Tunisia Places Six Roman Archaeological Sites in Kasserine Under Legal Protection, Including Ancient Olive Presses and Houses

The decision covers 27,821 square metres of historic sites in El Ayoun and Thala, with a 200-metre protective buffer around each monument

Tunisia has placed six historical and archaeological monuments dating back to the Roman era in the governorate of Kasserine under legal protection, in a move aimed at preserving evidence of the region’s ancient agricultural and residential life, particularly olive oil production facilities and houses associated with Roman-era settlements.

The decision was issued by Minister of Cultural Affairs Amina Srarfi on November 13, 2026, and published in Issue No. 110 of the Official Gazette of the Republic of Tunisia. It covers archaeological sites across the delegations of El Ayoun and Thala, with a combined area of 27,821 square metres and a protective buffer extending 200 metres around each monument.

Among the protected sites are two Roman olive presses located at Henchir El Beggar 1 and Henchir El Beggar 2 in the El Ayoun delegation, covering 1,371 and 1,800 square metres, respectively.

These structures offer valuable insights into the agricultural and production activities that shaped the region during Roman times, when olive oil production was a significant economic activity across large parts of North Africa.

Ancient olive presses are particularly important archaeological remains, helping researchers understand historical agricultural production methods and the technologies used to process crops.

The protection measures also cover a group of Roman houses at Henchir El Beggar 1, extending across 20,000 square metres, making it the largest of the six designated sites.

An ancient basin covering 3,360 square metres and a historic mausoleum occupying 90 square metres at Henchir El Beggar 2 have also been included.

Together, these residential, agricultural and funerary structures provide insights into different aspects of ancient life in the region, extending beyond the monumental amphitheatres, theatres and major public buildings more commonly associated with Roman heritage.

In the Thala delegation, the decision includes an ancient agricultural complex known as the "Roman Olive Press and Its Components", located at Henchir El Kebassi in the El Joua sector, covering an area of 1,200 square metres.

The site provides further evidence of Roman agricultural activity in Tunisia's inland regions and the production systems and settlements associated with it.

The decision establishes a 200-metre protective buffer around each monument, subjecting activities and developments in the surrounding areas to regulations intended to safeguard the archaeological sites and their historical character.

The measure is based on Tunisia's Heritage Protection Code governing archaeological, historical and traditional arts heritage, following consultation with the National Heritage Commission at its meeting on February 13, 2026.

The new legal protections offer an opportunity to draw attention to a lesser-known aspect of Tunisia's Roman heritage: rural life, agricultural production and ancient settlements beyond the country's celebrated monumental archaeological sites.

From a tourism perspective, these monuments could eventually become part of cultural and educational itineraries exploring the history of Kasserine, provided that adequate conservation, documentation, site preparation and visitor facilities are developed.

However, the current decision is limited to legal protection. It does not announce the opening of these sites to visitors, nor does it include new restoration programmes or tourism investment projects.

The next challenge will be translating legal protection into practical conservation measures that preserve