River archaeology of the Moulouya High Tide Plain, NE-Morocco [Flussarchäologie der Moulouya-Hochflutebene, NO-Marokko]

Abstract

Between 2006 and 2008 geoarchaeological research was carried out in the Lower Moulouya valley of NE Morocco within the framework of the Project 'Late Quaternary changes in landscape and land-use in semiarid NE-Morocco', funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. The project goal was to investígate the reaction of human occupation to environmental change in this vulnerable region. The up to 15 m high overbank sediments cover a time span from approx. 10.000 to 800 calBP and therefore represent almost the entire Holocene in the study area. Found embedded in these sediments, about 40 archaeological sites were discovered and the majority was excavated and sampled. Initial soil formation and numerous Epipalaeolithic and early Neolithic sites indicate optimal conditions during the early Holocene. A general lack of the initial soils and a decrease of sites mark the end of the moist phase at about 6.300 calBP. A complete lack of sites and a synchronous increase of flood events from 3.500 calBP onwards suggest a break in human occupation until the Islamic period at about 1250 calBP.