#dougga

[postcard-from-the-past]

Roman houses and temple in Dougga, Tunisia

French vintage postcard

[ukdamo]

Today's Flickr photo is a curious throwback - Tunisian hire car, en route to Dougga.

[whencyclopedfr]

Société Carthaginoise

La société de Carthage était dominée par une classe marchande aristocratique qui occupait toutes les positions politiques et religieuses importantes, mais au-dessous de cette strate se trouvait un mélange cosmopolite d'artisans, d'ouvriers, de mercenaires, d'esclaves et d'étrangers venus de toute la Méditerranée. À son apogée, la ville comptait environ 400 000 habitants, et le mélange international de compétences et de cultures était une recette du succès qui conduisit les écrivains romains à décrire Carthage comme la ville la plus riche du monde. Malheureusement pour la postérité, lorsque Carthage fut détruite par les Romains, son histoire le fut aussi à bien des égards et les détails sur le fonctionnement de la société carthaginoise, les relations entre les classes et le rôle des femmes en particulier, restent malheureusement insaisissables. Néanmoins, les descriptions des auteurs romains et les inscriptions qui subsistent sur les stèles puniques permettent de reconstituer au moins partiellement la composition sociale de l'une des cultures les plus importantes de la Méditerranée antique.

Lire la suite...

[dknuth]

Dougga

Our first destination today is Dougga, a major Roman city in the area in a large agricultural area. I knew that this area was a primary food production area for the Roman Empire, but assumed that it was no longer productive. But we drove for miles through wheat fields. The last few years have been especially dry and so there is a lot of concern about climate change, but even so there was an impressive amount of wheat and olives.

The site is located on the side of a hill with views across the valley and the town cascading down the hillside. It must have made a great impression on the approach.

The site has been occupied by Numidian, Punic, Roman, Byzantine, and to a lesser extent Islamic civilizations.

It's a World Heritage Site and is noted as the best-preserved Roman site in Tunisia.

The first structure on entry is the theater, which could seat 3,500 people which is remarkable since the town only had a population of 5,000!

Then downhill slightly to the main temple to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.

Note the particular North African stonework with the larger vertical stones in the walls.

To the left of the temple and down a few steps is the public forum.

On one of the steps was this apparently graffiti.

Ancient Aliens?

The marketplace was clear with the stalls around the outside and the center field.

T

The city center spread down hill.

The main temple was visible all over the site.

The baths were also impressive, although the basic layout is looking pretty standard.

We learned about a unique African construction method. When forming vaults you typically need falsework to support the masonry until you have complete arches. But here they developed a method using pottery "bottles" that stacked and allowed a slight curve. These could be built in a series of arches and the masonry placed on them. By careful placement of the concrete to balance the load the staging was eliminated, a big advantage in Africa where timber was limited. Here we can see the impression of these "bottles" in the concrete.

Below the town is a Punic ear mausoleum tower. One of the best-preserved structures from the time.

While there was much more to explore, we had a long day ahead and had to head back to the bus.

[kamicorner-01]

Tunisia Unveiled: Discovering the Top Destinations in the Jewel of North Africa

Tunisia, nestled along the Mediterranean Sea in North Africa, is a country brimming with a rich tapestry of history, diverse landscapes, and vibrant culture. From ancient ruins to bustling markets and pristine beaches, Tunisia offers a delightful array of experiences for travelers. In this blog post, we’ll unravel the top destinations, each contributing to the country’s unique allure. Carthage –…

[whencyclopedes]

Sociedad cartaginesa

La sociedad de Cartago estaba dominada por una clase aristocrática comerciante que ocupaba todos los cargos políticos y religiosos importantes, pero por debajo de este estrato había una mezcla cosmopolita de artesanos, trabajadores, mercenarios, esclavos y extranjeros de todo el Mediterráneo. En su apogeo, la ciudad contaba con unos 400.000 habitantes, y la mezcla internacional de habilidades y culturas era una receta para el éxito que llevó a los escritores romanos a describir Cartago como la ciudad más rica del mundo. Desgraciadamente para la posteridad, cuando Cartago fue destruida por los romanos también lo fue su historia en muchos aspectos, y los detalles sobre el funcionamiento de la sociedad cartaginesa, las relaciones entre clases y el papel de las mujeres en particular siguen siendo frustrantemente vagos. Sin embargo, las descripciones de los autores romanos y las inscripciones que se conservan de las estelas púnicas ayudan a reconstruir al menos una imagen parcial de la composición social de una de las culturas más importantes del Mediterráneo antiguo.

Lire la suite...

[yoooko-o]

24/11/2022 part3

[whispersofsands]

Whispers of Sands : révéler la mystique cinématographique tunisienne

Bienvenue en Tunisie, un délice touristique avec ses sites archéologiques, son patrimoine culturel et ses paysages pittoresques. Une visite à Carthage — Les Ruines ? Soleil, sable et mer à Sousse et Monastir ? Faire du shopping au souk des mille et une nuits à Kairouwan ? Qu’il s’agisse de réserver le voyage Nile Horus pour découvrir les mystères cachés du monde antique, l’aventure du désert du Sahara ou de faire une visite pour découvrir les zones de tournage du film Star Wars, les vacances en Tunisie ne vous décevront pas. De belles villes, de belles îles et de beaux voyages, la Tunisie vous invite à explorer de nombreux endroits magnifiques. Des amoureux de l’histoire aux amoureux de la nature en passant par les cinéphiles, il y a tant de choses à voir et à faire dans ce pays magique.

Sentiers patrimoniaux et aperçus culturels

Les visites guidées en Tunisie vous offrent la meilleure opportunité de vous plonger au cœur même de cette nation d’Afrique du Nord. Visites guidées tunisie a quelque chose à offrir à chacun ; des ruines historiques de Carthage aux marchés de Tunis, les visites guidées vous aident à ne rien manquer. La Tunisie est un pays avec plusieurs expériences historiques et, pour cette raison, des guides possédant une connaissance adéquate de l’histoire sont toujours présents, ce qui rend les visites guidées en Tunisie parfaites pour les débutants.

En ce qui concerne les circuits touristiques, la Tunisie a enrichi les visites de base ciblées, vous permettant d’explorer la terrasse des meilleures options, comme les souks de Carthage et de Tunis.

Les visites guidées tunisie sont extrêmement bénéfiques pour un voyageur débutant intéressé par l’histoire de la Tunisie, car les guides eux-mêmes sont bien lus et fournissent des faits historiques et le contexte des lieux visités.

Odyssée de la Tunisie : des souks au Sahara

Plus visites touristiques tunisie en raison de nombreuses attractions, dont. Quoi qu’il en soit — rivages méditerranéens, monuments historiques ou bazars de souks, les touristes qui choisissent la Tunisie pour un voyage ne seront certainement pas déçus. Découvrir l’idée de visiter la Tunisie peut être extrêmement fructueux. La rubrique visites tunisie de l’agence de voyages s’étendait du Sahara aux plages de Tunisie, présentant ainsi de la variété.

Le trafic touristique en Tunisie augmente grâce à la possibilité de combiner loisirs maritimes et monuments historiques, une vie nocturne active et des souks lumineux pour faire du shopping, de sorte que tous les touristes visites touristiques tunisie ne resteront pas indifférents.

visites tunisie a beaucoup à offrir à ses visiteurs avec tout, du désert du Sahara et des chameaux aux plages luxueuses et aux ruines antiques.

Voyage dans la tapisserie culturelle tunisienne

Souhaitant voir des sites culturels en Tunisie, on a la possibilité d’explorer l’histoire du pays. Voyages culturels tunisie incluent le site de fouilles de ruines romaines, certaines structures architecturales islamiques ainsi que les coutumes traditionnelles du peuple. De tels circuits donnent une meilleure image de la richesse culturelle de la Tunisie et c’est pourquoi je qualifie voyages culturels tunisie d’éclairants.

Le tourisme culturel tunisien implique un regard sur les destinations culturelles du pays composées de ruines romaines, de structures et de coutumes islamiques.

Les voyages culturels en Tunisie donnent aux touristes une chance d’explorer la culture tunisienne, rendant ainsi les voyages informatifs.

De l’ancienne médina aux oasis du désert

Les voyages découverte en Tunisie sont parfaits pour ceux qui aiment prendre des risques. Lorsque vous découvrez Dougga ou flânez dans la Médina de Tunis, les voyages découvertes tunisie sont en effet très remplis de surprises. Ces voyages vous obligent à rechercher des zones inédites et moins vues, faisant ainsi du voyages découvertes tunisie une expérience passionnante. La Tunisie offre une bonne variété de choses à voir, à manger et bien sûr de la plage et de l’eau. Ainsi depuis le sable d’Hammamet, les vignobles du medrid, la ville en ruines de Carthage jusqu’au désert du sud ; les vacances en Tunisie sont la destination idéale.

La Tunisie est l’un des rares endroits à obtenir des scores élevés dans tous les créneaux touristiques, que ce soit pour se prélasser au soleil au bord de la Méditerranée ou pour visiter les sites archéologiques.

La Tunisie peut vraiment offrir du repos à tout le monde grâce à sa magnifique côte méditerranéenne — pour les amoureux de la plage, il y a des endroits comme Hammamet et pour les amateurs d’histoire, par exemple, les ruines de Carthage.

Randonnées dans le désert et rencontres culturelles

L’errance tunisienne est un voyage dans le désert du Sahara et ressent la chaleur du plus grand désert chaud du monde. Voyages désert tunisien offre certaines des meilleures expériences au monde avec les meilleures dunes de sable, un ciel nocturne et une touche du peuple berbère d’origine. Ce type de voyage convient aux personnes qui aimeraient vivre une expérience de voyage en pleine nature et plus particulièrement dans le désert. Le tourisme dans le désert tunisien est donc unique en son genre. Faire une randonnée dans une excursion désert tunisie est particulièrement agréable pour tous ceux qui aiment l’aventure. Participez à des activités comme l’exploration du Sahara, la culture du peuple traditionnel — les Berbères, ainsi que les magnifiques paysages de la Tunisie.

La randonnée est une façon passionnante de découvrir les merveilles naturelles et historiques qui varient aux abords du désert de sable tunisien.

La valeur de excursion tunisie destination peut donc être considérée comme relativement flexible, il semble que l’on puisse trouver tout ce que l’on cherche dans le pays, qu’il s’agisse d’histoire ancienne ou de nouveau développement. Ces excursion en tunisie conviennent aux personnes qui aimeraient parcourir de nombreux terrains en Tunisie en peu de temps.

[call-me-malek]

DOUGGA - TUNISIA

[eclecticharmonytimemachine]

Josef Koudelka Vestiges:   Tunisia. Dougga. Dougga theatre. 2011.

[darkmaga-returns]

On the ninth-grade boy and a married father of two who were driven to suicide by artificial intelligence and the laws of Arthur C. Clarke.

Pedro L. Gonzalez

Oct 31, 2024

Detail of the Odysseus and the Sirens mosaic from Dougga (Tunisia) depicting Odysseus’ encounter with the Sirens. Photo Credit: Bardo National Museum.

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Sewell Setzer’s parents noticed a change in him.

The boy not yet fifteen quietly retreated inward, losing interest in all the things he once loved, isolating himself from the world. At school he’d get into trouble as his grades deteriorated. Mom and stepdad sent him to a therapist, who diagnosed him with anxiety and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. But the sessions didn’t help. Sewell hid away in his room for hours at a time, concerned only with one solitary thing: his phone.

Then one day Sewell shot himself in the head with his stepfather’s .45 caliber handgun.An exchange between Sewell and the chatbot just before he shot himself. Photo Credit: Florida District Court / Daily Mail.

Only later did his parents discover that Sewell had been living in a fantasy world, sequestered there with the help of Character.AI, an app that allows users to interact with bots designed to mimic human speech and emotions. These characters can be whatever you wish them to be.

Sewell had secretly assumed the persona of “Daenero” in this realm of digital dreams and fell in love with a virtual creation named Daenerys Targaryen, who was constructed to intimidate the Game of Thrones character. In the final message of their final exchange, she wrote: “come home to me.” Sewell, who said he longed to be united with “Dany” in death, set down his phone and picked up the weapon he used to end his life.

Now, Megan Garcia, Sewell’s mother, is suing Character.AI. She blames the company for her son’s death. “I feel like it’s a big experiment, and my kid was just collateral damage,” she told The New York Times.

I don’t think artificial intelligence will threaten us in the way Skynet threatens the world in the Terminator universe that sprang from the mind of James Cameron. We will not bear witness to a nuclear end of days followed by a procession of burning red eyes buried within grinning chrome skulls atop endoskeletons glinting in the ashen moonlight. At least not any time soon. For now, we are confronted with a more mundane and pernicious threat that preys upon our desire for companionship. It hijacks what makes us human and turns that against us.

[postcard-from-the-past]

Stairs of the Trifolium Villa in Dougga, Tunisia

French vintage postcard

[lordofhel]

The Ultimate Guide to Summer Music Festivals in Tunisia 2024

A Look Back at Tunisia’s 2024 Summer Music Festivals The summer of 2024 in Tunisia was nothing short of spectacular, as the country’s historic venues hosted some of the most iconic music festivals. Three major events stood out: the International Festival of Carthage, the International Festival of Hammamet, and the International Festival of Dougga, each offering unforgettable performances from…

[chrysaliseuro2024]

Tunisia Day 3

Warm sunny day and the first stop was to visit 2 wells (the Aghlabid Basins) which were observable from a small tower. Built in the 9th century they were used to filter and supply water to the town. Liz and I couldn’t agree at time of writing this whether there were 2,3 or 4 basins. With one used to feed livestock. Anyway it was an impressive feat at the time! It was baking up on the roof of the tower so a quick stop really though good view over town and of the 2,3 or 4 basins ( should write this blog up more quickly!)

On next to the Mausoleum. I had shorts on so a sort of shawl to cover the legs was required. Built in a square it was a very attractive building and there was one room (mausoleum itself) which we could not enter as non muslims. The guy at the entrance took Liz’s phone and shot a couple of photos of a very ornate room. This is a very holy site in Kairouan with a companion of the prophet Muhammad buried here in 654 though the site was renovated in the 17th century.

On to the Great Mosque. It is one of the largest mosques in Africa and one of the oldest places of worship in the Islamic World. As grand as could be expected. Built in the 7th century it was renovated in the 9th century with some redevelopment over the years. Famed also for being a centre for scholars in the Middle Ages.

Again we could not enter the mosque itself though enjoyed walking through the areas that were open to us. Typically ladies have to cover themselves but yet again I had to cover the legs though this time I was given what could kindly be described as a kaftan and less kindly as a dress. Very comfortable.

Lunchtime and we headed for a pretty swish place close to the Mosque. Linen tablecloths, dressed up waiters. Very hot outside but pretty cool in. Typical fare of salad and chicken. Salads here are driving Liz nuts as they could best be described as Onion salad. Plenty of raw onion mixed with lots of cucumber another pet non favourite of hers with a sprinkling of tomatoes. Alright, but gets bit repetitive given all the nice dippy stuff they could do.

Next stop was Sbeitla not on the original itinerary we received, Liz asked for it to be included rather than Sousse. Nothing wrong with Sousse, Sbeitla just read well. It was a good decision. Capital of the Byzantine empire the site was large and for ancient ruins reasonably well preserved. We also had a local guide who knew his stuff about the history and had a very witty and engaging manner.

It really was hot probably mid 30s if not more in the sun and Anis our tour guide was more than happy to go for a coffee and let us be guided. One of the highlights was the Capitol with temples to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Though there were many more - the inevitable theatre, the remains of houses, baths, empty tombs, one of which our guide playfully jumped in for a picture. Though we are a bit rusty on it we thought it might give Ephesus a run for its money as an archaeological site and certainly Dougga though all three are exceptional. Like Dougga the size of the original area was immense and excavations continue. We probably wandered through for about an hour helped by his narrative and there were no other tourists to be seen. The bulk of English and French tourists seem to head for the beach.

Next stop was the last for the night the El Mouradi Hotel in Tozeur. Breakfast and dinner included and from here we were to go on a run of smorgasbords. Mostly average but did the job.

[dknuth]

Bulla Regia

After leaving Dougga we drove through more wheat fields.

Then we stopped at Bulla Regia, not a big site not well preserved or excavated, but remarkable for its unique housing design.

Bulla Regia was a small but wealthy town in an agricultural area, but also in a very hot area in the summer. The wealthy developed a unique solution, build the summer portion of their houses underground. Of course, they didn't have electric lighting, so the center courtyard extended down to the lower level. This lower level was smaller than the original and most seemed to have just the private family rooms on that level, but one had a large dining room where guests would have been received. No doubt an invitation to dinner at this house would have been very welcome!

There were interesting mosaics at the ground level, but they have been exposed and not protected, so are not faring well. The look faded but we were show how a little water will bring them back to life.

This hunting scene was not doing as well.

The mosaics on the lower level where they have been protected are in much better condition.

They appeared to have local organizations or clubs and their club symbols are displayed in their mosaic floors!

Most of the site has not been excavated. Excavating a site is hugely expensive. Care has to be taken not to damage anything, so overlying materials need to be removed carefully, the findings need documentation, preservation, and possible storage. Then all the information needs to be published, and the site protected.

This can clearly take much longer than the original construction. So unless there are major finds demonstrated, it can be hard to get funding for digs. As a result, most of Bulla is untouched. After all a lot of even the most famous sites, like Pompeii are still untouched.

But one advantage of the site left natural was the abundance of poppies flowering.

Then it was on to our next hotel and another too large dinner.

[travopo]

Fun Things to Do in Dougga | Travel Guide (2023) | Best Tourist Places