Researchers from Ibn Zohr University in Agadir have announced a major archaeological discovery in the Assa Zag province, Moroccan Sahara where they’ve uncovered and scientifically documented the first-ever site of pigment drawings from the “Libyan-Amazigh” settlement period, dating back to prehistoric times.
The research team described the discovery of the first pigment drawing site as a “qualitative breakthrough in studying cultural heritage and archaeological remains in the Moroccan Sahara, given the rarity of such material vestiges left by human groups that settled in the Moroccan Sahara, opening new horizons for understanding the region’s history and civilizational role.”
The report further clarified that Moroccan researchers specializing in rock art from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir found “a collection of pigment drawings executed with natural pigments on the walls of remote rocky shelters in the Assa Zag territory.”
The same source continued, “Preliminary studies indicate that these drawings date back to prehistory and are believed to carry cultural and social significance, reflecting an aspect of ancient human settlement in this region.”
It added, “Pre-Islamic funeral tombs were also inventoried near the site, containing various types of graves, particularly the so-called crescent-shaped graves some of which exceed two hundred meters in length.”
The report noted that it is “the first pigment rock art site discovered in the province and the 5th of its kind in the entire Moroccan Sahara. It follows the sites of Wadi Azguer and Tasmimte in Tan-Tan province, as well as Ksat and Farsia in Smara province. As such, it represents a fundamental addition to the national archaeological heritage.”
“These pigment drawings are especially important because they deepen our understanding of the artistic diversity of ancient societies. They also open the door to more detailed studies of how humans engaged with their natural surroundings.”
Abdelhadi Fekk, an archaeology researcher at Ibn Zohr University, told Hespress AR that “Morocco occupies a key position on the northwestern edge of the Sahara Desert, serving as a crossroads between the Mediterranean and Saharan worlds. This makes the country rich in remnants of human groups that have settled and migrated here for hundreds of thousands of years.”
He explained that they found rock engravings, which depict figures like animals as well as extremely rare pigment drawings. These are created with natural pigments, sometimes mixed with mineral substances or organic materials like blood, making them more vulnerable to fading due to climate conditions.”
Fekk also mentioned that “there are two such sites in Tan-Tan, two in the Smara province, and this new discovery in Assa-Zag marks the fifth pigment drawings site in the Moroccan Sahara.”
“These paintings offer an opportunity for absolute dating using modern techniques, providing valuable insights into history. This type of archaeological element sheds light on various cultural, social, and religious aspects, helping to deepen our understanding of the historical knowledge of the human groups that once inhabited this part of Morocco,” he explained.
This discovery, added the researcher, also has strong tourism potential, especially for cultural tourism, drawing visitors fascinated by rare prehistoric pigment drawings. It deepens our understanding of ancient artistic expression, human interaction with the environment, and past climates.
They also reveal the existence of now-extinct species, such as elephants and hippos, which once thrived in these regions, suggesting that these areas were much wetter in the past, unlike the arid deserts they are today.
“This discovery advances the study of the Libyan-Amazigh period and has been part of ongoing research since 2011,” he argued.
For context, it was conducted by a team of researchers, both professors, and students, from Ibn Zohr University, under the “Morocco in Africa: History, Memory, and International Environment lab,” in collaboration with the Regional Heritage Conservation in Guelmim-Oued Noun, the National Park for Rock Engravings in Agadir, and the Assa Association for Culture and Heritage Preservation.
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