Tophet Altar

Tophet Altar

Attraction Introduction

Another Carthaginian ruin is the Tophet Altar, located south of the harbor, dedicated to the goddess Tanit and the god of trade, Baal. In the overgrown courtyard, stone stelae stand haphazardly, some bearing carvings of images that are difficult to discern, while others clearly depict the shapes of children. Could these be children’s gravestones? Indeed, the offerings made at this altar were infants and young children aged between one month and six years.

It is said that at the time, offering the firstborn child to the gods was considered an honor. Priests would kill the infants on a stone altar, accompanied by musicians playing instruments to mask the cries of the children. The bodies were then placed in pits and burned until the next day, after which the ashes were placed in urns, buried in the ground, and marked with stelae.

Archaeologists have discovered that during the excavation of this cemetery, when the burial ground was full, it was covered with soil to create a new layer, building up layer upon layer. The topmost layer visible today is the eighth such layer, with lower layers dating back further in time. Each child was dedicated to different deities, but the most revered by the Phoenicians were Tanit and Baal, and there is also a temple to Baal within this altar site.

During the Roman period, this gruesome practice of child sacrifice was abolished and replaced with animal offerings. Animal-depicting stelae can be seen at the Bardo Museum.

Tunis, Tunisia