Archaeologists in Morocco have confirmed that a recently discovered tombstone bearing ancient Tifinagh inscriptions near Mazagan (modern El Jadida) dates back to the pre-Islamic era. The finding, announced by the Moroccan National Institute of Archaeology and Historical Sciences (INSAP), provides rare and valuable insight into North Africa’s early Amazigh civilizations.
Following the discovery, a joint commission composed of representatives from the El Jadida provincial government and the Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage was dispatched to assess and secure the site. Researchers from INSAP have since been examining the stone’s composition, context, and inscriptions to determine its precise age.
Aboulkacem Chebri, archaeologist and director of the Center for Studies and Research on Moroccan-Lusitanian Heritage, explained that identifying the tombstone’s original location has proven difficult, which complicates further archaeological interpretation. “Because the team hasn’t found the discovery site, it’s been challenging for them to conduct a deeper analysis,” he told the Moroccan Press Agency (MAP).
INSAP specialist Abdelaziz El-Khayari, an expert in ancient Amazigh languages, spent several weeks studying the carved symbols. He concluded that the tombstone contains funerary inscriptions written in the old Libyco-Amazigh alphabet and arranged vertically. According to El-Khayari, these ancient letters represent an early form of what later evolved into modern Tifinagh, the writing system still used by Amazigh communities today. “Discoveries like this one give us an opportunity to revisit and better understand our history,” he said.
The tombstone’s script closely resembles inscriptions previously unearthed in other Moroccan sites such as Ain Jamaa (southwest of Casablanca), Sidi El Arbi (near Mohammedia), Nkhila (in the Settat region), and Souk Jamaa (Maaziz). Such similarities reinforce the widespread use of Amazigh scripts and funerary traditions across North Africa well before the arrival of Islam.
Chebri added that these Libyan or Punic-era inscriptions are primarily of Amazigh origin and likely date to several centuries before the birth of Christ. “Each new discovery from these lesser-known centuries helps us uncover vital chapters of our ancient history,” he noted.
This remarkable find not only enriches Morocco’s archaeological record but also deepens appreciation for the enduring Amazigh cultural legacy that shaped the region long before recorded history.
