Institut for Classical Archaeology

In the paper are presented the preliminary results of excavation seasons of 2013 and 2014 in the city of Utica (Tunisia) in two areas named zones I and II. In the last one have been localized in the sondages 20 and 21 a building of 9th century BC associated to domestic kilns and a to well filled with Phoenician, Greek, Nuraghic and local pottery. In Zone I the excavation of sondage areas 10 and 11 has continued. In the first one different sectors have been excavated allowing more precision in the date of the Phoenician, Punic and Roman building systems. A production area with a kiln and a roman imperial street have been localized too. In the area of sondage 11 the excavation conducted to a better knowledgment of the plan of a monumental Phoenician and Punic building and the datation of its two phases.
Keywords: Utica, Phoenician period, Urban area, Punic period, monumental building

RESUMEN: El objetivo principal de este trabajo es analizar la evolución de la estrategia económica seguida por la ciudad fenicia occidental de Baria a lo largo de sus distintas fases de ocupación fenicia a través de los cambios que se produjeron en el entramado urbano y en el territorio controlado por ella haciendo especial hincapié en aquellos ras-gos socio-económicos que la diferencian o especifican con respecto al resto de ciudades-estado fenicias occidentales. THE CITY OF BARIA AND ITS TERRITORY SUMARY: The main objective of this paper is to analyze the evolution of the economic strategy followed by the western Phoenician city of Baria along its different phases of Phoenician occupation across the changes that took place in the urban network and the territory controlled by the city, emphasizing the socioeconomic features that make it different or specific to the rest of the Western Phoenician cities.

The campaign of 2015 in Utica has had limited aims but interesting results. The excavation of the well 20017 in the square 20 was concluded, confirming its character of closed finding of the 9th century B.C. In the square 21 the surface of excavation was extended into the attached building to the well, locating Phoenician strata and structures of mudbrick that confirm its later use to the closing of the well. In the square 10, sector 14 was deepened to date constructive phases located in previous campaigns. Construction remains of the 7th B.C. century were documented too. In the square 11 were executed some extensions in the monumental area, discovering a room with walls of regular stones oriented with the big Roman stairs, as well as medieval structures attached to Phoenician structures of the Building B, which intention was the installation of a waterwheell. In squares 10 and 11 the works were interrupted after reaching to the groundwater level.

Während der letzten Grabungskampagnen des tunesisch-spanischen Teams wurde in Utica (Tunesien) ein phönizischer architektonischer Komplex entdeckt. Dieser ist mit einem teilweise ausgegrabenen phönizischen Gebäude verbunden. Südlich dieses Gebäudes öffnet sich ein nahezu kreisförmiger Brunnenschacht. Der Inhalt des Brunnens bildet einen geschlossenen Komplex, der aus den Resten eines kollektiven, vermutlich rituellen Gelages besteht und in das letzte Viertel des 9. Jhs. v. Chr. datiert wird. Unter den Funden aus dem Brunnen befindet sich auch ein quaderförmiges Elfenbeinfragment. Die naturwissenschaftliche Analyse des Stückes ergab Flusspferdelfenbein als Rohmaterial. Dieser Befund wird in einen Zusammenhang mit anderen zeitgenössischen Elfenbeinfunden gebracht und die Frage des phönizischen und orientalisierenden Handels mit Flusspferdelfenbein besprochen.
Schlagworte: Elfenbein – naturwissenschaftliche Analyse – Flusspferd – Nordafrikanischer Elefant – Elfenbeinhandel – phönizische Kolonisation

Durante algunas de las últimas campañas de excavación del equipo tunecino-español en Utica (Túnez) fue descubierto un complejo arquitectónico fenicio muy antiguo asociado a un edificio fenicio, parcialmente excavado. Al Sur de este edificio se abre un pozo prácticamente circular. Las características del contenido del pozo han permitido interpretarlo como un conjunto cerrado, formado por los restos de un banquete colectivo, posiblemente ritual, y datado en el último cuarto del siglo IX a. C. Entre los fragmentos recuperados en el pozo se encuentra una pieza de marfil en forma de paralelepípedo. Se ha estudiado esta pieza y mediante análisis científicos se ha podido determinar la materia prima como marfil de hipopótamo. Ponemos este dato en relación con otros hallazgos de marfil contemporáneos y revisamos la cuestión del comercio de marfil de hipopótamo fenicio y orientalizante.
Palabras clave: marfil – análisis científico – hipopótamo – elefante norteafricano – comercio de marfil – colonización fenicia

During the last excavation campaigns of the Tunisian-spanish team in Utica (Tunisia) an ancient Phoenician architectonic complex, associated to a partially excavated Phoenician building, was discovered. South of that building an almost circular well opens in the ground. The characteristics of the content of the well allowed to interpret it as a closed context, built up by the remains of a collective, possibly ritual, feast and dated to the last quarter of the 9th century BC. Among the fragments recovered from the well is a cuboid ivory piece. The scientific analysis of the piece revealed the raw material as hippopotamus ivory. This date is put in relation to other contemporaneous ivory finds and the question of Phoenician and orientalizing ivory trade is studied.
Keywords: ivory – scientific analysis – hippopotamus – Northafrican elephant – Ivory trade – Phoenician colonization