Henchir Ziane

Henchir Ziane is an archaeological site in southern Tunisia, located in the middle of the Zarzis peninsula, approximately 9 km west of the modern town. The site corresponds to an ancient settlement known under several names in classical and medieval sources, and preserves remains from the Neo‑Punic and Roman periods.

The ancient city is attested under several names in the sources, with variations in spelling and interpretation depending on authors and periods. It appears as Ponte Zita Municipium in the Itinerarium Antonini^[1], as Ziza Municipium in the Tabula Peutingeriana^[2], and as Zitha^[3]. Other forms include Pons Zitha^[4], Zian^[5], Medinet Zian^[6], Medinet ez‑Zian^[7], and the forms S'ian or Enchir Medinet S'ian^[8].

The name Zita means “place of olives”, or more precisely “city of olives”, in the Punic language, part of the Northwest Semitic group.^[9][10] The meaning is particularly appropriate, as shown by the dozens of charred olive pits uncovered during excavations, and by the fact that the surrounding semi‑arid landscape remains today a major olive‑producing area.^[11].

A curious tradition recorded among the inhabitants of Zarzis claims that a canal once ran from Zian to the sea, bringing down streams of oil that were collected in jars or barrels near the port for export ^[12].

The first traveller to explore the ruins of Zitha was Pellissier in 1846.^[13][14] During his visit, he discovered a heap of at least ten marble statues, including a headless and partially mutilated figure of Diana. Pellissier obtained from the Bey the concession of the antiquities of Zian, along with permission to remove them whenever he wished ^{[15] [16]}.

During his journey through the region in 1849 ^[17] Heinrich Barth observed that a small quadrangular building contained eight or nine statues—five of them female figures—executed in a good Roman style and piled on top of one another, while others lay half-buried nearby. This assemblage, together with the appearance of the masonry, convinced him that the site was not an isolated outpost but a true city.^[18]

In a letter addressed to Charles Tissot, the French vice‑consul in Sfax recalled that in 1851 he had removed twelve statues taken from the ancient city of Zian and shipped them aboard the *Sentinelle*. In a communication presented by Salomon Reinach to the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres, he reported the disappearance of these statues.^{[19] [20]}

In 1860 ^[17], Victor Guérin reached Medinet‑Zian, where he noted ruins scattered across small hills, including the remains of an overturned temple and several mutilated marble statues ^[21].

Reinach and Babelon were the first to conduct systematic excavations on the land occupied by the ruins, which had been purchased in 1881 by Tissot, allowing them to work freely ^[22]. The excavations took place between 25 January and 2 February 1884 ^[23]. The forum was cleared, and the plan of the surrounding buildings was recorded. Five large headless marble statues, two marble heads, a gold amulet, and numerous inscriptions were uncovered, including one that appears to give the ancient name of Ziân as Cibarea ^[24] or Ciparea ^[25].

The twelve sculptures recovered by Pellissier remained for thirty‑six years at the Toulon naval arsenal before being transferred to the Louvre in 1887 ^[26] They were catalogued by Reinach.^[27]

Five statues were found by Babelon and Reinach ^[38], four of which are documented in a photograph taken on site ^[39] and in the collection of the Alaoui Museum.^[40]

They include:

• Torso of a draped female statue in white marble ^{[41] [42]}
• Colossal draped female statue, missing shoulders, arms, head and right leg ^{[43] [44]}
• Very mutilated white‑marble statue, missing head, arms and feet ^{[45] [46]}
• Statue of a man in white marble, lower body draped, fine workmanship of the good Roman period; head, arms and feet missing ^{[47] [48]}

At least two of these statues are now displayed in the Zarzis Museum ^[49].

A very thin sheet‑gold amulet, about 6 cm wide and 5 cm high, covered with characters, most of which are meaningless. Some are Greek letters, but juxtaposed without forming words. A dagger is engraved at the bottom. It is most likely a Gnostic amulet, similar to examples held by the Bibliothèque nationale and the Louvre. The amulet was deposited in the Cabinet des Médailles ^[50].

Two large marble heads ^[38] now in the Cabinet des Médailles, were initially identified by Reinach as representing the emperor Claudius veiled as pontiff and Lucilla, daughter of Faustina.

• Nero Julius Caesar — Found at the entrance of the central chamber overlooking the forum to the northwest ^[38] Height: 38 cm; fine‑grained white marble. The head tilts slightly backward and to the left; the hair falls low on the forehead, arranged around a fork‑shaped parting, with loose strands adding movement. The youthful, calm face shows a protruding lower lip and firm chin. The eyebrows slanting toward the nose give the expression a sombre nuance, evoking Roman torvitas (severity of gaze) ^[51].

• Agrippina the Elder — Found at the southern end of the forum ^[38], Height: 30 cm; heavily restored. The highly polished face contrasts with the more worked hairstyle: two bands framing the forehead, a braid at the nape, and parotid locks of which traces remain. The face is cold and dominated by large eyes. The original statue would have been about 210 cm tall ^[51]

Other marble fragments were also found on site, including a colossal hand holding a globe, arms, a colossal leg, and six hands of various sizes ^[38].

The excavations uncovered thirty‑five inscriptions, most of them fragmentary ^[38]. Among the most legible are the following:

A large inscription, about 6 metres long, of which roughly half the letters are preserved, likely occupied the central part of the architrave on the south‑eastern short side of the forum. It reads: [Ti. Claudio] Caesari [Aug. Germ]anico p[ontifici maximo tri]b. pot. cos. II imp. III. [Q. Marc]ius C. f. Bare[a cos. XV vi]r s(acris) f(aciundis) fetiali[s ...] procos. dedicavit. “To Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, pontifex maximus, holder of the tribunician power, consul for the second time, acclaimed imperator for the third time. Quintus Marcius Barea, son of Caius, consul for the fifteenth time, member of the *viri sacris faciundis*, fētial, …, proconsul, dedicated (this monument).” This likely refers to Q. Marcius C. f. Barea, probably suffect consul in AD 18 and proconsul of Africa in AD 42 ^[52].

A limestone cippus discovered at the north‑eastern corner of the forum bears the inscription: Q. Plaut[io] Titian[o] mag(istratu) e[t] [c]eteris [ho]n[oribus inte]gre f[u]nctio curia [Fa]ustin[a] ob merit[a]. “To Quintus Plautius Titianus, who exercised his magistracy and other honours with integrity. The Curia Faustina dedicated (this monument) in recognition of his merits ^[53].

Another inscription, found at the northern corner of the forum beneath a plain entablature, reads: [M. Pompeius] Silvanus cos. prōc[os.] [xv]ir [sacris faciundis] de sua pecunia fac[i]endum cu[ravit]. “Marcus Pompeius Silvanus, consul, proconsul, member of the *quindecimviri sacris faciundis*, had (this monument) made at his own expense ^[50]. M. Pompeius Silvanus was consul in AD 45 and proconsul of Africa in AD 57; the inscription identifies him as the patron responsible for one of the forum porticoes^[54].

A limestone cippus now located in Zarzis, in an ancient cistern converted into a marabout near the Bordj and probably originating from Zian, bears the inscription: C. Memmio C. [filio] C. n[epoti] Quir[ina tribu] Afric[ano] [ad]lecto in turmas eq[uestres] [a d]ivo Hadriano . . .. “To Caius Memmius Africanus, son of Caius, grandson of Caius, of the tribe Quirina, admitted into the equestrian squadrons by the divine Hadrian…”^[55]

A group of Punic stelae was discovered accidentally in February 1987. They display a particularly rich iconographic repertoire, including the Sign of Tanit, the “bottle” sign, vegetal motifs dominated by palms and pomegranates, as well as representations of the sun and crescent ^[56].

The tophet area also yielded, in addition to the stelae, twenty‑four intact urns, plastered basins, and pits containing burnt bones, unguentaria, and bowls ^[57].

An inscription was found by Lieutenant du Breil de Pontbriand among the debris of excavations carried out in 1903 by Captain Tribalet, in an isolated monument that appeared to be a temple located 300 metres east of the forum. The inscription has been interpreted as referring either to a “Temple of Dagon” or a “house of grain” (Dagan in Phoenician) ^[58].

Lieutenant Bouchard cleared a small temple ^[59]. A Latin inscription dedicated to Caelestis was found on the left corner column shaft of the temple façade ^[60].

Ceramic evidence indicates that Zita was founded at the end of the 5th century BC, in the context of Carthaginian expansion into the African interior. The site was gradually abandoned from AD 200 onward and completely deserted around AD 450.^[61]

Several Neo‑Punic inscriptions highlight the Phoenician character of the site: one mentions the goddess Tanit under her Latinised form Juno Caelestis, while another refers to a “house of Dagon”, attesting to the introduction of this Mesopotamian deity into North Africa.^[62]

Excavations also show that the tophet of Zitha remained active between the late 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. Funerary deposits ceased around AD 100, but the area continued to be frequented until AD 200, probably for votive offerings. This gradual disappearance of Punic cult practices accompanied the integration of the site into the Roman framework and the construction of the forum, marking the rapid abandonment of Phoenico‑Punic religious traditions ^[63].

The abandonment of Zitha corresponds to an almost complete decline in human occupation between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD. Archaeological data indicate that the tophet and the metallurgical zone were deserted from the early 3rd century onward, followed by the kilns and peripheral sectors of the urban centre around the mid‑century. A residual population nevertheless remained within the forum enclosure, which continued to be occupied until its collapse in the early 5th century.

No evidence of a Vandal presence has been identified to date, although most of the site remains unexcavated. The causes of depopulation remain uncertain—relocation, demographic crisis, or socio‑economic transformations—but literary and archaeological sources suggest that the community moved to ancient Gergis, modern Zarzis ^[64].

Located about 300 metres from the forum, outside the urban enclosure, the temple is of an Oriental and Phoenician type, recalling the Temple of Saturn at Dougga. It stands on a square platform raised about 0.75 m on three sides. The sanctuary consists of a large courtyard, 6.5 to 7 m wide, at the back of which are three unequal rooms. The façade of the temple remains insufficiently cleared, preventing a precise reconstruction of its form. The forecourt likely ended in a terrace overlooking the surrounding terrain, enclosed by a balustrade, similar to the sanctuary of Caelestis at Dougga.

A large cistern runs along the entire north‑eastern side, fed by an embankment serving as an impluvium that channelled water toward an opening still visible today ^[60].

As part of the redevelopment of the forum and Capitolium area, a team from the Institut national du patrimoine uncovered several major elements of the Capitolium entrance as well as the limestone paving of the square. The work also revealed various architectural components that once adorned the monument, including columns and capitals in the Ionic and Corinthian styles.^[65]

The location of the forum is marked by a quadrangular depression, with its long sides oriented northwest–southeast. The northern short side abuts a rise that supports the temple. The paving consists of large slabs of schist stone. Around the forum stood porticoes, with nine columns on the short side and eleven on the long side. The limestone capitals belong to the Corinthian and Ionic orders ^[17].

Five large statues were found on the spot ^[38]. The forum dates to the Julio‑Claudian period and remained in use until the Nerva‑Antonine era (AD 42 to c. 180) ^[67].

Following a chance discovery, stelae or fragments of stelae in local limestone were uncovered a few hundred metres from the ancient Roman city. The number of stelae varies according to the sources—128,^[68] 170,^[69] or up to 600 according to more recent studies.^[70][71]

Archaeological discoveries, supported by a test excavation, indicate the presence of a tophet—an open‑air sanctuary where offerings were deposited and buried beneath votive stelae. The stelae uncovered at the site attest to the strong Punic influence in the Zarzis region ^[72].

Targeted excavations in the tophet area yielded, in addition to the stelae—set upright and oriented roughly eastward—twenty‑four intact urns (twelve of which were analysed), plastered basins, and pits containing burnt bones, unguentaria (small ceramic or glass bottles), and bowls ^[57].

The study of the urns identified twelve individuals, mostly infants and young children. Many showed signs of deficiencies (scurvy, anaemia), respiratory infections, or periostitis. The bones bear traces of high‑temperature cremation in nearly all cases, prior to deposition in urns or pits, often without anatomical order ^[73]. Although the osteological data indicate difficult living conditions and health problems likely contributing to mortality, the funerary practices reflect careful treatment of the deceased, with no concrete indication of sacrificial activity^[74].

Ceramic assemblages indicate that the examined burials were deposited between c. 50–30 BC and c. AD 100. Ceramic vessels dating to around AD 200 show that the tophet continued to be visited and maintained after the end of ritual deposits ^[57].

Further excavations are expected to clarify the nature of the site, while several documents relating to these discoveries are already displayed in the Zarzis Museum ^[63].

The discovery in the late 1990s of a large ceramic‑production workshop located downslope from the centre of the ancient city renewed interest in the site. Although the kiln structures themselves have been destroyed by ploughing, their presence remains identifiable through circular ash traces, dense concentrations of ceramics, and numerous misfired vessels ^[75].

Survey work identified two kiln zones:

• Zone A (kilns 1–5): near the modern road, south of the ancient city.
• Zone B (kilns 6–9): farther north and west of the city. The kilns here are more dispersed, ceramic density on the surface is higher, and some clay kiln elements are still preserved, indicating less degradation ^[76].

A total of nine kilns have now been recorded at Zitha. Production was dominated by Tripolitanian amphorae, representing about 90% of the material at most kilns ^[76].

Kiln 7, however, is a notable exception: located near the urban centre, it yielded a very low proportion of amphorae (about 20%). Most of the assemblage consists of common and cooking wares, indicating a different specialization. Petrographic analyses confirm that these productions were made on site ^[76].

This case suggests that within a single workshop, certain kilns may have been specialized by production type, combining amphorae, common wares, and cooking wares according to demand ^[77].

Excavations revealed a true metallurgical zone at Zita, where several areas were dedicated to metalworking. The upper levels, composed of black and orange ashy sediments, correspond to a dumping area located near a furnace. Analyses show that the activity focused primarily on the production of iron or steel ^[78].

One excavated sector even shows the progressive conversion of a space previously associated with olive‑oil processing into a more intensive metallurgical area. This production relied heavily on olive wood as fuel, eventually exhausting local resources. Metallurgical activity expanded significantly before declining around AD 200, in parallel with the abandonment of the site. The evidence suggests that overexploitation of olive wood to supply the furnaces weakened the local economy ^[79].