The Tophet of Carthage
The Tophet of Carthage, located in the immediate vicinity of the Punic ports, is a sacred enclosure in which the Punics made sacrifices in honor of the protective deities of Carthage, Baâl Hammon and Tanit.
For a long time the idea prevailed, today disputed by certain specialists, that the sacrificed were children immolated in acts of redemption or grace. And the site has actually delivered, in its deepest, oldest strata, urns containing the ashes of children.
In the upper layers of this “funerarium”, the containers (urns or mini stone sarcophagi) contain animal bones.
The site consists of a tunnel housing the offerings still buried in the ground, a garden where are exposed cippus and steles in sandstone or limestone which surmounted these offerings, as well as an altar where the ritual was supposed to take place. of sacrifice.
Situation:
Tunis/Carthage
To See:
– the Malga cisterns
– the amphitheater
– the circus
– the Damous Carita basilica
– the Antonine baths
– theater
– the so-called Odéon district
Opening time:
– From 16/09 to 31/05: 08.30 – 17.00
– From 01/06 to 15/09: 08:00 – 18:00
Ramadan schedule:
08.00 – 17.00
Entrance fees:
12 dinars
Remarks:
Group ticket. Open all week.
Amenities:
– Bathroom
– Shop
– Cafeteria
The Tophet of Carthage in Video
Where to Find The Tophet of Carthage
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before visiting
The Tophet of Carthage is a sacred Punic enclosure dedicated to the deities Baal Hammon and Tanit. Excavations have uncovered thousands of urns containing the cremated remains of young children and animals, sparking a long-running scholarly debate about whether the site was used for ritual child sacrifice or as a cemetery for infants who died of natural causes.
The site was in use from the founding of Carthage, roughly the 8th century BC, until the Roman destruction of the city in 146 BC, giving it a continuous history of several centuries.
Visitors can walk among rows of stelae - upright stone slabs - many bearing the sign of Tanit and inscriptions to Baal Hammon. Urns and votive objects found on the site are displayed in the nearby Carthage National Museum.
The site is generally open from 08:30 to 17:00 in winter and until 18:00 in summer. Entry costs approximately 12 TND, though prices are subject to change.
Yes. The Tophet is one of the protected components of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Carthage, inscribed in 1979.
The Tophet is situated in the Salammbô district of Carthage, close to the ancient Punic harbours. It is accessible by TGM suburban railway (Salammbô station) from central Tunis.
