Museum of History and Civilizations

ⵜⴰⵙⵏⵏⵉⵖⵜ ⵏ ⵓⵎⵣⵔⵓⵢ ⴷ ⵜⵖⵔⵎⵉⵡⵉⵏ
	Museum of History, Rabat
Established	1932; 94 years ago
Location	Av. Moulay Abdelaziz; Rabat, Morocco
Type	Archaeological museum
Key holdings	Bust of Juba II; Bust of Cato; Roman-Amazigh sculptures & artefacts
Collections	Prehistoric; Roman; Islamic
Collection size	~550[1]

The Museum of History and Civilizations (Arabic: متحف التاريخ والحضارات, French: Musée de l'histoire et des civilisations) is a national archaeological museum in Rabat, capital of Morocco. Open since 1932, its known for holding the most extensive collection of archaeological artefacts found in the kingdom,[2][3][4] most notably a bust of the famous Amazigh king Juba II.[5]

The museum's collections range from prehistory to the Islamic eras, connected through a Roman period evidenced by ancient marble and bronze sculptures found in Morocco.

History

Originally the Rabat Archaeological Museum, the core structure was built in the 1920s under the French protectorate to house the Service des Antiquités du Protectorat, a colonial government institution. In 1930, the decision to transform the building into a nationwide archaeological museum would see a major transfer of artefacts to Rabat, many of which had been largely uncovered in Volubilis and Chellah, following systemic excavations initiated in 1915 by Marshal Lyautey. Subsequently, new showrooms were built around the administrative nucleus to organize collections.[5] By 1957, the building sat in its final architectural form.

Since 2014, the museum has been under the care and protection of the National Foundation of Museums.[5] After a year-long period of closure prompted by renovations, the museum was reopened to the public under its current name in April 12, 2017.[6] The budget of the restoration project was 5.5 million Moroccan dirhams.[7]

Mission

Beyond the preservation of rare ancient art, the museum brings into light far earlier periods of Moroccan history that are less familiar (and often misunderstood) to much of the general public. The museum encourages in particular Moroccans to visit, as explained by museum curator Fatima-Zahra Chbiri at the 2017 reopening:[7]

"I especially invite the Moroccan public to visit the new museum. The patrimony exhibited here is largely unknown, particularly among Moroccan [citizens]."

Collections

The museum can be organised into three eras, displayed across three rooms, a patio, and a garden.[8] All artefacts were exclusively discovered at archaeological sites in Morocco.[9]

Prehistory

Attest to the first human settlements in Morocco, dating from 3,000 BCE to the Neolithic period.

human skull

Antiquity (chronological)

Phoenician period: Early Mediterranean trade and religious influence.
Mauretanian period: Indigenous North African kingdom; cultural and political peak during Juba II and Cleopatra Selene II.
Roman period: Mauretania as part of the Roman Empire (Province of Mauretania Tingitana).

The Roman period is the largest section of the museum, to which two areas are dedicated:

Hall of Marbles

Marble sculpture of a female (possibly Venus), 25 BC-40 CE

White marble sculptures in display, originally found across Iulia Valentia Banasa, Tamoussida, and Chellah.

Hall of Bronzes

The oval showroom is entirely composed of bronzes excavated at Volubilis.[9] Themes include Greco-Roman religion (figurines of Venus, Juno, Eros, etc.), busts of historical and political figures (famously Juba II, Cato), full-size statues (Ephebos), and public life (constitutions).

Bust of Juba II, 20 BCE

Islamic period

Presented in a dedicated pavilion, this section focuses on Islamic civilisation in Morocco, from the Almoravid dynasty to the Alaouites. Islamic coinage, Cuerda seca (dry cord), architectural elements, etc.

Rock Inscriptions

Displayed around a patio, this section includes Libyco-Berber inscriptions, the earliest written forms used by indigenous North Africans. Alongside them are Latin inscriptions and, additionally, Islamic inscriptions from Marrakesh.