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The Soura site is ideally positioned in the North Moroccan Atlantic littoral to take full astronomical advantage of the highest parts of the Rif Mountain range to it's east.
 The Rif mountains diminish in height to the north. If the site was positioned further north then the summer solstice and northern lunar extremes lines would not be supported. Similarly, to the south, the eastern end of the Rif diminishes with distance and height close after the southern lunar standstill azimuth.. M'Soura has the ideal latitude and longitude from which the entire bands of the solar and lunar extremes may be expressed against the peaks of the Rif Mountain range. With the positions of both solsticial and equinoxes sunrises.  |
| This image is synthesised. There is no place near Soura which allows this view.
The Rif horizon shown here was filmed from the present tumulus top and the panoramic of the megalithic site montaged over the mountain-scape. On the approach to Soura, through the rolling landscape, the distant Rif peaks cannot be viewed except from atop one of the many small rocky hills. It seems that the mountain range could not be seen from the Soura hillock, with clarity, before the construction of the great tumulus was completed. It can be seen that the tallest monoliths on the western perimeter may have topped the summit of the mound far enough to 'view' the astronomical eastern peaks. There is little possibility of workable horizon astronomy to the west of Soura. The horizon is low with much large tree growth.  The standards of menhir shaping and finish that once applied here are of the finest in any megalithic culture. Despite the deliberate vandalism to every stone the intended forms can still be determined. More than 50% of the monoliths are dressed to polished phallic or 'tooth' form. Of the rest a square sectioned tapering form is evident and slabs, 'lechwedds', are also featured. Most of the broken off tips have been removed- but not all. |
Eastern quadrant. |
Western quadrant. |
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This chamber, on the northern perimeter, has been excavated in recent years by an English archaeologist. A skeleton of a young man was found interred.
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The circuit of fine mehnirs may have been interrupted before the chamber. It continues to the west
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More pages on m'Soura-
m'Soura 1. m'Soura 2. |
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