Ancient Statue Discovery Marks Breakthrough at Tunisian Excavation
In February 2026, ARL Director Darius Arya traveled to Tunisia to visit Numluli, home to the Training the Next Generation of Archaeologists project, an ECL award-winning initiative focused on field training and active excavation. Arya was hosted by site director Alessandro Teatini of the University of Sassari and met with participants in the Winter School of Archaeology, a multi-week program run in collaboration with the Institut National du Patrimoine of Tunis.
“Numluli is one of the best-preserved Roman cities in northern Tunisia, yet until now it had never been systematically excavated—offering a rare, almost untouched view of a municipium’s public, religious, and urban life from the Roman through early Christian periods,” tells Teatini.
Archaeology On Site
Numluli stands out for the rare combination of exceptional preservation and a city plan that remains strikingly legible, even in the absence of extensive excavation. It presents an almost intact Roman urban landscape — still largely untouched — where the forum and Capitoline temple sit alongside baths, an aqueduct, a monumental courtyard temple, and early Christian structures, including a martyrial complex and a funerary basilica in the western necropolis.
“The city’s structure is clearly readable: we can identify the forum, dominated by the Capitoline Temple of Jupiter, as well as the principal public buildings of a Roman city,” shares Teatini.
Adds Arya, “This site is extraordinary because it brings together training, discovery, and preservation in a single place. And you’re witnessing the next generation of archaeologists actively uncovering history while also reshaping our understanding of Roman North Africa.”
The archaeological program, held from January 20 to February 17, combines hands-on training with broader aims of cultural exchange, bringing together Tunisian and Italian students to work directly on urban, funerary, and ceramic archaeology. Designed as both a research initiative and a training ground, the project emphasizes the development of investigative and analytical skills, particularly in the study of archaeological and epigraphic evidence, supported by advanced technologies.
Current excavations focus on two key areas—the forum of the Roman city and an early Christian basilica built within a former necropolis—offering a layered view of the site’s long-term evolution and transformation.
An Epic Discovery
Arya’s visit followed closely on a significant discovery made on February 10, when the team unearthed a three-foot-tall marble statue depicting a youth in a tunic. The find quickly drew international media attention. Arya was able to view the sculpture shortly after its discovery, gaining direct insight into the excavation process at a critical moment.
The find is particularly significant because it brings together two rare and complementary strands of evidence. The discovery of a polychrome Greek marble statue—exceptionally uncommon in inland Tunisia—points to the circulation of high-quality artistic materials and aesthetic traditions far beyond coastal centers, suggesting a level of connectivity and cultural ambition not always associated with these regions. At the same time, the inscriptions uncovered within the early Christian basilica, which explicitly reference Vandal kings, offer rare and direct epigraphic testimony for the political and religious realities of North Africa in late antiquity. Taken together, these discoveries not only enrich our understanding of Numluli itself, but also provide new insight into the intersection of art, power, and identity during a transformative period in the region’s history.
Excavation Meets Collaboration
The project brings together students, international researchers, and local Tunisian workmen working collaboratively across multiple excavation zones. Despite challenging winter weather conditions, the team maintained steady progress throughout the field season, reflecting a high level of coordination and shared purpose.
The work is carried out in close collaboration with the Institut National du Patrimoine, including Moine Shawali, with Tunisian and Italian students working side by side as part of a Winter School of Archaeology. The team aims to expand this initiative into a Summer School, further strengthening its educational mission. Epigraphic research, led by Antonio Iba, has already produced significant results, including newly uncovered inscriptions within the basilica.
“We were delighted and honored by Dr. Arya’s visit, during which he met the entire project team and was able to appreciate the significant work carried out across the two extensive excavation areas,” Teatini said.
Arya echoed this impression, emphasizing the collaborative spirit of the project: “What stood out most was the sense of collaboration—the camaraderie among the students, the professionalism of Teatini and his team, and the dedication of the local workmen, all working seamlessly across multiple areas.” During his visit, Arya also accompanied the team to the Bardo National Museum in Tunis, home to one of the largest collections of Roman and Byzantine mosaics. He additionally met with the Director of the Institut National du Patrimoine, who expressed appreciation for the continued support of Ancient Rome Live and the Musk Foundation in advancing archaeological research and preservation in Tunisia.
The project is expected to continue through the summer.
