Navigating the al-baḥr al-muẓlim: an Assessment of the Investigation, Mitigation and Preservation of Morocco’s Maritime Cultural Heritage

摘要

Despite the Kingdom of Morocco’s extensive coastline and strategic position between the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, study of the region’s maritime history has been limited. Recent archaeological investigations, however, reveal the great promise of the physical remains and historical depth of the region’s maritime cultural heritage. As is the case with other countries in Africa, there are critical factors that adversely affect not only the exploration of this heritage, but also its recognition and preservation. Against this background, the Oued Loukkos Survey was developed in order to mitigate such critical factors at the site of Lixus (Larache) by implementing a cross-disciplinary methodology and cooperation between several Moroccan and foreign institutions. As Morocco recently ratified the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, a more comprehensive legal framework is now in place alongside existing national legislation for such mitigation practices to be enacted on a broader scale.