Top of Numidian stelae with inscriptions in Lybic script.
Travel guides like Rough Guide and Lonely Planet hold the museum as the main attraction at Chemtou. Bearing that in mind I must say that I was quite disappointed. OK, the presentation is most delicate and there are a few reconstructions handing out more real information than what is common in Tunisian museums. But the items exhibited here are more interesting and important than impressive. It seems to be all a huge selection of tomb stones from different eras. In addition a selection of small items, those everyday things that are interesting only when seeing them for the first time. But the museum here was not my first Tunisian museum...
Open court where a few remains have been placed into a reconstructed Numidian monument from 130 CE, probably commemorating Masinissa. It is believed to have been built by the command of Micipsa.
Among the interesting things to look out for here, are the pieces of Numidian marble, which has proven that pre-Roman culture was more sophisticated than what has been presumed. Among the pieces presented are two stelea with Lybic script, the first writing system in the region (top photo). They look almost like obelisks. The items of which there are most examples are Roman tomb stones, like the one on the photo to the left. Entrance to the musuem costs 2.1TD with camera permission at 1TD extra. Opening hours summer 8.00-19.00, winter 8.30-17.30.
