Moroccan archaeologists unearth new ruins at Chellah, a tourism-friendly ancient port near Rabat
Archaeologists have unearthed more ancient ruins of what they believe was once a bustling port city near the capital of modern-day Morocco
RABAT, Morocco — Archaeologists have unearthed more ancient ruins of what they believe was once a bustling port city near the capital of modern-day Morocco, digging out thermal baths and working class neighborhoods that the country hopes will lure tourists and scholars in the years ahead.
On Friday, researchers from Morocco’s National Institute of Archaeological Sciences and Heritage presented new discoveries made this year at Chellah — a 1.2-square-mile (3.15-square-kilometer) UNESCO World Heritage Site with a footprint almost five times the size of Pompeii.
Scholars believe the area was first settled by the Phoenicians and emerged as a key Roman empire outpost from the second to fifth century. The fortified necropolis and surrounding settlements were built near the Atlantic Ocean along the banks of the Bou Regreg river. Findings have included bricks inscribed in neo-Punic, a language that predates the Romans' arrival in Morocco.
The main excavation site has been closed for renovations since the pandemic and archaeologists have worked on expanding it since March. The footprint — including the extended site presented on Friday — is larger than that of Volubilis, widely visited ruins 111 miles (179 kilometers) east of Rabat.
Abdelaziz El Khayari, a professor of pre-Islamic archaeology from Morocco’s National Institute of Archaeological Sciences and Heritage, said that the site's significance stems from its location on the water, which likely made it an important trading site, facilitating the exchange of materials including the import of Italian marble and export of African ivory. He
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