A groundbreaking discovery in Morocco has unveiled a previously unknown Neolithic farming society dating back to between 3400 and 2900 BC. This remarkable find, located at the Oued Beht site, represents the oldest and most extensive agricultural complex discovered in Africa outside the Nile Valley.
The research, published in the journal Antiquity, highlights the significance of the Maghreb region (North Africa) in the development of complex societies in the Mediterranean during the fourth and third millennia BC. The Oued Beht site's strategic location between the coast and the Middle Atlas mountains facilitated both agriculture and trade.
An international research team, co-directed by Giulio Lucarini, unearthed remnants of domesticated plants and animals, along with various artifacts. These artifacts include painted ceramics, polished axes, grinding stones, and chipped stone tools. Numerous pits and silos, likely used for resource storage, were also identified.
This discovery underscores the crucial role of the Maghreb in Mediterranean prehistory and offers new insights into the early development of complex societies in North Africa. The Oued Beht Archaeological Project (OBAP) is an international collaboration that began in recent years.