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The Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania is a tomb in Algeria where the Numidian King Juba II and his Queen Cleopatra Selene II were buried around 3 BC. Anyone else think the structure kinda looks like a commonplace African mud hut? It has the conical topping and a cylindrical base with columns along the side, much as many African huts have conical roofs and cylindrical walls with posts holding up the roof edges.
To be sure, many different cultures around the world have built huts like that, including European ones like the Celtic Britons. Even if there is no direct connection between the Numidian mausoleum and the huts you see elsewhere in Africa, however, it would make sense to me if the mausoleum's architectural elements drew upon an earlier tradition of hut-like dwellings, either in the Northwest African region or elsewhere.
This is an artistic reconstruction of a typical Numidian dwelling, by the way.
The Kabyles or Kabaily of Algerian and Tunisian territories…besides tillage, work the mines contained in their mountains…They live in huts made of branches of trees and covered with clay which resemble the Magalia of the old Numidians…They are of middle stature, their complexion brown and sometimes nearly black.-- from The Encyclopedia Britannica: Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and General Literature Henry G. Allen Company p. 261 Volume I 1890
As far as large round building constructions another example would be the great royal hall at Kerma.
-------------------- Mahirap gisingin ang nagtutulog-tulugan. Posts: 26236 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by BrandonP: ^ May I ask what is significant about that excerpt from Leo Africanus? I don't see where it mentions their dwelling types.
It was a reference to the ethnography of the area (and not just skin color). Numidians were one of various groups in the area.
-------------------- Mahirap gisingin ang nagtutulog-tulugan. Posts: 26236 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by BrandonP: ^ May I ask what is significant about that excerpt from Leo Africanus? I don't see where it mentions their dwelling types.
It was a reference to the ethnography of the area (and not just skin color). Numidians were one of various groups in the area.
I think the term "Numidian" evolved from a Greek word for "nomad", so they might have started out a collection of many different groups to begin with.
As far as large round building constructions another example would be the great royal hall at Kerma.
Fascinating reconstruction. Would be an excellent environment for a movie. One can wonder if Hollywood ever will make a film set in ancient "Nubia", in Kerma, Napata or Meroe. Seems that for them the Nile valley is only Egypt.
-------------------- Once an archaeologist, always an archaeologist Posts: 2683 | From: Sweden | Registered: Mar 2020
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^ You're unfortunately right. There most people in America (other than black Americans) have never even heard of Nubia.
By the way, I do remember many years ago when I was in high school watching a program on Discovery Channel or its sister channel Travel Channel that featured CGI restorations of ancient sites and Kerma was one of them. I wish I could find a link to that video.
Meantime here is clip from the show Expedition Unknown where the host Josh Gates is shown the site of Kerma:
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