The earliest occupation of North-Africa : the Moroccan perspective

The earliest occupation of North-Africa : the Moroccan perspective

[SHS:ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory

[SDU:STU:ST] Sciences of the Universe/Earth Sciences/Stratigraphy

[SDU:STU:PG] Sciences of the Universe/Earth Sciences/Paleontology

[SDU:OCEAN] Sciences of the Universe/Ocean, Atmosphere

North-Africa

Morocco

Casablanca

Plio-Pleistocene

Large Mammals fauna

Micro-fauna

Acheulean

Palaeo-shorelines

Caves

Open-air sites

Startigraphy

Chronology

Biostratigraphy

Quartzites technology

The long sequence at Casablanca covers the last 5.5 Ma. The oldest lithic assemblages are found in Late Lower Pleistocene deposits, circa 1 Ma, in unit L of Thomas Quarry 1, and consist of Acheulian artefacts made from quartzite and flint. The first human remains discovered in this area were found in younger Middle Pleistocene deposits and cover an important period of human evolution between Homo erectus and modern Homo. They are associated with Acheulian artefacts and rich faunas in caves (Littorines Cave at Sidi Abderrahmane, caves at Thomas Quarries 1 and 3). The variability of Acheulian assemblages is well documented following recent excavations in various sites around the well known locality of Sidi Abderrahmane (Bears Cave, Cap Chatelier, Unit L and Hominid Cave at Thomas Quarry 1, Rhino Cave at Oulad Hamida Quarry 1, Sidi Abderrahmane Extension and Sidi Al Khadir open-air sites). The Casablanca sequence offers useful data for comparison with those from other African areas where hominids appeared and developed and should be considered in the debate on the earliest occupation of Europe.

Raynal, Jean-Paul

Sbihi-Alaoui, Fatima-Zohra

Geraads, Denis

Magoga, Lionel

Mohib, Abderrahim

Quaternary International

ISSN:1040-6182

Quaternary International

Quaternary International

2001

ENG

article in peer-reviewed journal

http://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00004433

http://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/03/48/00/PDF/QI_Durban_manuscrit.pdf