Français – عربي – ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ – English
Kerkouane is an old Punic city, on the Cape Bon. For close to 400 years, it was one of the most important cities of the Carthaginian Empire. Kerkouane was probably abandoned during the First Punic War, and was not rebuilt by the Romans. Consequently, it is nowadays the only authentically Punic site, without any modifications by later civilisations.
Kerkouane war a Punic city built on the tip of the Cape Bon, in modern-day North-Eastern Tunisia. For close to 400 years, it was one of the main cities of the Carthaginian Empire, with Carthage, Utica and Hadrumetum (Sousse). The name of the city in Antiquity is unknown: the name Kerkouane, which was given to it by archaeologists, comes from the Tamazight kkerker, “to wall up”.
The city probably had around 1.200 inhabitants, mostly fishers and craftsmen. The presence of many murex shells indicates that the city probably was a purple dye producer. It also produced salt, as well as garum, a fermented fish sauce that was very popular in the ancient world.
Kerkouane was conquered by Agathocles of Syracuse, and later by the Romans during the First Punic War. The city was probably abandoned after the war. As it was never rebuilt by the Romans, the ruins of Kerkouane are nowadays the only authentically Punic archaeological site, without any modifications by later civilisations. The city and its necropolis are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.
