Chellah Photos and Brief Review

Yesterday I attended a school-arranged outing to Chellah, amazing ruins in Rabat. Originally settled by the Phoenicians, the Romans moved in and out dubbing it Sala Colonia, and the Merenids succeeded the Roman site several centuries later. The Merenids built a defensive wall and a necropolis (cemetery) with a small mosque, zawiya, and madrasa. (This chronology is simplified.) Now, it's a tourist destination that is lorded over by flocks of storks that click and clack as they nest and swoop overhead. Cats, unsurprisingly, stroll the grounds meowing and nestling themselves underfoot. Chella also features a small pool where women throw coins, wash with the water, and feed eggs to eels to improve their fertility or ease child birth.

I planned to visit Chella solo and it would have been a mistake. Without a guide from the school, I would not have understood the intricacies and function of the site. Also, an archaeology PhD candidate (ABD), Cori, accompanied us and she supplied fascinating insight into Chella as well as similar ruins in and around Morocco. It's one of my favorite attractions in Rabat and Qalam wa Lawh provided the transport and guide (an employee) for free. One might wonder why I'm expending time while I'm in Morocco on blog entries describing these trips. My logic is that the task is much simpler and the details less likely to be forgotten if I surrender a bit of time now. Shortly after I return, we leave for Chicago and then I being preparation for the first of two licensing exams. I sit for Colorado's PLACE exam on January 9, so I prefer to write these entries as they happen rather than wait and potentially abandon it.

Chellah as we walked in with the bright afternoon sun

Closer focus on the arch

The minaret and the Bou Regreg and bluffs in Sale

A wider shot of the Roman ruins

Stork nest with live action stork

Minaret and the Muslim addition and wall

Half of a statue. The remaining half is in Rabat's archaeological museum

Half of a brandon

All of the white specks are storks, and that might represent about half

Hammam

Minaret, mausoleums, storks

Looking down on to the orchard

Northern-facing wall

Ablution room shots

Minaret with stork and plaque

Arch

Royal graves

Wall behind the royal graves

Another grave. Why not? This grave is from 1956

Eels live in this shallow pool. They have the taste for man and cat flesh.

Chella closes up as the sun sets