Archaeological fieldwork in Morocco has uncovered the earliest known farming society from a previously unexplored period of northwestern Africa’s prehistory.
A recent study published in the science journal Antiquity highlights the significance of this discovery in the Maghreb region.
Researchers have filled a crucial gap in knowledge regarding the archaeology of northwest Africa between 4000 and 1000 BC.
This period marked profound transformation across much of the Mediterranean, yet until now remained largely undocumented in this region.
The High Atlas Mountains in the Maghreb region of Morocco
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The findings reveal a sophisticated society that played a central role in shaping both Mediterranean and broader African communities.
The Maghreb, with its Mediterranean climate and proximity to the Sahara, has historically been a crucial crossroads for cultural exchange.
It represents the shortest maritime link between Africa and Europe, facilitating intercontinental connections.
“For more than a century, the last great unknown of later Mediterranean prehistory has been the role played by societies along the Mediterranean’s southern African shores west of Egypt,” the researchers stated.
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Old Kasbah in the Dades valley in the Atlas mountain near Ouarzazate in Morocco
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The team, led by Youssef Bokbot (Insap), Cyprian Broodbank (Cambridge University), and Giulio Lucarini (CNR-ISPC and ISMEO), conducted extensive fieldwork at Oued Beht, Morocco.
Their discoveries prove this knowledge gap resulted from limited archaeological investigation rather than absence of prehistoric activity. Findings indicate that Oued Beht was the largest known agricultural settlement of its time in Africa outside the Nile Valley.
Its scale was comparable to Early Bronze Age Troy, demonstrating significant development. Excavations uncovered a wealth of domesticated plant and animal remains from the Final Neolithic period.
Researchers also found pottery and stone tools, providing insights into daily life. Extensive storage pits discovered at the site suggest large-scale food preservation capabilities.
Oued Beht was the largest known agricultural settlement of its time
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These sophisticated storage structures indicate advanced planning and social organisation within this ancient African society. Similar storage structures have been identified across the Strait of Gibraltar in Iberia.
Evidence of African influences—such as ivory and ostrich eggs—has long been recognised in this region.
This connection reinforces the idea that the Maghreb played a pivotal role in shaping developments across the western Mediterranean. The influence was particularly significant during the fourth millennium BC.
“Our discoveries prove that this gap resulted not from an absence of major prehistoric activity but rather from the limited extent of archaeological investigation and publication,” the researchers explained.
