Description of the attraction
Kerkouan is an ancient and rather large Punic city from the time of Carthage, dating back to the 5th-4th centuries. BC. During the first Punic War, it was destroyed and after, unlike Carthage, it was not rebuilt by either the Romans or the Arabs. But the more valuable are the things found on its territory, because they show the life of that time, not distorted by someone else's influence.
In Kerkuan, almost no important historical documents have been found, but a whole collection of household items has been discovered, kept in a nearby archaeological museum, opened in 1986. According to one version, the city was destroyed in the II century. BC. Roman Emperor Mark Regulus, according to another - already during the war with Agathocles in 310 BC. NS. he suffered greatly, but the inhabitants remained in the city until the conquest of Kerkuan by Rome.
The city was quite wealthy, as there was extensive trade on its territory and trade routes passed through it. In addition, purple dye for fabrics was mined and produced here, which was then a very expensive commodity. Some archaeologists believe that the city could have been built even before Carthage - in the 6th century BC, since there are several houses on its territory, much older than the rest. Judging by the number of foundations, about 2 thousand people lived in Kerkuan, there was a sanctuary, and a trading square was located in the center.
The necropolis, located northwest of the city, was found by a local in 1929, when he was working in the field, but French archaeologists began excavations there only in 1952, 20 years later. In 1985, UNESCO declared Kerkuan, including the adjacent necropolis, a World Heritage Site as the best-preserved Punic settlement.
Tourists visiting Kerkuan have the opportunity to see the layout of the Punic city in its original form, walk along its streets and enter houses where unique pink marble baths and mosaic panels have been preserved.
