Phoenician-Punic urban and funerary landscapes of Carthage : the last results of the Tunisian-Italian Archaeological Mission (2021-2024) by INP-Sapienza

The Tunisian-Italian Archaeological Mission to Carthage (MAC) investigated two key necropolises of the ancient city: the Phoenician necropolis of Dermech (7th-6th century BC) and the Punic necropolis of the Odéon Hill (4th-2nd century BC). The project revealed distinct burial practices and urban developments. New data from Dermech suggest that after the abandonment of the necropolis in the late 6th century BC, the area remained unused for over a century, likely due to its sacred funerary status. By the 4th century BC, however, the site underwent radical transformation, emerging as a thriving artisan quarter featuring a Punic kiln for pottery production and a metallurgical workshop. This reoccupation highlights Carthage’s urban expansion and economic vitality during its Mediterranean ascendancy. Concurrently, the Necropolis of the Odéon Hill revealed monumental Punic tombs with secondary burials disrupted by Roman construction, corroborating Tertullian’s accounts. The results advance understanding of Carthaginian funerary evolution, urban dynamics, and Mediterranean interactions prior to Roman conquest.