge previous assumptions about the region’s role in early Mediterranean and African societies, highlighting the interconnectedness of peoples on both sides of the Mediterranean-Atlantic gateway during the later fourth and third millennia BC.
This discovery not only fills a crucial gap in our understanding of Mediterranean prehistory but also underscores the importance of considering Oued Beht within a broader framework of co-evolving societies across the region. The research published in Antiquity provides valuable insights into the complexities of ancient societies and the interplay between different regions in shaping the social landscape of the Mediterranean and Africa.
In conclusion, the findings from Oued Beht offer a new perspective on the role of North Africa in Mediterranean prehistory, emphasizing the rich history and cultural exchanges that have shaped the region over millennia. This discovery opens up new avenues for research and collaboration in the field of archaeology, further enriching our understanding of the ancient world.