Moroccan capital uncovers past while rebuilding seafront

[Bosco 1]

Moroccan capital uncovers past while rebuilding seafront

By Agence France Presse (AFP)

Monday, February 12, 2007

Sammy Ketz

Agence France Presse

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RABAT: The Moroccan capital of Rabat is rebuilding its seafront and in so doing uncovering a vast treasure trove of relics, artifacts and ruins. "We have made some fantastic discoveries not only for the history of Rabat but of the kingdom," archaeologist and historian Mohammad Essemmar says. Essemmar, 43, heads the heritage department of the agency in charge of redeveloping the Bouregreg valley, a watercourse linking the twin cities of Rabat and Sale.

Roman columns and capitals, 12th-century enclosing walls, Islamic ceramics and coins have emerged from the sands.

The prize discovery in the 2,500-square-meter site is the enclosing wall of the Tachfin ribat, or military camp, attached to the Oudayas casbah, dating from the 12th century and completed during the brief reign of the Almoravid dynasty's King Tachfin ben Ali (1143-1145).

The base of the wall was unearthed in late 2006, made up of the camp's two corner towers and a central tower.

"The old texts mention its existence but we did not know here it was, because at the end of fierce battles the founder of the Almohad dynasty Abdelmoumen ben Ali [1130-1163] razed the camp to build the Oudayas casbah," says Essemmar, who hold degrees from French and Moroccan universities.

"It is great, because outside Marrakesh Almoravid remains are very rare," he adds.

There have been other pleasant surprises as well. Archaeologists have uncovered a chamber that must have been used as an armory and at the end of last year found an arched passage dating from the 17th century and linking the Street of the Consuls, a famous commercial street in the medina, or old urban quarter, with the seafront.

The excavations, which have over $140,000 so far, have disrupted the plans for development work.

"For the first time, developers and archaeologists are on the same wavelength. My town-planning and architect colleagues have changed their plans to reconstitute history," says Essemmar.

Work will begin next month to restore the road to the appearance it had at the start of the Alawite dynasty, founded by Moulay Cherif (1631-1636), ancestor of the reigning monarch King Mohammad VI.

The plan to redevelop the Bouregreg estuary began in January 2006 and has six phases. It seeks to rehabilitate and transform the two banks into major tourist and urban centers.

Partner investors in the United Arab Emirates have contributed to the cost of the work, which totals $2.75 billion.

In July, a pre-dawn phone call from workmen on the site awoke Essemmar. In a creek they had found three large marble Roman columns with their capitals.

"The river has in its belly hundreds of treasures and when we drag it we shall make some terrific discoveries, because with its 2,500 years of history it is a real archaeological museum," says Essemmar.

The development agency's information officer Omar Benslimane says efficiency has to go hand in hand with heritage. "It is a building site which we have to complete, but we are certain to come across other ruins. We shall then suspend the work to call up archaeological expertise."

[noura 0]

wow.... how cool to be discovering all this! I remember seeing this construction when I was there.