A team of archaeologists has uncovered the remains of an ancient and previously unknown agricultural civilization in Morocco, dating back between 3400 and 2900 BCE.

This discovery, reported in the journal Antiquity, shines light on a poorly understood period of North African prehistory and positions the region as a key player in early Mediterranean cultural development. The site, known as Oued Beht, is now recognized as the largest and oldest agricultural complex in Africa outside of the Nile region.

For many years, the prehistory of the Maghreb (northwest Africa) between 4000 and 1000 BCE remained largely a mystery. While the region’s importance during the Paleolithic era, the Iron Age, and Islamic periods is well established, knowledge of the transitional periods leading to the rise of complex societies in the Mediterranean was limited.

This gap, however, is now being filled thanks to the efforts of an international archaeological team led by Professor Cyprian Broodbank of the University of Cambridge, Professor Youssef Bokbot of the National Institute of Archaeological Sciences and Heritage (INSAP), and Professor Giulio Lucarini of the National Research Council of Italy.

The north-western Maghreb, showing Oued Beht and other locations mentioned
The north-western Maghreb, showing Oued Beht and other locations mentioned.Credit: Toby Wilkinson

The Maghreb region, with its Mediterranean climate and proximity to both the Sahara Desert and the shortest maritime crossing between Africa and Europe, has long been recognized as a cultural crossroads. Oued Beht, in particular, now confirms the central role the Maghreb played in the formation of both Mediterranean and wider African societies. The new research indicates that the civilization in this area was far more developed and connected than previously believed.

The excavations at Oued Beht have uncovered an extensive range of evidence for large-scale agriculture. The site includes numerous large storage pits, suggesting the presence of a major agricultural settlement similar in size to Early Bronze Age Troy.

Archaeologists recovered unprecedented quantities of domesticated plant and animal remains, as well as ceramics and stone tools, all dating to the Late Neolithic period. These findings provide concrete proof that the region was home to a highly organized and developed agricultural community over 5,000 years ago.

Final Neolithic pottery from Oued Beht: a) buff fabric bowls, jar (with post-firing hole), large tunnel lugs and round base; b) red-brown fabric cooking vessels; c) painted sherds (scale bar = 50mm)
Final Neolithic pottery from Oued Beht: a) buff fabric bowls, jar (with post-firing hole), large tunnel lugs and round base; b) red-brown fabric cooking vessels; c) painted sherds (scale bar = 50mm).Credit: Rafael Laoutari / Rafael Martínez Sánchez / Moad Radi

One of the most exciting aspects of this discovery is its broader implications for our understanding of ancient Mediterranean connections. Similar storage pits have been found at contemporary sites across the Strait of Gibraltar, in the Iberian Peninsula, where archaeologists have long noted evidence of African connections, including the presence of ostrich eggshells and ivory artifacts. These findings suggest that the Maghreb played a pivotal role in the wider developments of the western Mediterranean during the fourth millennium BCE, with likely cultural and trade exchanges occurring between Africa and Europe.

The discovery at Oued Beht significantly alters our view of late Mediterranean prehistory. The site’s importance extends beyond its local context, placing the Maghreb firmly within the larger narrative of Mediterranean civilization. The researchers propose that the region should be viewed as an integral part of a broader, co-evolving cultural system spanning both sides of the Mediterranean and Atlantic during the fourth and third millennia BCE.

As the study authors note, this new evidence demonstrates that the lack of previous discoveries in the Maghreb was not due to the absence of prehistoric activity, but rather to the relative lack of research in the area. Now, with Oued Beht providing such compelling evidence, it is clear that the Maghreb played a central role in shaping both African and Mediterranean societies. This discovery opens new pathways for understanding the complex intercontinental interactions that helped form early civilizations and underscores the importance of Africa in the development of the Mediterranean world.

SOURCES

University of Cambridge

Broodbank C, Lucarini G, Bokbot Y, et al. Oued Beht, Morocco: a complex early farming society in north-west Africa and its implications for western Mediterranean interaction during later prehistory. Antiquity. Published online 2024:1-20. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.101

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