In Morocco, hundreds of people lost their lives and many ancient buildings were damaged in an earthquake on Friday night. However, some fascinating secrets from the past were also revealed. In the process of searching for survivors and clearing rubble, they discovered some hidden treasures that revealed the rich and diverse history and culture of Morocco.
For example, in Marrakech, a city over a thousand years old and a Unesco world heritage site, they discovered a secret chamber under the ground. The chamber was full of old books, coins, pots, jewelry, and other things from different times in Moroccan history. It was like a secret library hidden long ago.
Another example was in Tinmel, a village near where the earthquake was most powerful. There was an old mosque there that was very valuable to the Almohad dynasty. This was a powerful Muslim empire that ruled Morocco and parts of Spain and North Africa in the 12th and 13th centuries. The mosque was badly damaged by the earthquake, but under it they found a secret tunnel that led to a mountain nearby. The tunnel was probably used by the Almohad monarchs to escape or get supplies when fighting their enemies.
There were many other treasures that the earthquake unearthed, such as a Roman house with beautiful paintings and mosaics in Ouarzazate, an ancient port with Phoenician writings and statues in Essaouira, and a Jewish graveyard with old tombstones and relics in Fez. These treasures show that Morocco has been a place where many different civilizations and cultures have met and mixed for thousands of years.
The Moroccan government said it would take care of these treasures and make them available for people to see and study. They also asked for support from other countries to fix and rebuild historic buildings damaged by the earthquake. They hope this will help the country recover from the catastrophe, and also make it more attractive for tourists and visitors.
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