Coastal Landscapes, Environmental Change, and Maritime Cultural Heritage Resources in Morocco: The Case Study of Essaouira

Maritime cultural heritage (MCH) resources are non-renewable; research frameworks and mitigation plans to study and address the threats to these are essential, particularly throughout the coastal Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In Morocco, frameworks and plans addressing and incorporating MCH in the coastal zone have been recently established. To assist in their continued development, this article presents the case study of the Moroccan Atlantic coastal city of Essaouira, examined by the Maritime Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa Project (MarEA). The aim is to demonstrate the potential in a multi-faceted methodology to identify changes in coastal landscapes and their impact on MCH, based on environmental and archaeological data, supplemented by historic and satellite imagery. The data are collected through desk-based analyses (DBA) that are then ground-truthed. The case study demonstrates an effective and efficient approach that provides high-resolution data from which specific processes and threats can be identified. This analysis can serve as a basis for recommendations and future heritage management practices and research strategies, not only at Essaouira, but for MCH resources within rich coastal landscapes regionally and nationally.