Recent archaeological research at Bizmoun Cave near Essaouira has revealed new findings that offer fresh insight into the lives of early humans in Morocco and help reshape understanding of the region's prehistoric past. The discoveries come as part of a new research program launched by the National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage (INSAP). The new excavation campaign, running from November 3 to December 3, 2025, is part of a Moroccan–American–French collaboration focusing on Middle Stone Age layers, particularly those that previously produced the world's oldest ornaments, SNRT reports. Bizmoun is already known for yielding the oldest jewelry in the world, also dating to at least 150,000 years. The latest finds include remains of extinct animals and advanced stone tools dating back more than 150,000 years. The team also uncovered remains of sub-Saharan African fauna, suggesting that the Essaouira region once served as a crossroads between the Mediterranean and Saharan worlds. Excavators found spearhead-like stone tools dating back at least 150,000 years, along with bones of extinct species such as the Barbary lion, which inhabited the area until roughly 110,000 years ago. Other discoveries include remains of rhinoceroses, ancient bovids, early horses, antelopes, gazelles, and ostrich eggshells more than 150,000 years old, as well as traces of ancient plants consumed by early humans. The research mission is led by Prof. Abdeljalil Bouzouggar (INSAP), Prof. Steven Kuhn (University of Arizona), and Dr. Philippe Fernandez (Aix-Marseille University).
