Ancient Rock Art in Morocco’s Guelmim Region Faces Threat of Destruction

Several associative actors in the Guelmim - Oued Noun region are concerned about the preservation of these rock carvings, a civilizational and cultural heritage dating back to prehistory and the common heritage of humanity. The regional human rights commission in this region, in particular, denounces the threat hanging over these mines for archaeological and historical research in the region.

The members of this commission had carried out a visit in the Touizighi region, rich in more than 50 archaeological sites of rocky heritage, in order to become acquainted with these sites and their state of conservation, reports Al Akhbar. They also plan to make recommendations to the designated services, for the necessary measures for the conservation of the rock art sites.

The concern was the subject of an exchange between the members of this commission, the curator of the cultural heritage in the region, the inspector of historical monuments and the civil society actors around "cultural rights". For the president of the regional commission, Brahim Laghzal, these rock carvings represent "open-air museums" that must be preserved.

These sites can also contribute to cultural, tourist and socio-economic development and embody the civilizational and cultural depth of Morocco, the limits of which in time and culture cannot be known, he concluded.