The IPHES-CERCA participates in the international colloquium “Tarragona i el Marroc” with outreach activities on prehistory and shared origins"
The colloquium, held on April 9 and 10 at the URV, has analysed the historical and contemporary relations between Tarragona and the Marroc
The Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA) has participated this week in the international colloquium Tarragona i el Marroc (19th–21st centuries): historical genealogy and contemporary challenges of a shared Mediterranean space, held on April 9 and 10 in the Sala de Graus of the Campus Catalunya of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV).
Organised by the Càtedra d’Estudis sobre el Marroc and the Consolat General del Regne del Marroc in Tarragona, the colloquium brought together specialists from different fields to analyse the historical, social, economic and cultural links between the comarques tarragonines and the North African country, from the 19th century to the present.
Within this framework, IPHES-CERCA played a prominent role in the programme of complementary activities, with the outreach proposal Tots venim d’Àfrica: Prehistòria del Marroc, migracions i orígens compartits, an initiative that brought archaeological research closer to the general public through educational workshops and participatory activities.
Workshops to bring African prehistory closer to citizens
The activity, coordinated by Dr. M. Gema Chacón and Dr. Robert Sala-Ramos, researchers at IPHES-CERCA and professors at the URV, is part of a Spanish-Moroccan research project developed over more than two decades and focused on the study of the origins of human settlement in North Africa.
The workshops, led by Andrea Alías, socialisation technician at IPHES-CERCA with the collaboration with researchers from the same centre, were held during Thursday and Friday afternoons in the courtyard of the Campus Catalunya, and were especially aimed at family audiences. Through these sessions, participants were able to learn first-hand how prehistoric archaeology works, as well as reflect on the role of Africa as the cradle of humanity and on migrations as a key element of human history.
The proposal combined rigorous scientific content with accessible and participatory formats, with the aim of promoting the dissemination of knowledge and intercultural dialogue.
A space to reflect on a shared Mediterranean
The colloquium highlighted the depth and relevance of the links between Tarragona and the Marroc, both from a historical and contemporary perspective. During the first day, focused on the 19th century, key figures and episodes linked to exploration, orientalism and the colonial context were addressed, while the second day focused on current challenges, such as migrations, trade relations and social dynamics.
Institutional and academic representatives also took part, highlighting the role of transnational cooperation and the importance of strengthening ties between both territories in a changing global context.
The programme was completed with various cultural activities open to the public, such as concerts and traditional dances, which contributed to reinforcing the intercultural dimension of the event.
More than two decades of shared research with the Marroc
Since 2006, the Conca d’Aïn Beni Mathar–Guefaït has been the subject of a research project co-directed by Dr. Robert Sala-Ramos and Dr. M. Gema Chacón (IPHES-CERCA), by Prof. Hassan Aouraghe (Université Mohammed Premier d’Oujda) and, since 2025, also by Prof. Saïd Bengamra (from the same university). The project aims to investigate the origins of human settlement in North Africa, one of the key areas for understanding the evolution of the first human communities.
This work is possible thanks to a broad institutional collaboration between IPHES-CERCA, the Faculté de Sciences de l’Université Mohammed Premier d’Oujda, the Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine (INSAP), the government of Jerada, the local authorities of Aïn Beni Mathar and Guefaït, and the Ministère de la Jeunesse, de la Culture et de la Communication of the Regne del Marroc.
The research has been funded by the Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte (Ref.: 42-T002018N0000042853 and 170-T002019N0000038589), the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (project HUMANCOGNENV – PID2024-156295NB-I00), the Faculté de Sciences (Université Mohamed 1r d’Oujda), INSAP, the Fundació Palarq, the CERCA programme, the María de Maeztu programme (CEX2019-000945-M and CEX2024-01485-M) and the SGR grants of the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017 SGR 836, 2017 SGR 859, 2021 SGR 01238, 2021 SGR 01237, 2023-2027 PFR-URV-01237).