Etude Archeothanatologique De La Sepulture Protohistorique Du Monument Funeraire Mbii (Boulmane, Moyen Atlas, Maroc)

The Moudmane Boulama site is a funeral structure located at 10 km South West of the city of Boulmane (Middle Atlas). It is a necropolis made of approximately twenty tumuli implanted on a hill. The MBII funeral monument is a tumulus built on the top of this hill, which culminates at 1970 m. It is an oval formation made of stack of stones and blocks. The funeral space is delimited in its West part by a low wall made of a sharpened stone alignment. The digs undertaken in June 2013 brought to light the burial place of a H3 adult and some remains of another adult as well as an immature subject. The skeleton of the most complete H3 individual is a male adult, buried in a lying dorsal position, oriented towards East West, head towards West and feet East. He is in a hyper contracted position and lays on an oval plane pit with a diameter of less than a meter. The calvarium and the mandible were subjected to a rotation and lay on the right side. The superior members are folded on themselves and laid on the thorax. The inferior members are also flexed. The skeleton is characterised by the maintaining of the connection of a number of labile elements which allows the characterisation of the burial place as being primarily in clogged space. This funeral monument has probably been used at first for the reception of the two individuals (H1 and H2) and then for the burial of the H3 individual in a sepulchral pit. The reuse of the monument could be explained by the three individuals belonging to the same family and that the last buried subject H3 has a more important familial and possibly social role. This tumulus has also released funeral furniture made of a few bones of domestic fauna. They were the object of a radiometric dating, which allowed the attribution of 2290 ± 35 years old to this tumulus14C B.P (GifA15085/ Sac A 41509)

ETUDE DE LA QUALITE PHYSICOCHIMIQUE ET DE LA CONTAMINATION METALLIQUE DES EAUX DE SURFACE DU BASSIN VERSANT DE BEHT (MAROC)

The Beht watershed is located in the north-west of Morocco. It occupies the southwest part of the Sebou basin. The study was carried out to analyze the physico-chemical parameters (T °, pH, EC, nitrates and chlorides) and assessment of contamination by trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb). Thus, water samples were taken at 15 sites in November 2013. The analysis showed an alkaline pH (between 8 and 8.8), the temperature fluctuates between 12 and 16°C and conductivity varies between 183 and 565 µs/cm. These results are within the recommended standards (WHO, 1984; MATEE, 2002). Laboratory analyzes have shown that the various parameters and heavy metals contents are weak which reflect the fact that in general the surface water in the Upper Beht has good quality. These results are almost the same as the Guigou river water (Akil & al. 2013), but lower than what is reported by Jeddi & al. (2013) for the downstream of Beht basin which contains a large industrial activity. In order to establish a link between physicochemical parameters and metal while assessing better the impact of human activity on the water quality of the Oued Beht, we conducted a statistical analysis by the CPA. This allowed to identify Pb, Fe, As, and Cu as pollution indicators. The origin of those elements is anthropogenic. It is believed that despite the weak contents of these elements, it is essential to set up a vigilance, to monitor their evolution and continuing the sampling and analysis

Impact de la néotectonique quaternaire sur la dynamique sédimentaire du Saïs (Maroc) : du bassin d'avant fosse pliocène au plateau continental quaternaire

Au passage du Néogène au Quaternaire, la région du Saïs a connu un changement important dans l’évolution géodynamique, marqué par une intense activité néotectonique qui a permis un changement radical de la géomorphologie du Saïs. Notre étude a permis de retracer l’histoire géologique de cette région depuis le Néogène.– Au Miocène supérieur, le Saïs correspond à un bassin marin d’avant fosse lié au sillon sud rifain situé à la limite sud du Prérif en cours de surrection. Son comblement se fait par des faciès marins profonds. Il s’agit d’une séquence majeure de dépôts essentiellement marneux à intercalations de turbidites lenticulaires gréseuses. La régression du Pliocène inférieur et moyen permet le dépôt de faciès paradeltaïques marquant ainsi les derniers dépôts marins dans le bassin du Saïs.– Au Pliocène terminal, le Saïs, ainsi comblé, forme un bassin endoréique correspondant à un palier simple sur le profil du paléofleuve de Sebou qui l’alimente. Nous avons situé l’exutoire du PaléoSebou dans la partie est du bassin, au droit de la ville de Fès. La sédimentation est détritique terrigène de type fluviatile sur les bordures du bassin. Elle est carbonatée et évaporitique de type lacustre au centre du bassin.– Au Quaternaire, on observe un changement radical dans l’évolution du Saïs. Il s’agit de la réactivation néotectonique majeure du front sud rifain et des flexures du Moyen Atlas traduisant ainsi une phase de compression N-S à NNW-SSE. Cette phase a permis la création de nouveaux reliefs sur les bordures du Saïs et la surélévation de ceux préexistants. Le système de rampes du front sud rifain permet le chevauchement, vers le sud, des rides de Zalagh et de Tghat sur les formations pliocènes du Saïs. Notre travail montre pour la première fois que le Saïs n’est plus un bassin situé entre deux chaînes, mais plutôt un plateau surélevé attaché au versant nord de la chaîne du Moyen Atlas. De ce fait, le drainage du réseau hydrographique se fait, désormais, du sud vers le nord perpendiculairement à la direction générale du Saïs. Les formations du Pliocène et leur substrat miocène subissent une érosion intense qui se traduit par des incisions dépassant les 100 m. Actuellement, la plaine de Saïs correspond à la partie médiane du bassin versant de Sebou située entre la partie amont dans le Moyen Atlas et le point bas exutoire situé dans le Prérif et la plaine du Gharb.Le passage du Pliocène au Quaternaire est marqué par une nouvelle phase tectonique qui a permis un changement radical dans la géomorphologie du Saïs et de ses bordures atlasiques et rifaines.Saïs is located between Rif and Middle Atlas chains; its Quaternary evolution corresponds to an inversion in dynamics compared to its evolution in Miocene and Pliocene times. We defined three major stages: – Upper Miocene: the Saïs is a foreland deep marine basin located at the southern limit of Pre-Rif during its uplift. The sequence includes more than 1 km of marls with interbedded turbidite sands. The structural style analysis shows that NE and NW extensional faults are responsible for graben formation towards the Saïs basin centre. This extensional system is contemporary with an advance towards the south of preriffian ridges ramps existing in the northern part of basin. The simultaneity of the extensive and compressive structures is typical of the foreland basins. The last marine deposits in the Saïs basin are littoral and paradeltaic sandy marls. The ultimate filling in Saïs basin, of Lower and Middle Pliocene age, is due to the marine regression in the South riffian basin.– Upper Pliocene evolution: the Saïs basin, thus filled, formed a continental basin corresponding to a simple stage on profile of the Sebou palaeoriver. We define the discharge system of PalaeoSebou in the eastern part of basin near Fez. Sedimentation is dominated by conglomerates of fluvial origin on the edges of the basin; it is evaporatic and lacustrine carbonate towards the basin centre. The climate was hot and humid. The northern part of the basin shows a syntectonic character expressed by flexural faults that affected the fluvial conglomerates. This deformation reflects an episode of mobilization of the preriffain ridges ramp of Tghat and Zalagh. – Quaternary evolution: The culmination of Saïs area is made by the progress of preriffian ramp who overrides on Pliocene deposits of the northern edge of Saïs. The preriffian ridges migrate towards the south by Zalagh, Sebou and Sidi Hrazem ramps. The southern riffian front “FSR” towards the south in the plain reorganized a change of course of the Sebou palaeoriver. This deformation translates NS to NNW-SSE compressional strain and allows reactivation of the preexisting Miocene structures and the neo-formation of new structures. A change in the evolution of Saïs results also of major neotectonic reactivation of the flexures of North Middle Atlas. This new structural state allows the rise of the Saïs who becomes elevated plain related to the northern middle atlasic catchment basin. Saïs Pliocene formations and their Miocene substrate are subjected to intense erosion whith fluvial incisions exceeding 100 m. Currently, the Saïs plain corresponds to the median part of the Sebou catchment basin located between the middle Atlas upstream and Prerif downstream. This last paroxysmal strain has been also described in the Pre-Rif (Faugères, 1978; Ait Brahim&Chotin, 1983; Chalouan et al., 2000, 2003) and in the south of Middle Atlas (Charroud 2002; Charroud et al., 2006). It is interpreted as being the result of the crustal readjustment under Alboran, Rif and Atlas (Frizon de Lamotte et al., 2004), where shoshonitic volcanism produced in the eastern external Betico-Riffian zones is replaced by the alkaline volcanism (Calvert et al., 2000). The role of crustal readjustment to explain the culmination of Saïs is proven for atlasic chain (Teixell et al., 2003; Arboleya et al., 2004; Ayarza et al., 2005)

Evaluation De L’impact De La Pollution Agricole Sur La Qualite Des Eaux Souterraines De La Nappe Du Gharb

The Gharb plain is located in the North West of Morocco and corresponds to a vast plain of the Sebou watershed. It includes an irrigable perimeter of a 250,000 ha, of which more than 120,000 ha are designed as big hydraulics to meet the drinking water and irrigation needs of the region. The intensification of agriculture in this region leads to a significant use of phytosanitary products, which can impact the physico-chemical quality of the Gharb groundwater. To assess this quality we proceeded to the analysis of the physico-chemical parameters (pH, electric conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chlorides, sodium, potassium, nitrates, ammonium, and orthophosphates) and the study of the metallic contamination of waters of 17 wells located in the region of Sidi Kacem-Sidi Slimane. The results of performed analysis, revealed a pollution of an agricultural origin. This is confirmed by the maximum levels of chlorides, which exceed 2,734 mg/l, thereby explaining the high conductivity levels (5000 μ/cm). Nevertheless, a lithological influence cannot be excluded. The nitrate levels (160 mg/l) indicate a nitric pollution of underground waters. The heavy metals measured showed a metallic contamination exceeding the norms of lead and aluminium concentration, elements which may have their origin in fertilizers undergoing an excessive use in the area. These results confirm the impact of the agricultural intensification in the degradation of the quality of the underground water of the Gharb region

City of Stones in the Moroccan Middle Atlas: Special Funeral Rites

The Middle Atlas and particularly the Boulmane region is full of pre-Islamic funerary monuments. The overwhelming majority of them are circular tumuli. However, two burials from the “City of Stones” are completely different from this common pattern and are exceptional in many respects. They are an extension of each other. Each is topped by an imposing horizontal sandstone slab which gives it a megalithic appearance although they are natural formations in reality. The underlying cavity was used as a burial chamber. The first CPSI site displayed the incomplete skeleton of 3 individuals. One of them, found in lateral decubitus, is relatively complete in anatomical connection up to the pelvis. The remains of two incomplete skeletons without any anatomical connection are also present. The second burial of the CPSII monument, however, does not contain any anatomically connected skeleton but bones belonging to 4 different individuals. The pre-Islamic populations of the Moroccan Middle Atlas erected tumulus-type funerary monuments to accommodate primary burials which could be single or multiple. And at the same time they could desecrate some by exhuming the skeletons to redeposit them in natural rock cavities which serve as burial chambers for a secondary burial or a deposit

Avant-propos

Les Rencontres des Quaternaristes Marocains (RQM), organisées tous les deux ans, ont été créées à l’initiative de l’Association Marocaine pour l’Etude du Quaternaire (AMEQ) en 2001 pour permettre aux chercheurs d’échanger leurs travaux sur la Préhistoire et la Géologie du Quaternaire du Maroc. Fortes de leur succès, ces rencontres ont rapidement gagné l’intérêt des scientifiques et la thématique s’est élargie au pourtour méditerranéen dès le quatrième colloque. Deux numéros de la revue Quater..

Avant-propos

Les Rencontres des Quaternaristes Marocains (RQM), organisées tous les deux ans, ont été créées à l’initiative de l’Association Marocaine pour l’Etude du Quaternaire (AMEQ) en 2001 pour permettre aux chercheurs d’échanger leurs travaux sur la Préhistoire et la Géologie du Quaternaire du Maroc. Fortes de leur succès, ces rencontres ont rapidement gagné l’intérêt des scientifiques et la thématique s’est élargie au pourtour méditerranéen dès le quatrième colloque. Deux numéros de la revue Quater..

Cartographie De L’erosion Qualitative Des Sols Du Bassin Versant De L’aoudour (Rif-Maroc)

The Aoudour watershed located in the northwest of Morocco and spreads over an area of approximately 1000 km2, and occupying the northeastern part of the Ouergha basin contently experiencing the effects of severe water erosion caused by the interaction of several natural factors such as the amount and aggressiveness of rainfall, plenty of steep slopes, low vegetation density and also the dominance of friable land. The Aoudour watershed also undergoes a human action that makes it very vulnerable to environment erosion, the degradation of the vegetation cover in recent decades and also by poor farming techniques. PAP / RAC is a method of qualitative study of water erosion that can prioritize the surface of a watershed in separate units according to its vulnerability to erosion. The method consists of a descriptive and predictive mapping in relation to the identification; evaluation and integration of basic physical factors such as slope, lithology and / or soils and vegetation cover, with the aim of establish initial assumptions about the risk of erosion. The use of remote sensing and GIS tools enabled us creating and overlying of thematic maps, executing speedily the cartographic works and, processing of databases

ETUDE DE LA QUALITE PHYSICOCHIMIQUE ET DE LA CONTAMINATION METALLIQUE DES EAUX DE SURFACE DU BASSIN VERSANT DE BEHT (MAROC)

The Beht watershed is located in the north-west of Morocco. It occupies the southwest part of the Sebou basin. The study was carried out to analyze the physico-chemical parameters (T °, pH, EC, nitrates and chlorides) and assessment of contamination by trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb). Thus, water samples were taken at 15 sites in November 2013. The analysis showed an alkaline pH (between 8 and 8.8), the temperature fluctuates between 12 and 16°C and conductivity varies between 183 and 565 µs/cm. These results are within the recommended standards (WHO, 1984; MATEE, 2002). Laboratory analyzes have shown that the various parameters and heavy metals contents are weak which reflect the fact that in general the surface water in the Upper Beht has good quality. These results are almost the same as the Guigou river water (Akil & al. 2013), but lower than what is reported by Jeddi & al. (2013) for the downstream of Beht basin which contains a large industrial activity. In order to establish a link between physicochemical parameters and metal while assessing better the impact of human activity on the water quality of the Oued Beht, we conducted a statistical analysis by the CPA. This allowed to identify Pb, Fe, As, and Cu as pollution indicators. The origin of those elements is anthropogenic. It is believed that despite the weak contents of these elements, it is essential to set up a vigilance, to monitor their evolution and continuing the sampling and analysis

ETUDE ANTHROPOLOGIQUE ET COMPARATIVE DES MANDIBULES HUMAINES DE LA CITE DES PIERRES (MOYEN ATLAS) A CELLES DE TAFORALT

The CPSI funeral monument is located In the North-West of the Middle Atlas, in the region of Adar Ouawine, approximately ten kilometres away from the town of Boulmane. It is a sandstone slab with an internal cavity in a scree zone that gave way to the remains of three individuals, one man and two women. They are buried in a lateral decubitus positions. The orientation of their body is North-South, the heads towards the North. The three mandibles exhumed are complete and in a very good state of conservation. The origin of the builders of the funeral monuments of North Africa in the protohistoric periods is debated. The results of the historic searches, ethnologic and linguistic on the subject oppose two theses. Gabriel Camps’s defends an oriental origin of the Protomediterranneans, assuming a progressive replacement of the existing local population and of other researchers who support the idea of a local anthropologic evolution of the Iberomaurusian population. We have based our approach on an anthropologic, as morphologic as morphometric and statistic, of the physic characteristics of the human remains found in the CPSI monument to define and compare them to the morphotype of Taforalt known to represent the Iberomaurusian population of Morocco. The morphometric and the statistical analysis of these mandibles showed that they presented physical characteristics consistent with the mandibles of the Men of Taforalt, particularly with H1’s mandible. The ACP showed that the CPSI and Taforalt individuals belong to two different populations. This distinction is explained by the slenderisation of the CPSI individuals who nevertheless keep morphological characteristics specific to the Mechta type. The morphological fit and the slenderisation allow us to establish a possible filiation between Berber populations, builders of the monuments of the Middle Atlas, and the oriental Moroccans in Taforal. This acknowledgment supports the thesis of local anthropological evolution during the protohistoric periods and weakens the thesis of the oriental origin of the Protomediterraneans