Megalithic monuments are a distinctive archaeological feature of Saharan land-scape, as indicated by different systematic research projects undertaken so far. Starting from a very low baseline of previous archaeological research, and as part of a comprehensive research programme focussed on northern Sahara, we launched in 2015 a territorial investigation of stone monuments of the pre-protohistory and early history of southern Tunisia. To do this, we selected a sample study area east and south-east of the Chott el Jérid depression (Kebili re-gion) where to conduct field research. In this paper we present the research strategy adopted, planned to address some issues such as the poor state of preservation of the monuments or their uncertain chronology, also known from other parts of the Sahara. Our results, based on the combination of remote sensing analysis, field survey and selected excavations, highlight a dense occupation of this area of northern Sahara, where monumental buildings of possible funerary function tentatively trace back to the late pre-protohistory up to the roman age. The persistent use of the area across a long-time span corroborates its pivotal location in ancient trans-Saharan connection routes
I monumenti megalitici sono una caratteristica archeologica distintiva del pae-saggio sahariano. Partendo da una base piuttosto limitata di lavori editi, e nell’ambito di un programma di ricerca dedicato al Sahara settentrionale, abbiamo avviato nel 2015 un’indagi-ne territoriale sui monumenti in pietra della pre-protostoria e della storia antica della Tunisia meridionale. L’area di studio selezionata è localizzata a est e a sud-est della depressione del Chott el Jérid (governatorato di Kebili). In questo lavoro viene presentata la strategia di ricerca adottata, modulata sulle specifiche caratteristiche locali, quali il pessimo stato di conservazio-ne dei monumenti e la loro incerta cronologia. I nostri risultati, basati sulla combinazione di analisi di telerilevamento, ricognizioni di superficie e scavi di alcuni monumenti, evidenziano una densa occupazione di questa regione del Sahara settentrionale, dove edifici monumentali di possibile funzione funeraria si collocano cronologicamente dalla tarda preistoria fino all’età romana. L’uso persistente dell’area in un arco di tempo molto lungo ne conferma la posizione centrale nelle antiche vie di collegamento transahariane
Megalithic Structures of the northern Sahara (Chott el Jérid, Tunisia) / Monaco, Andrea; Belhouchet, Lotfi; Bel Hadj Brahim, Hedi; Ben Fraj, Tarek; Ben Nasr, Jaâfar; Boussoffara, Ridha; Cancellieri, Emanuele; Jnen, Moufida; Lucci, Enrico; Rotunno, Rocco; DI LERNIA, Savino. - In: CARTAGINE. STUDI E RICERCHE. - ISSN 2532-1110. - 5:(2020), pp. 1-26. [10.13125/caster/4078]
Megalithic Structures of the northern Sahara (Chott el Jérid, Tunisia)
Emanuele Cancellieri;Enrico Lucci;Rocco Rotunno;Savino Di Lernia
2020
Abstract
Megalithic monuments are a distinctive archaeological feature of Saharan land-scape, as indicated by different systematic research projects undertaken so far. Starting from a very low baseline of previous archaeological research, and as part of a comprehensive research programme focussed on northern Sahara, we launched in 2015 a territorial investigation of stone monuments of the pre-protohistory and early history of southern Tunisia. To do this, we selected a sample study area east and south-east of the Chott el Jérid depression (Kebili re-gion) where to conduct field research. In this paper we present the research strategy adopted, planned to address some issues such as the poor state of preservation of the monuments or their uncertain chronology, also known from other parts of the Sahara. Our results, based on the combination of remote sensing analysis, field survey and selected excavations, highlight a dense occupation of this area of northern Sahara, where monumental buildings of possible funerary function tentatively trace back to the late pre-protohistory up to the roman age. The persistent use of the area across a long-time span corroborates its pivotal location in ancient trans-Saharan connection routesFile | Dimensione | Formato | |
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