These excavations and archaeological surveys carried out by the National Institute of Archaeological and Heritage Sciences at the historic site of Chellah, are part of the archaeological research project at the Chellah site, launched by the Ministry in April 2023.
These searches, which were carried out in the area to the east and south-east of the Merinid wall, were designed to determine the extent and limits of the Mauretan-Roman city of Sala, identify its defensive system and locate the city’s ancient port.
After extensive weeding and removal of rubble from modern buildings, the work in question was carried out in four sectors, yielding fruitful results and some very important and unexpected discoveries.
Speaking at the event, which was attended by André Azoulay, advisor to His Majesty the King, and other eminent Moroccan and foreign personalities, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, stressed that these major discoveries have a historical, scientific, economic and tourist impact on the city of Rabat, noting that this is a new part of Moroccan history that will be studied in order to deepen knowledge in this area.
The Ministry will also make all the necessary resources available to the research teams, in addition to a budget line dedicated to archaeological research, with a view to continuing the research and excavations, he said, adding that these searches will also enable the richness of this archaeological site to be discovered and highlighted.
For his part, Abdeljalil Bouzouggar, Director of the National Institute of Archaeological and Heritage Sciences, said that this was one of the largest excavations ever carried out in Morocco, recalling that a team of Moroccan archaeologists and researchers had been mobilized for these search operations, enabling the discovery of a number of new buildings and elements.
