El Gour, Morocco Explained

El Gour
Native Name:الكور
Map Type:Morocco
Coordinates:33.8503°N -5.3089°W
Type:Settlement
Built:4th century BC
Designation1:WHS
Designation1 Date:1996
Designation1 Number:458
Designation1 Type:Cultural
Designation1 Free2name:Region
Designation1 Free2value:North Africa

El Gour, or Bazina du Gour, is an ancient archeological site located in the Fès-Meknès region of northern Morocco. Estimates date the site at being constructed some time between the 4th and 2nd centuries BCE.[1] [2]

Location

The village (douar) Souk Jemaa El Gour is located south of the A2 motorway about 30 km east of Meknès in an agricultural hilly landscape at the intersection of the roads P7050 and P7067. The structure called El Gour is located above a river valley, about 500 m northeast of the water tower of the village.

Site description

The site of El Gour is a type of bazina, or burial mound, typically constructed solely for people of the utmost importance.

World Heritage status

This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on July 1, 1995 in the Cultural category.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: El Gour. 28 May 2014. n.d.. UNESCO.
  2. Web site: EL GOUR (Souk el Jemaa el Gour) Morocco. 28 May 2014. n.d.. The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites. Stillwell. Richard. MacDonald. William. Holland McAllister. Marian.