[Curiosities] Culture Minister: History Supports Atlas Lions' Centuries-Old Presence in Morocco

[The GodFather]

 

 

Rabat - Rabat's national zoo hosted today an exhibition featuring the 110,000-year-old Atlas Lion fossil recently discovered in Essaouira.

Titled “Atlas Lion: Echoes of a Roar that Spans Thousands of Years,” the exhibition featured archaeological sites where lion fossils were discovered. 

The exhibition also put the spotlight on archaeological documents and historical resources about Atlas Lions’ skulls, as well as details on the lions' hunting strategies. 

Speaking with Morocco World News on the sidelines of the event, Mehdi Bensaid, Morocco's Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, said, “The most recent discovery of the Atlas Lion fossil in Essaouira and the scientific work carried out by the international researchers along with the national institute will help make Morocco's history known.”

Bensaid also lauded the researchers' remarkable efforts over the years that led to this scientific breakthrough.

“The significance of this discovery lies in its ability to help us understand Morocco in the past,” he said, adding that “anyone wishing to build their future must first understand their past.”

Commenting on Alegria’s latest cultural appropriation of the Atlas Lions’ nickname, Bensaid stressed, “ The Atlas Lions have been present in Morocco for at least two million years; this establishes their historical connection to the country.”

He concluded: “This is a scientific approach that must not be politicized.” 

The event also marked the signing of a geological heritage protection agreement between the Ministers of Youth, Culture, and Communication and Energy Transition and Sustainable Development.

On December 18, Morocco's National Institute of Archeology and Heritage (INSAP) announced the discovery of a 110,000-year-old Atlas Lion fossil in Essaouira.

The discovery was made by an international team of experts affiliated with the institute, including archaeologists from the University of Arizona in the US, and from France’s Aix-Marseille University.

The traces of the Atlas Lion were discovered “for the first time in the history of archaeological research,” the institute said in a statement.

The Atlas lion, also known as the Barbary lion, used to be found in North Africa, in the region stretching from Morocco in the west to Egypt in the east. 

 

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/01/353522/culture-minister-history-supports-atlas-lions-centuries-old-presence-in-morocco