In the rugged terrain of the Rif Mountains, a team of archaeologists has discovered a hidden cache of ritual objects dating back to the Epipaleolithic period. The centerpiece of the find is a 'Shamanic Scepter' carved from a single piece of ibex horn, featuring geometric engravings and smoothed surfaces from prolonged handling. Found alongside the scepter were several small limestone figurines and a collection of ochre-stained shells used as beads.
The location of the find—a deep, difficult-to-access grotto—suggests it was a sacred space used for initiation or healing ceremonies. The scepter's motifs are strikingly similar to rock art found in the Sahara, suggesting early cultural links across the North African landscape. This ritual cache provides the earliest evidence of specialized religious leadership among the hunter-gatherer groups of the western Mediterranean fringe.