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<< Our Photo Pages >> Msoura - Stone Circle in Morocco

Submitted by kengelma on Wednesday, 10 January 2007  Page Views: 41977

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Msoura Alternative Name: Mzoura Circle
Country: Morocco Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Asilah  Nearest Village: Sidi-el-Yamani
Latitude: 35.404139N  Longitude: 5.943848W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
3 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
2 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
4

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Msoura
Msoura submitted by kengelma : Msoura, a stone circle that is located between Asilah and Larache (not far from Sidi el Yamani) in Morocco. The tallest stone is referred to as El Uted (the Pointer). (Vote or comment on this photo)
As far as I know, Msoura is the only stone circle in Morocco. We visited in December 2006. Roads there are not well marked. We had to pick up a local guide to get there--and no matter what they tell you, they don't speak English!

Although we drove through tracks in fields to get there (it was impossible to get through Sidi el Yamani during market hours), I think you could get there on decent gravel and dirt roads if you can find the right road outside of Asilah. (It's about 25km S of Asilah.) I'll upload GPS settings to make this possible (as soon as I figure out how to do that).

It's difficult to find much documentation on the site. Generally, it is composed of a circle of 167 megaliths surrounding a tumulus of almost 55m of diameter, the highest of these monoliths measures more than 5 m. It is called El Uted (The Pointer.)

According to legend, this monument is the tomb of the giant of Anthe (or Antæus), son of Earth and Neptune. He was a mythical giant, a terræ filius or son of the earth, who was strong only when his foot was on the earth; lifted in air he became weak as water. Hercules discovered this weakness and crushed him.

John Palmer of the Sacred Sites International Foundation (http://www.sacred-sites.org/earth.html) has the most extensive write-up that I've found. He also has an excellent etching from 1980.
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Msoura
Msoura submitted by kengelma : Msoura, Marocco, became known to the West only after 1830. The Berber people of the Maghreb ascribed the enigmatic megaliths as having been the work of the Djouhalas, pre-Islamic pagan giants, and the Ghouls, ogres and magicians. The ring is formed by a large, despoiled tumulus, and is kerbed by a contiguous, elliptical ring of upright stones. The southeast sector features an abutting, inter... (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Msoura
Msoura submitted by kengelma : A farm next to the Msoura mound is using some of the stones as part of a chicken coop. The site is not well sign-posted and it can be difficult to approach. I'm not certain anyone in Morocco appreciates why a few crazy tourists (very few, I suspect) want to find their way out to the standing stones, but they seem to tolerate us and find ways to overcharge for their guiding services. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Msoura
Msoura submitted by kengelma : To the north of the Msoura mound mound are a number of large, fallen outliers, which are surrounded by straight contiguous settings of small stones. Source: Sacred Sites International Foundation. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Msoura
Msoura submitted by kengelma : The Ring of Msoura in Marocco is formed by a large, despoiled tumulus and is kerbed by a contiguous, elliptical ring of upright stones. The southeast sector features an abutting, internal parapet walk made of uprights covered over by flat lintel slabs. During John Palmer's visit in 1978, he counted 175 menhirs - most of which have been broken at about half their height - surrounding the tumulus, o... (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : The photographer, just for scale of course!

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : A closer look at some of the stones.

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : Msoura Stone Circle in Morocco

Msoura
Msoura submitted by kengelma : Here's a better view of cactus and a stone circle! (1 comment)

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : Wonder how high the mound was originally?

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : Ancient and modern co-existing.

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : Another view showing the curvature of the stones.

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : The closer you look, the more variety in size and shape of stones you see.

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : Showing one of the few fallen stones.

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : Showing the lush vegetation and the photographer's shadow.

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : Possible carving?

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : From the mound itself giving an idea of the panorama.

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : Different view showing the curvature of the stones. Submitted by brianobrian.

Msoura
Msoura submitted by brianobrian : Showing the curve of the stones. Submitted by brianobrian.

Msoura
Msoura submitted by kengelma : Here is one of the fallen stones next to the circle at Msoura in Morocco. The site is located about 25 km south of Asilah.

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"Msoura" | Login/Create an Account | 15 News and Comments
  
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Directions to M'soura by TimCullis on Monday, 20 February 2017
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From Asilah take the N1 south for about 12km until you reach the junction with the R417 where you turn left (east). Carry on the R417 about 10-12km until you come to a Ziz fuel station. Stop there, and turn around and retrace your route (now heading back west). After 600m the road takes a gentle curve to the right, after another 600m it curves to the left. On the left curve there's a track on the right (north west) leading gently uphill. After about 3.5km the track turns slightly right then sharply left and the site is on your left at N35 24.250 W5 56.660.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Msoura by vhd on Saturday, 15 September 2012
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Résidant au Maroc, et intrigué par la presence d'un cromlech' dans ce pays où ne sont pas censés etre venus les celtes, j'ai entrepris le voyage en aout 2012 pour découvrir cette curiosité. Il est à noter que le site n'est pas toujours bien situé sur les cartes google. Le mieux est de partir d'Asilah, et de prendre la direction de m'soura, jusqu'au village de sidi el Yamani. A partir de là deux options: soit traverser le village et emprunter la piste jusqu'au site (tout juste carrossable), soit continuer la nationale direction Tétouan sur 2 kilomètres et remonter sur la gauche pour rejoindre le site. A mon avis les coordonnées GPS exactes sont 35.400468 - 5.949711.Cette dernière route est goudronnée et nettement préférable. Actuellement le site est sécurisé et un gardien fait l'accueil. Ce cercle de pierre est étonnant et reprend les structures celtiques.Bien que non entretenu, c'est un endroit étonnant qui vaut le détour pour les amateurs. Une des pierres de "l'entrée est restée intacte et se dresse majestueusement. Au centre se trouve un tumulus dont l'entrée n'est pas encore dégagée, et sur une des pierres couchées se trouvent des gravures dont on ne peut savoir si elles sont dues au hasard ou à une écriture ancienne. Il est convenable de laisser au gardien qui se fera un plaisir de vous faire l'historique approximatif de l'endroit un pourboire "local". Vaut le détour, dans une région très belle par ailleurs. A voir aussi sur la région de Larache, le jardin des Espérides dit site de Lixus, endroit absolument merveilleux qui fera l'objet d'un post.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Msoura by Anonymous on Tuesday, 12 June 2012
MZOURA means in tamazight(berber) THE FIRST ONES.The people in the area are arabised berbers from andalusia, so they don't know where the name came from.The builders of the stones circle are the ancestors of the imazighen (berbers).
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Msoura by Anonymous on Friday, 19 August 2011
There is no town called Arsilah (it appears several places in the writeup). I think you mean Asilah. I went there a few months ago and the road is horrible, but drivable in dry conditions. Checkout openstreetmaps.com to see the way in that I mapped. I also confirmed that lat/long on your page.
RobH.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Msoura by Andy B on Tuesday, 14 June 2011
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John E. Palmer has created an etching featuring Msoura, or Mzora, meaning Holy Place, which is situated near the hamlet of Sidi-el-Yamani, in the region of Tetuan, Morocco, North Africa.

A limited edition copy of the etching is available for sale at
http://www.sacred-sites.org/earth.html

You can also view a larger version of the etching there.
http://www.sacred-sites.org/artprints_big/El_Uted.jpg
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Msoura by Anonymous on Thursday, 20 January 2011
Google Earth blog has a new post regarding the location of this site:

http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2011/01/hunting_for_the_megalithic_stone_ci.html
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Msoura by Sunny100 on Friday, 19 November 2010
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Rather similar to the mythical Bronze man Talos who was fashioned by the gods. One of the Titans, he had the head of a bull. Jason and the Argonauts had a battle with him. His heel was his weak spot and Hercules, or Jason, found this out with a little help from Hera, queen of the Gods. Talos lost his life blood through his heel and crashed down to the ground smashed to pieces.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Msoura by davidmorgan on Friday, 19 November 2010
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Any chance of an exact location for this site, please? Photos on Panoramio appear to place it here.
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Re: Msoura by Anonymous on Tuesday, 06 April 2010
Surely, someone, somewhere, must be calling this the "Moroccan Stonehenge" !
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    Re: Msoura by Andy B on Tuesday, 06 April 2010
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    Remarkably not, I've just Googled it. But now anyone who does the same will get sent here!
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Msoura by Andy B on Tuesday, 06 April 2010
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digby writes: Cromlech Msoura, Morocco's Stone Circle

The Morrocan Government has now built a tarmac road to faciltate access to the Stone Circle Known as Cromlech Msoura or locally as L'autid

The Sacred site can now be reached easily from the road linking the village of El Tnine Sidi Elyamani with Ahad Ghrabia or alternatively from the main road linking Larache with Tetuan. Unfortunately as yet there are no signposts at either end of the road but its newness gives it away.

Any interested visitors should contact Digby on 00212615139639 for further information.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Msoura by Anonymous on Monday, 16 February 2009
Hi - I went to the circle yesterday and it is a bit of a mission... well worth it though. For interest's sake the guide we picked up in El Yemeni told us that excavations were abandoned after some of the diggers went mad - the locals call the place "Maabd Shaitan", the Devil's temple. Some relics were found there and are now in the museum in Tetouan.

Francois
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Msoura by Anonymous on Tuesday, 21 July 2009
    I have just returned from Morocco and have to agree that finding the stones at Mzoura is indeed a test in patience and tenacity. They are widening the sandy track that leads through the fields to the stones. We picked up a shepherd and he lead us to the circle. We paid him 30DH. The guardian of the circle tried to extort 100 DH from us, but was talked down to 30DH.

    The experience was one of the highlights of my trip!
    Marie
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