ZAQUI
(Zaghouan) Tunisia.
A monumental
nymphaeum at the foot of Mt. Zaghouan near the village
marks the origin of an aqueduct (132 km long) to
Carthage. A large artificial terrace is bordered by a U-shaped portico with Corinthian columns and mosaic
floor; its rear wall is articulated by piers into bays, each
covered by a cross vault. Semicircular niches in alternate
bays must have held statuary. The portico is interrupted
in its center by a square cella with an imposing stepped
facade, a large rectangular niche and a barrel vault. The
cult statue(s?) stood directly over the water source,
which disappeared into an underground gallery and
emerged at the foot of the terrace in a figure-8 basin
with stepped sides. Construction, probably started under
Hadrian, was finished in time to supply water for the
great Antonine Baths at Carthage.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. Graham,
Roman Africa (1902) 116-17; R. H. Chowen,
AJA 60 (1956) 273-77; F. Rakob,
“Das römische Quellheiligtum bei Zaghouan in Tunesien,”
AA (1969) 284-300
PI; id., “Le sanctunire des eaux
à Z.,”
Africa 3-4 (1969-70) 133-176
PI; P. Romanelli,
Topografia e Archeologia dell'Africa Romana (1970)
219-20
I; F. Rakob, “Das Quellenheiligtum in Z. und die
römische Wasserleitung nach Karthago,”
RömMitt 81
(1974) 41-89
PI.
B. S. RIDOWAY
