Sites with Paintings in Morocco and the Atlantic Sahara
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arts Article Sites with Paintings in Morocco and the Article SitesAtlantic with Sahara Paintings in Morocco and the AtlanticSusan Searight Sahara 42 Rue Franceville, Casablanca 20410, Morocco; [email protected] Susan Searight Academic Editor: Robert Bednarik 42Received: Rue Franceville, 15 July 2016; Casablanca Accepted: 20410, 12 October Morocco; 2016; [email protected] Published: date Academic Editor: Robert Bednarik Abstract: This article lists the rock art sites in Morocco with painted images so far published. It Received: 15 July 2016; Accepted: 12 October 2016; Published: 4 July 2017 updates and includes the inventory of such sites published over 15 years ago. Short descriptions of Abstract:the situationThis and article contents lists of the both rock new art and sites old in sites Morocco are given. with painted images so far published. It updates and includes the inventory of such sites published over 15 years ago. Short descriptions of theKeywords: situation rock and art contents; painted of images both new; Morocco and old sites are given. Keywords: rock art; painted images; Morocco 1. Introduction Morocco (Figure 1) is well endowed with rock art sites: some 250 were recorded in the 1977 1. Introduction national inventory [1]. Other sites found subsequently bring the total up to around 300. The vast majorityMorocco are sites (Figure with1 )petroglyphs; is well endowed sites with rockpaintings art sites: are rare. some This 250 is were understandable, recorded in thesince 1977 for nationalpaintings inventory to survive [—1].and Other to be sites discovered found subsequently today—they have bring to the be totalin protected up to around places, 300.such Theas caves vast majorityor rock-shelters. are sites Paintings with petroglyphs; in the open sites air withmay paintingswell have are existed rare. but This have is understandable, long since disappeared. since for paintingsResearch tohas survive—and also underlined to be the discovered fact that today—they the caves which have tohouse be in them protected are places,often used such today as caves as orshelters rock-shelters. for men and Paintings animals, in with the open the inevi air maytable well deterioration have existed of the but paintings. have long since disappeared. ResearchThe sites has also are underlinedlisted from thenorth fact to that south the and caves from which east house to west. them are often used today as shelters for men and animals, with the inevitable deterioration of the paintings. The sites are listed from north to south and from east to west. Figure 1. Map of Morocco. Arts 2016, 5, 9; doi: 10.3390/arts6030009 www.mdpi.com/journal/arts Arts 2017, 6, 9; doi:10.3390/arts6030009 www.mdpi.com/journal/arts Arts 2016, 5, 9 2 of 11 Arts 2016, 5, 9 2 of 11 Arts 2017, 6, 9 Figure 1. Map of Morocco. 2 of 11 Figure 1. Map of Morocco. 2. Magara Sanar 2. Magara Sanar This is the most northerly site with painted images in Morocco. The numerous paintings in red This is the most northerly site with painted images in Morocco. The numerous paintings in red ochre onThis the is roof the of most this northerly small cave site in with the paintedJbel Tasbet, images some in 50 Morocco. km east The of the numerous Atlantic paintings town of in ochre on the roof of this small cave in the Jbel Tasbet, some 50 km east of the Atlantic town of Larache,red ochre were on discovered the roof of in this 1941 small by a caveSpanish in the army Jbel officer Tasbet, [2, some3]. The 50 paintings km east ofare the mainly Atlantic made town up of Larache, were discovered in 1941 by a Spanish army officer [2,3]. The paintings are mainly made up of Larache,dots, arranged were discoveredin parallel inlines, 1941 rectangles, by a Spanish circles army and officer meanders. [2,3]. TheAlso paintings depicted areare mainlyschematic made of dots, arranged in parallel lines, rectangles, circles and meanders. Also depicted are schematic animals,up of dots,including arranged horses. in parallelA few human lines, rectangles, figures and circles animals and meanders.can also be Also distinguis depictedhed, are with schematic one animals, including horses. A few human figures and animals can also be distinguished, with one mananimals, including horses. A few human figures and animals can also be distinguished, with one man man on onhorseback. horseback. on horseback. 3. Kef El Baroud 3. Kef El Baroud 3. Kef El Baroud Well to the south of Magara Sanar, this cave 10 km east of Ben Slimane and 30 km from the Atlantic Well to the south of Magara Sanar, this cave 10 km east of Ben Slimane and 30 km from the coastWell and to Rabat, the south was excavatedof Magara from Sanar, 1973 this and. cave produced 10 km east a wealthof Ben ofSlimane Neolithic and and30 km Chalcolithic from the Atlantic coast and Rabat, was excavated from 1973 and. produced a wealth of Neolithic and materialAtlantic [coast4]. During and Rabat, excavation, was excavated it was also from seen to1973 contain and. nineproduced pale reda wealth non-figurative of Neolithic paintings and Chalcolithic material [4]. During excavation, it was also seen to contain nine pale red non-figurative onChalcolithic the walls material of both sides [4]. During of the caveexcavation (Figure, 2it). was The also most seen frequent to contain motif nine was pale a pair red of non small-figurative spirals paintings on the walls of both sides of the cave (Figure 2). The most frequent motif was a pair of joinedpaintings to shorton the vertical walls lineof both to form sides an of image the cave looking (Figure somewhat 2). The likemost the frequent horns of motif a ram was seen a facepair onof small spirals joined to short vertical line to form an image looking somewhat like the horns of a ram (Figuresmall spirals3). There joined is no to wayshort of vertical knowing line whether to form theyan image are of looking the same somewhat as the archaeological like the horns material. of a ram seen face on (Figure 3). There is no way of knowing whether they are of the same as the Unfortunately,seen face on (Figure for some 3). years There now, is the no paintings way of haveknowing been invisible,whether coveredthey are by of a thickthe blacksame layeras the of archaeological material. Unfortunately, for some years now, the paintings have been invisible, smokearchaeological from fires material. lit by sheltering Unfortunately, hunters for and some shepherds. years now, the paintings have been invisible, covered by a thick black layer of smoke from fires lit by sheltering hunters and shepherds. covered by a thick black layer of smoke from fires lit by sheltering hunters and shepherds. Figure 2. Kef El Baroud cave (photo Searight). Figure 2. Kef El Baroud cave (photo Searight).Searight). Figure 3. Kef El Baroud images (from de Wailly, 1973/75). Figure 3. Kef El Baroud images (from de Wailly, 1973/75). Figure 3. Kef El Baroud images (from de Wailly, 1973/75). 4. Tidrit 4. Tidrit 4. Tidrit Further east, a number of red-coloured paintings were discovered in 1952 in a shelter in a rocky Further east, a number of red-coloured paintings were discovered in 1952 in a shelter in a rocky outcropFurther at a localityeast, a number called Tidrit,of red- somecoloured 5 km paintings from Ifrane were (Meknes) discovered [5] in (Figure 1952 4in). a The shelter paintings in a rocky are outcrop at a locality called Tidrit, some 5 km from Ifrane (Meknes) [5] (Figure 4). The paintings are mainlyoutcrop on at thea locality roof but called some Tidrit, are also some on 5 the km walls. from TheyIfrane consist (Meknes) of curvilinear [5] (Figure designs 4). The closepaintings together are (concentric arcs and whorls) and short straight lines (Figure5). Arts 2016, 5, 9 3 of 11 Artsmainly2017 ,on6, 9the roof but some are also on the walls. They consist of curvilinear designs close together3 of 11 Arts 2016, 5, 9 3 of 11 (concentric arcs and whorls) and short straight lines (Figure 5). mainly on the roof but some are also on the walls. They consist of curvilinear designs close together (concentric arcs and whorls) and short straight lines (Figure 5). Figure 4. Tidrit rock rock-shelter-shelter (photo Searight).Searight). Figure 4. Tidrit rock-shelter (photo Searight). Figure 5. Images from Tidrit (drawing Searight). Arts 2017, 6, 9 4 of 11 Arts 2016, 5, 9 4 of 11 Arts 2016, 5, 9 4 of 11 5. Amzri, Toulkine Figure 5. Images from Tidrit (drawing Searight) The Amzri rock shelter atFigure Toulkine 5. Images is the from rock Tidrit art (drawing site nearest Searight) to the petroglyph sites of the High 5. Amzri, Toulkine Atlas.5. ItAmzri, lies much Toulkine lower down, at 1800 m in the northern foothills of the High Atlas Mountains in the regionThe of Amzri Amizmiz rock southshelter ofat Marrakech.Toulkine is the Numerous rock art site red-ochre nearest to the paintings petroglyph occur sites in of seven the High shallow The Amzri rock shelter at Toulkine is the rock art site nearest to the petroglyph sites of the High cavitiesAtlas. on It a lies ledge much ca. lower 12 m down, above at the 1800 Amzri m in rock-shelterthe northern foothills (Figure 6of). the They High were Atlas discovered Mountains during in the the regionAtlas. It of lies Amizmiz much lower south down, of Marrakech. at 1800 m in Numerous the northern red foothills-ochre paintingsof the High occur Atlas in Mountains seven shallow in the excavation of the shelter which produced an abundant Neolithic lithic industry and animal bones [6,7].