Archaeological exploration in the Tunisian Sahel from 1830 to 1956

The practice of archaeology and epigraphic research in the Sahel region in pre-colonial and colonial times was put to the service of colonization by French politicians, military officers and ecclesiastics alike. Some explorers called for the use of ancient stone for modern construction and encouraged the transfer of Sahelian heritage to foreign museums. On the other hand, colonization also benefited archaeology. Despite the damage and destruction of Sahelian heritage, these colonial explorations - especially the production of staff maps - not only had the merit of uncovering sites, monuments and epigraphic documents, but also of enacting laws for the conservation, safeguarding and restoration of certain monuments.It is thanks to these laws that the catacombs of Hadrumète have been saved, that the amphitheatre of El- Djem is still standing, and that the other antiquities of the Sahel remain safe from the vagaries of time and modern construction.