From 18th until 22nd of November 2014, two archaeologists of project C2 (Jörg Linstädter and Alessandro Potì, both University of Cologne) went to Rabat, the magnificent capital of Morocco. Main goals of this short journey were: scientific meetings with our co-partners of the INSAP (Institut National des Sciences de l'Archéologie et du Patrimoine), the collection of geological and sedimentological samples from the last excavation campaign of Ifri n'Etsedda (spring 2014) and the re-study of part of its 2012 archaeological finds, stored in the huge basement of the Institute.
Our stay was short but absolutely successful and intense, and can be summarized as follows: a perfect marriage between scientific research and good meals.

Final details for the next excavation campaign (Ifri El Baroud, February–April 2015) have been discussed with the Moroccan researchers and new ideas of collaboration established.
Sedimentological and geological samples were organized, classified and carefully arranged into two large and sturdy metal boxes (kindly provided by the lovely and beautiful Tabea Schröder, project C3). After that, German embassy of Rabat arranged transportation to Germany. Furthermore, a few artefacts (pottery and lithic) were chosen in order to conduct archaeometric and petrographic analysis in the course of the following months.

During these few days we also had the pleasure of being guest-speakers of a series of lectures organized by the INSAP in the frame of the Master and Bachelor programme in Archaeology. This gave us the opportunity to present the research of the CRC to local students and researchers. On Thu 20, after an introductory talk given by Prof. Mikdad (deputy director of INSAP) about the long running archaeological collaboration between Germany and Morocco and the programme of research in the Rif Oriental, Dr. Jörg Linstädter held a conference concerning the Epipalaeolithic-Neolithic transition of the area focusing on the data from two important sites – Ifri Oudadane and Ifri n'Etsedda – excavated during the first phase of the CRC. On Fri 21, Alessandro Potì gave to the Bachelor-Master students a morning-lecture about lithic technology, while in the afternoon a short flintknapping demonstration was carried out in the garden of the INSAP.
At the end everyone was really happy, especially us. As an Arabic proverb says: "If you hold in the fist desert sand you will not be able to hold her back. If you leave open your hand, your hand will be filled with sand."

Archaeologists in the Souk, Rabat. Photo: Jörg Linstädter

Flintknapping session with the students, INSAP – Rabat. Photo: Jörg Linstädter

Conference poster. Processed by: Abdeslam Mikdad