Zegota, Volubilis region

Zegota, Volubilis region

• Project name:

  Tingitana Frontier Project

  Website and social media:

  Facebook: Tingitana Frontier Project

• Type of site:

  Roman watchtower

  Location:

  Morocco
  9.5 km north of the ancient city of Volubilis, outskirts of Zegota village

  Dating:

  Roman period, 1st–2nd century AD

Most interesting finds:

• Denarius of Juba II and Cleopatra Selene, (kings of Mauritania);
• Trajan’s denarius;
• Hadrian’s as;
• An iron pilum spearhead;
• Several iron nails from military sandals;
• Fragments of Corbridge-type banded armour (lorica segmentata);
• Ceramics of the sigillata hispanica type;
• Architectural relics that are the remains of two phases of a Roman outpost on the border between the Mauritania Tingitana province and Barbaricum. Foundations of a circular defensive wall (Phase 1), part of the foundations of a watchtower (Phases 1 and 2).

History of research:

Dates of PCMA mission’s work:

2023–2024

Type of research:

Archaeological excavations

Directors:

• dr Fadwa Benjaafar, Prof. Aomar Akerraz (Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine, Rabat)
• Assoc. Prof. Radosław Karasiewicz-Szczypiorski  (Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw)
• Deputy director: Maciej Czapski

Co-operating institutions:

– Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw
– Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine, Rabat

Addidtional information:

1982–1998 – Mission de Sabou – surface research;
2018–2019 – surface research under TFP (UW);
2023–2024 – excavations, Polish-Moroccan Mission: INSAP (Rabat) and PCMA UW.

Description of the site and research:

The site, located on a hill about 500 meters above sea level, served as a Roman observation post, controlling the pass leading from the east, to the ancient city of Volubilis.

Gallery: