Ifri Oudadane

Ifri Oudadane
Location of Ifri Oudadane
Location	Northeast Morocco
Coordinates	35°12′54.3″N 3°15′15.2″W / 35.215083°N 3.254222°W / 35.215083; -3.254222Coordinates: 35°12′54.3″N 3°15′15.2″W / 35.215083°N 3.254222°W / 35.215083; -3.254222

Ifri Oudadane is an African archaeological site found on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the northeast Rif region of Morocco on the southwest coast of Cape Three Forks. It is one of the most important sites in the Maghreb region of Africa. Discovered during road construction, the site consists of a fairly large rock shelter above the modern coastline, the site has been excavated since 2006 by a team of Moroccan and German archaeologists.^[1] Although much is known about the transition of humans from hunter gatherer groups to food production in Europe and the Middle East, much of North Africa has not been researched. Ifri Oudadane is one of the first of such sites in North Africa. Dated to between 11000 and 5700 years BP,^[2] the site contains evidence that documents the change of North African peoples from Hunter-gatherer groups to food producers. Such elements of change found at Ifri Oudadane include evidence of animal husbandry, domestication of legumes, and decoration of pottery. The site is known to contain the earliest dated crop in Northern Africa, a lentil.

Occupation Periods

Archaeologists have determined through stratigraphy that the site was occupied during two distinct periods of time.

Epipaelolithic: (20-10.5k BP)

The Epipaelolithic time period takes up a meter thick layer of the stratigraphy inside of the rock shelter. Archaeologists were able to obtain a date from this period by the seeds of chamaerops plants found in the deposit. The oldest dated to 9028±41 YBP while the most recent were from 7632±29 YBP.^[1] Through the reconstruction of carbon recovered from sediments it is likely that the area was forested at the time.^[3] Stone tool fragments and bone fragments of various wild animals (e.g.Barbary sheep) were found.^[1] The lithic material of this time period is few in number and many of what is found are unspecific flakes, as opposed to specified tools.

Early Neolithic (8-5k BP)

The early neolithic occupation of Ifri Oudadane is represented by a 1.5 meter thick deposit. This time period of the site can be subdivided into three distinct layers, early neolithic A, B, and C.^[4]

Early Neolithic A (ENA)

ENA deposits are only found in the northeast corner of the site, consisting of charcoal and ash layers. The ENA deposit marks the first occurrence of pottery in the rock shelter. This pottery is decorated with impressed marks. More importantly than that pottery though was the discovery of a domesticated lentil dating back to 7.327±81BP.^[4] Tools found in the ENA layer include large notched stone blades and bone needles/awls. In 2010, flotation analysis found evidence of not only various cereals, lentils, and legumes but also that of wild boar and domesticated sheep and goats.

Early Neolithic B (ENB)

Compared to the ENA, the ENB phase is very similar. The main change is stylistic differences on pottery. Cardium style pottery is still the main type.^[4] Use of comb impressions in pottery begin to appear. The bone industry became more specified, containing needles, spatulas, and even a ring. Further widening of species of plant remains is evident during the ENB, including barley, peas, and wheat.^[1] This layer is considered to be the main occupation phase of the site.^[5]

Early Neolithic C (ENC)

The ENC is the final and most thin layer of the stratigraphy. It contains very few artifacts. Dating on these artifacts have given a date range of around 6.6 to 6.4 KBP.^[4] This is potentially a sign of the rock shelter falling out of use and perhaps becoming a seasonal shelter instead of a full time location.^[1] It is thought that a general trend of climate degradation brought forth the end of human occupation at Ifri Oudadane and many sites within Northern Africa.^[5]

Pottery at Ifri Oudadane

Ifri Oudadane offers insight into the first pottery of northwest Africa. Pottery in the ENA sections of the rock shelter are of Cardium variety, using horizontal and vertical bands of various impressions. Pottery from this time period is narrow, oval shaped, with a pointed base.^[5] As the pottery begins to date more recently, there are two divisions during the ENB. The earlier subsection (7.1-6.9KYA) is characterized by a closed necked(see amphora)/straight rimmed and open neck/segmented rim pottery. The later subsection of the ENB (6.8-6.3KYA) pots are ovoid in nature with closed style with outward bending rims. Both assemblages of pottery from the ENB have decorated handles with various vertical and horizontal decoration. Later pottery from the ENB are decorated with stamps (similar to modern rubber stamps instead of individual cardium shell impressions. The pottery of the ENC occupation (6.6-6.3KYA) and the later neolithic period (≈5.7KYA) are fairly similar. They consist of closed ovoid forms only and have similar decorations, although use of a herringbone motif is found on early neolithic only.^[5]

See also

• Gueldaman caves

References