A giant Megalithic site you probable didn't know about in north-west of Morocco, North Africa.

[Ichingcarpenter]

Last edited Fri Nov 27, 2015, 03:14 PM - Edit history (2)

Because I didn't, which means nothing anyway.



The so called “Cromlech de Mzoura” or “circle of Larache” is one of the most famous and largest megalithic landmark of the north-west of Morocco, North Africa.

“Mzoura” (in Arabic means “The Holy Place”) can be found about 15 km south of the harbor of Asilah not far from Tangier. The elliptical-shaped tumulus at Mzora has 55 meters (177 feet) in diameter and is surrounded by 167 stone monoliths, of which the tallest, is about 5m (3.2 feet) high.

The locals say that it has approximately 7 meter long stone “root” below the surface. The megaliths were hammered and polished by hand.
Their arrangement forms a perfect elliptic structure.






What was the name of this holy place long before the Arabs came?
The ancient site was excavated in 1939 by the French where a tomb was discovered under one of mounds

Inside the tomb photo taken in 1939 or so notice the spiral theme going on which we see on Malta, Spain, France, Ireland etc. I can not get this photo to load on DU but you can click on it see it

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4-xVjfZ9pMM/UT047k38DpI/AAAAAAAAG2w/R9TIYeTlBWo/s1600/Inside+tomb.jpg


The most striking alignment of Mzoura stone circle is the main axis to the largest mountain on the horizon, and the east-west alignment of the ellipse marks the path to the setting equinoxes of spring and autumn.

Read more: http://www.messagetoeagle.com/tracing-footsteps-of-giants-in-africa-obscure-past-of-mzoura-stones/#ixzz3sggrF4FU








http://weloveyatours.blogspot.dk/2013/03/860-mzora-stone-circle-morocco.html







If your french is OK then you can see and read more about it at this site
too other than that I can't find much academic work on this place.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1732888

[TreasonousBastard]

1. No, I didn't know about this, and it's fascinating.

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. Its seems the French left it in disarray when they left maybe because of WWII

and the Moroccans seem to ignore the site according to the one link I gave.
Wikipedia has nothing on this site to speak of.

[packman]

3. A farm based culture has to know about the equinoxes

So I can see the need of such astronomical site. Undoubtedly it was combined with some religious shenanigans also. Also, what else could a bunch of guys do - no football, no video games - what the hell, let's go out and build something.

[L. Coyote]

4. Lots of photos in Google Earth, Panoramio photo layer.

mzora
Mzora Megalithic Circle
35.404142
-5.943774

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Yeah, I traced down most of those photos on google

to different sites trying to explore more about this place. Many were travelogues, tourist or non academic sites

The French site I linked, had some of the original 1939 sketches, notes and drawings by the archaeologist team that explored that site. They caused a lot of damage to site with the rubble they created.There is even a stone stele but it says its in a museum somewhere. But it does help if you can read French.

It was surveyed by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution by one member in the 70s but not a lot of data on that either, they did find major similarities to Megaliths found in Europe.

There is no information on where the builders got their stone and and how far away it was quarried. It wasn't just lying around the area the stones are too big

I find it also interesting that its so far east in Africa and close to the pillars of Hercules, the entrance to the Mediterranean but on the Atlantic side and it is an isolated site with no other comparable structures within hundreds of miles.

[L. Coyote]

6. I go straight to the geolocated Panoramio photos in Google Earth, site:panoramio.com on web search.

Great photo resources. The Google earth photo layer is a real plus for archaeology. Wiki is a great coordinate source, Megalithic Portal too (they gleaned everyone else's placemarks worldwide, mine included).

[Yo_Mama]

7. 5 meters is about 16 feet - 3.2 feet is one meter. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

8. Morocco, yet! Unbelievable. Thank you, so much. n/t