Abstract:

Research in Althiburos and its surroundings has allowed to complete the excavation of the Numidian defensive wall and to fix its construction date in the third century BC. It has also provided extensive archaeobiological data and valuable information on building techniques and ceramic typology from levels immediately to the NW of the Capitol that are dated between the seventh century BC and the early third century BC. We have also completed the excavation of mound D-53, confirmed its imperial era dating and completed the knowledge about its structure. Another smaller tumulus (M-42) has been fully excavated; its basic structure and dating are similar to those of D-53. Finally, the exploration of the protohistoric necropolis has been extended to reach an area of about 20 km2, with a total of 855 recorded structures. Tipologically, all of them can be considered as tumuli, but certain morphological peculiarities, often linked to their dimensions, lead to distinguish the existence of six types.