Jebel Irhoud

Jebel Irhoud is an archaeological and paleoanthropological site in western Morocco notable for Middle Stone Age deposits and hominin fossils. Excavations there recovered human remains and stone tools that have been dated to roughly 300,000 years ago.

The site contains stratified deposits with stone-tool assemblages and fossilized remains that have been used to reassess the early emergence and geographic distribution of Homo sapiens. The discoveries have been widely cited for extending the known age and range of early modern humans.

Initial fossil finds at Jebel Irhoud were known in the 20th century, with extensive modern excavations and new dating published in the 21st century that provided the older age estimates near 300,000 years. Research has combined excavation, stratigraphy and multiple dating methods to establish the time frame of occupation and deposition.

Jebel Irhoud lies inland in Morocco, on the high plateau west-northwest of Marrakech, at the edge of the pre-Saharan landscape. The site is accessible from regional towns and is situated within a semi-arid terrain of low hills and plains.

• Early Homo sapiens evidence: Fossils and artifacts from the site have been dated to roughly 300,000 years ago, pushing back the known antiquity of early Homo sapiens in North Africa and the Maghreb.