Archaeologists have discovered ancient cemeteries, standing stones, and rock art on the Tangier Peninsula, revealing a rich prehistoric landscape dating from 3000 to 500 BCE. The findings include the first radiocarbon-dated cist grave in northwest Africa and unique engravings that suggest complex burial and ritual traditions. Archaeologists have uncovered ancient cemeteries, rock art, and standing stones on the Tangier Peninsula, at the northwestern tip of Morocco, dating from between 3000 and 500 BCE. The discoveries include three previously undocumented cemeteries, two standing stones, and what researchers describe as the first radiocarbon date for a cist grave in northwest Africa. Published on May 13 in a Springer Nature paper by Hamza Benattia (University of Barcelona), Jorge Onrubia-Pintado (University of Castilla-La Mancha), and Youssef Bokbot (National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage), the discoveries are the result of extensive field surveys and excavations. They shed new light on the region's prehistoric funerary traditions and ritual landscapes, illustrating how, between roughly 3000 and 500 BCE, the area boasted «a rich mosaic of burial traditions, ritual practices, symbolic sites, rock art, and unique megalithic monuments». The three burial sites—Daroua Zaydan, Oulad Zin, and Oued Ksiar—each reveal distinct features. Daroua Zaydan consists of a single cist burial. Oulad Zin includes a tumulus ( a burial mound) and at least three cists spread across two neighboring hills. Oued Ksiar is the largest site, with two tumuli and three (possibly four) cist clusters across five hills overlooking the Oued Ksiar river. Despite signs of widespread looting—dislodged slabs and damaged tombs—several cists remained intact, preserving their original structure. The tombs' architectural features, such as trapezoidal layouts and outer stone accumulations, suggest a late prehistoric origin. To minimize the risk of further looting, researchers focused their excavation efforts on the more discreet Daroua Zaydan site. The first radiocarbon-dated cist grave in northwest Africa At Daroua Zaydan, archaeologists uncovered a trapezoidal cist burial built with four vertical sandstone slabs and a large covering slab. A crescent-shaped pit filled with stones, located just east of the structure, may have served as an access point. While the tomb itself was empty, scattered human bones nearby indicated it had been looted. One of the recovered bones, a fibula, was successfully radiocarbon dated to between 2119 and 1890 BCE, placing the burial in the Early Bronze Age. This marks the first radiocarbon date obtained for a cist grave in northwest Africa. Isotopic analysis of the fibula revealed a diet based primarily on terrestrial resources, including animal protein and C3 plants, with minimal reliance on marine food. Additional evidence of prehistoric ritual activity comes from two newly identified standing stones. One, over 2.5 meters long, was found in a corridor connecting the Tahadart plain and Djebel Moussa. The second, smaller and broken, stood along an inland route between the Tahadart and Tetouan, avoiding flood-prone coastal zones. Likely serving as landmarks or ritual markers, these stones suggest a broader network of megalithic structures. Rock art The team also documented around a dozen rock shelters adorned with engraved art. These include geometric motifs such as squares, dots, and wavy lines, alongside anthropomorphic figures that may represent humans or deities. Some shelters feature «cup marks», small circular carvings often arranged in circles or parallel lines. One striking design shows eight opposed triangles stacked vertically, a motif known locally as «bi-triangulars» and previously identified in Iberian contexts, where it's often interpreted as a feminine symbol. Other engravings consist of squares filled with dots and lines—patterns reminiscent of rock art found in the Sahara—adding to the picture of a region rich in symbolic expression and burial traditions.
