About This Site
Chemtou archaeological site lies just 16 km from Bulla Regia. It played a significant role in Numidian history. Like Bulla Regia, Chemtou was pivotal in the ancient Numidian region. Ancient Simitthu was famous for its yellow and pink marble quarries. This marble, known as gialó numidicum, adorned prestigious buildings across the Mediterranean. Temples, palaces, and luxurious residences used this stone. The marble quarries’ exploitation led to the city’s rise and growth.
Surviving monuments include villas, a judicial basilica, a theater, an aqueduct, and a bridge. These now form a visible part of its heritage. The site consists of two main areas. These are the quarry itself and the city of Simitthu.
Chemtou archaeological site, marble quarries, museum, and industrial heritage
Recent development efforts have highlighted Numidian marble’s significance. A Tunisian-German cooperation carried out a comprehensive excavation campaign. They established a site museum. Discoveries on-site demonstrate a level of material, intellectual, and spiritual advancement. Previously, little was known about this advancement. The museum now showcases these discoveries masterfully.
Adjacent to the museum, preserved installations remain. These installations date from a marble factory in the early 20th century. They are the first artifacts of “industrial archaeology” promoted in Tunisia
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Frequently Asked Questions
Chemtou (ancient Simitthu) is famous above all for its quarries of giallo numidico - a distinctive yellow and pink marble prized across the Roman world. Columns and decorative elements cut from this marble adorned major buildings in Rome and throughout the empire. The site also preserves a Numidian temple mound, a Roman theatre, aqueduct, and basilica.
Giallo numidico from Chemtou was an imperial monopoly for a period; the quarries were owned directly by the Roman emperors. The marble was used in the Forum of Trajan in Rome, in temples, baths, and palaces across the empire, and was considered among the most prestigious building materials available.
Chemtou is located 16 km east of Bulla Regia near Jendouba in northwestern Tunisia. The site includes an excellent Tunisian-German museum (a result of decades of joint excavation) that contextualises the marble quarrying industry and the Roman town.
The museum presents the history of Numidian Simitthu, the imperial marble trade, and the Roman town through well-displayed finds including inscriptions, architectural fragments, tools, and reconstructions. The ancient quarry faces with their cutting marks are visible on the hillside.
Chemtou is off the main tourist circuit and has limited public transport. A hire car from Tunis or Jendouba is most practical. The combined visit with Bulla Regia (16 km away) is strongly recommended as they complement each other perfectly.
Entry to the site and museum costs approximately 5-8 TND. The Tunisian-German museum on site is well maintained and provides substantial context for understanding the significance of the marble quarries.
