A Short Visit to Tunisia – Archeology and Culture

Returning to London from Uzbekistan, the airfare was actually cheaper to go by way of Tunis(!). Tunisia had been on my radar since having to cancel my April 2020 trip there for you-know-why. I spent two days on guided tours: the first of Tunis and its environs, including exploring the village of Sidi Bou Said, the Medina of Tunis, and the ruins of Carthage, as well as visiting the Bardo museum; and the second exploring the farther afield Roman towns of Dougga and Bulla Regia.

Sidi Bou Said

Named after a 12th century Arab Sufi scholar who lived there, this town about 20km northeast from Tunis, is known for its extensive use of blue and white. Wildly popular with tourists, my guide and I got an early start. . .

Café view with port and Mediterranean Sea

The Medina of Tunis

The advantage (for me at least) of wandering the Medina on a Sunday was that many shops were closed, and the chill atmosphere stood in stark contrast to what I presume is its usual frenetic pace of life. . .

Tunis Medina street with the minaret of Hammouda Pacha Mosque

A fish mosaic in a Medina madrasa. As you shall see, I really love tile mosaics!

Street view of the minaret of Al-Zaytuna Mosque, the main mosque in the Medina of Tunis

Carthage

The ancient Punic (aka western Phoenician or Carthaginian) civilization had Carthage as its capital. The Romans built over the city and little remains from its Punic period. While overall Carthage was a disappointment, it is nonetheless a must-see destination. . .

. . .but first it was time for lunch at a La Goulette (port of Tunis) seafood restaurant! After two weeks in the pescatarian desert that is Uzbekistan, it was a great relief to be on the Mediterranean coast.

The Punic Tophet, dedicated to Tanit and Baal. It is not clear whether the graves are a result of child sacrifice or from other causes such as high infant mortality. It is one of the only areas of Carthage not built over by the Romans or destroyed in later urbanization.

A ground level view of the Baths of Antoninus, one of the largest such complexes in the Roman world

Dougga

The Roman town of Thugga, partly built over Berber and Punic settlements, is one of the best preserved Roman towns in north Africa. In 1997 it achieved UNESCO World Heritage Site status (and consequent flood of funds and tourists!). Most of the mosaics and other artifacts from Dougga are on display at the Bardo Museum in Tunis.

View from the cheap seats at the amphitheater

The obligatory wildflower photo, a squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium). Its fascinating method of seed dispersal had recently been elucidated by researchers at Oxford University.

The Capitolium of Dougga, its most iconic monument

The Vagabond Hiker under the Arch of Severus Alexander. The twin forks of an ancient olive tree are in the foreground. In the background in the Capitolium.

A Roman road built over an older Numidian road. Due to the irregular topography, the town was not built to the usual Roman plan.

The Trifolium Villa, the largest structure in the residential area of Dougga. Why doesn’t Wiki, in their otherwise extensive article on the town, call it what is clearly was: a brothel?

For those readers interested, much more of Dougga’s architecture and a bit of its history can be found on this fascinating website.

Bulla Regia

After another 90 minute drive we came to the Roman town of Bulla Regia. That it is not listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a mixed blessing: while much has not been excavated, I had the entire site to myself!

The House of the Hunt, featuring its unusual hexagonal windows. The ground floor of these residences was in fact built underground, likely to keep them cooler in the intense summer heat.

House of Amphitrite floor mosaic. Houses here are named after their major mosaics, many of which are still in situ.

Detail from the Amphitrite House floor mosaic of Cupid riding a dolphin while admiring himself. An interesting and more extensive photo journal blog from another American Abroad can be viewed here.

An emperor sans hands and head at Bulla Regia. Detachable heads – and sometimes hands – made statuary easily modifiable when a new Roman emperor was crowned.

The large bear mosaic from the orchestra floor of Bulla Regia’s theater. From here, in 399 CE St Augustine of Hippo famously excoriated the townspeople for their lack of faith.

The Bardo Museum

Known for one of the world’s largest collection of Roman mosaics, to fully appreciate the extent of the collections in The National Bardo museum would require days. I had about two hours, mostly spent amongst the mosaics. . .

A Punic feeding vessel from the 3rd century BCE

An amazing, though incomplete, fish mosaic. . .

. . . and a single fish detail from the mosaic. Most of the fish can actually be identified with some certainty.

Continuing with the piscine theme of this post, a fisherman mosaic detail

Triumph of Neptune mosaic detail, from Neptune and the Four Seasons

The famous mosaic of Virgil, along with the muses Clio and Melpomene. It is the oldest portrait of the poet.

After my short visit to Tunisia, I headed back to London. . .

Now back in Hastings until early November, I am feverishly working to get another two blog posts completed, which will return the focus to more interesting hiking in Portugal’s Algarve and another section of the Southwest Coast Path in Cornwall. Stay tuned!

The Vagabond Hiker