Mausoleum of Gasr Doga
قصر دوغة (Arabic) | |
  Shown within Libya | |
| Alternative name | Qasr Doga |
|---|---|
| Location | Tarhuna Gebel, Libya |
| Coordinates | 32°29′16.9″N 13°41′55.7″E / 32.488028°N 13.698806°E |
| Type | mausoleum |
| History | |
| Founded | 1st century CE |
| Cultures | Punic |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | In ruins |
The Mausoleum of Gasr Doga is an ancient mausoleum dating from the first century CE, located near Tarhuna, Libya.[1]
The mausoleum, dubbed "one of the most imposing funerary monuments of ancient Tripolitania",[1] was built by a member of the local Libyco-Punic elite, and its architectural composition evokes the style of royal Numidian monuments. Its decorative elements reflect a fusion of local artistic traditions and imported motifs from Italy.[1]
During Late Antiquity and the Islamic era, the mausoleum became the nucleus of a fortified settlement, predominantly built using spolia sourced from the mausoleum itself.[1]
Geography
The Gasr Doga mausoleum is situated within the Tarhuna Gebel,[1][2] a fertile area characterized by its hilly terrain, located approximately 60 kilometers southwest of the ancient city of Leptis Magna.[1]
The mausoleum sits atop a limestone terrace overlooking the Wadi Doga, approximately 900 meters northwest of the ancient remains of Medina Doga. Medina Doga, likely identified as Mesphe from historical records, has yet to undergo formal excavation. Surrounding discoveries include underground tombs, indicating that the site has been inhabited since at least the first century BC.[1]
Boundary stones found nearby indicate that both Gasr Doga and Medina Doga were located in a contested frontier between the territories of Leptis and Oea, an area that witnessed disputes and raids in the first century AD.[1]
See also
- Libyco-Punic Mausoleum of Dougga – a Libyco-Punic mausoleum in Tunisia
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Bigi, Francesca; Vita-Evrard, Ginette Di; Fontana, Sergio; Schingo, Gianluca (2009). "The Mausoleum of Gasr Doga". Libyan Studies. 40: 25–46. doi:10.1017/S0263718900004490. ISSN 0263-7189.
- ^ Elmayer, Abdulhafid F. (2019). "Two Punic inscriptions from Roman Tripolitania". Libyan Studies. 50: 149–151. doi:10.1017/lis.2018.4. ISSN 0263-7189.