The Archaeology of the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco: a Short History

Abstract

This article analyses the archaeology in the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco throughout its history. After a historical background of the nature and development of Spanish colonialism in North Africa, information about the archaeology in the first years of the Spanish Protectorate in North Morocco is given, both before and after the Civil War. The academic and political manoeuvres that brought a bright young archaeologist to Tetouan, Miguel Tarradell Mateu (or Miquel Tarradell i Mateu, in Catalan), is then discussed. Tarradell’s main successes for the understanding of the historical development of the area up to the end of the Roman period will be contrasted with the way Tarradell felt about living in Africa. The article concludes with a discussion of events after decolonisation and of the nature of Spanish colonialism in North Morocco and of Spanish academia. The aim of this article, therefore, is not to detail the scientific discussions taking place about interpretation of the past, but the social, political and economic contexts in which these took place.