Musée National du Bardo
The national Bardo Museum is a jewel of Tunisian heritage. It is housed in an old Beylic palace dating back to the XIXth Century. It retraces, through its collections, a big part of Tunisia’s history (from Prehistory to the contemporary epoch) and contains the largest collection of mosaics in the world including the famous mosaic representing Virgil, the poet.
The visitor may discover there an abundant collection of Punic jewels as well as a gallery of Roman sarcophaguses and Christian baptisteries.
One of the high points of the visit is a Roman ship’s cargo wrecked off the coast of Cape Africa, facing the town of Mahdia, with its Hellenistic Greek art master pieces: bronze pieces, marble sculptures, and furniture. This was the result of underwater excavations undertaken during the first part of the XXth Century with the participation of Commander Cousteau.
A Punic coin
Origin: Probably Carthage
Dating: 255 – 241 B.C.
Materials: Gold
Obverse: A feminine head turned to the left. Reverse: A horse with the head turned back.
© The National Bardo Museum - All Rights Reserved 2012
Carthaginian coins
Origin: Carthage
Dating: Towards 264 -241 B.C.
Materials: Gold
A Punic electrum monetary archetype representing a stopping horse on a base, Uraeus, and a disk.
© The National Bardo Museum - All Rights Reserved 2012
Chemtou's Treasure
Origin: Chemtou(Simitthus)
Dating: Before 420 A.D.
Materials: Gold
A treasure composed of 1648 golden coins found in a common pottery jug containing 1646 solidi, half a solidus, and a forged solidus.
© The National Bardo Museum - All Rights Reserved 2012
The first Islamic coin in Ifriqiya
Origin: Kairouan
Dating: Towards 85 Hijri / 704 A.D.
Materials: Gold
The first Islamic coin in Ifriqiya (obverse and reverse) minted towards 85 Hijri /704 A.D. The Muslim conquerors conserved the Byzantine Solidus mould. The profession of Islamic faith as well as the name of the Muslim governor, Mussa Ibn Nussayr, are written in Latin.
© The National Bardo Museum - All Rights Reserved 2012