Kach Kouch, the first Bronze Age settlement in the Maghreb before the Phoenicians

The province of Tetouan could be a new goldmine that will provide insights into the ancient history of the Maghreb, offering new information for years to come. In the Kach Kouch site, near Oued Laou, archaeologists have uncovered what is believed to be the first protohistoric village in the region, predating the arrival of the Phoenicians. According to a study published this Monday in the scientific journal Antiquity, human presence on the site dates back to periods between 2200 and 2000 BC, extending to the 8th and 7th centuries BC.

Led by Professor Youssef Bokbot from the National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage Sciences (INSAP), the research team provides scientific evidence that challenges certain historical assumptions about the development of societies in North Africa, long before Phoenician rule.

A locally rooted way of life

The architectural remains discovered on the site suggest a form of sedentary life and social organization, sustained over the long term around local economic activities. Despite the variable preservation quality of the remains, the archaeological excavations have also helped identify three distinct periods on the site. According to the study, the first period spans from 2200 to 2000 BC, the second from 1300 to 900 BC, and the third from the 8th to the 7th centuries BC.

Plant remains from Kach Kouch / Ph. G. Pérez-Jorda

Based on the dating, the second period likely saw the emergence of structured settlements, alongside agricultural activities. The third phase would be marked by the introduction and spread of external cultural elements, including those from the Phoenicians, such as iron tools and pottery. According to the same source, other traces on the site provide clues about the advanced social organization of the inhabitants at the time, who notably engaged in food storage and preservation processes for this purpose.

Research analyses on this subject reveal that agricultural activities focused on cereal and legume cultivation, along with the cultivation of olive trees and the raising of sheep and goats, with a slightly lesser emphasis on pigs.

A preliminary study that could lead to in-depth research

While highlighting the unprecedented nature of these findings, the researchers note that the conclusions of this first study are based on scientific data that was previously limited regarding the Bronze Age. In this regard, they emphasize that more extensive data would allow for a more complete assessment of the extent of this occupation of the second millennium BC. Nevertheless, they write, «the existence of Kach Kouch strongly suggests a more complex landscape that is yet to be discovered».

More in-depth research on the third millennium BC, linking the final Neolithic of the northwest Maghreb identified at Oued Beht to the Bronze Age currently emerging at Kach Kouch, is imperative, the researchers insist.

For them, the publication of the data from this unique site should stimulate interest and encourage new research on a pivotal period long neglected and underestimated.