The ruins of El Kherba, located in the Wilaya of Ain Defla, date back probably to the 1st century AD. Initially, the site housed a Roman fort and served as a center of neo-Christian population.
During the 13th to 14th centuries, the same materials were reused to construct a fortified Qal’a, marking a second occupation of the site during the medieval era. The archaeological remains include various structures and ruins, including remnants of fortifications and walls made of stone and rammed earth, as well as subterranean vaulted structures, possibly reservoirs or cisterns, still visible today.
Despite being in good condition, the ruins have suffered damage, particularly the collapse of stone blocks from the walls due to the 1980 earthquake. To protect the site, the Directorate of Culture of the Wilaya of Ain Defla installed a fence and a guard post in 2003.
In 2018, after an act of vandalism that damaged the fence, a new preservation and enhancement intervention was carried out. This operation included the consolidation of walls weakened by weather conditions, the application of a layer of mortar on cracked areas, and the installation of technical sheets and period indications to facilitate site identification.
The ruins of El Kherba, located in the Wilaya of Ain Defla, date back probably to the 1st century AD. Initially, the site housed a Roman fort and served as a center of neo-Christian population.
During the 13th to 14th centuries, the same materials were reused to construct a fortified Qal’a, marking a second occupation of the site during the medieval era. The archaeological remains include various structures and ruins, including remnants of fortifications and walls made of stone and rammed earth, as well as subterranean vaulted structures, possibly reservoirs or cisterns, still visible today.
Despite being in good condition, the ruins have suffered damage, particularly the collapse of stone blocks from the walls due to the 1980 earthquake. To protect the site, the Directorate of Culture of the Wilaya of Ain Defla installed a fence and a guard post in 2003.
In 2018, after an act of vandalism that damaged the fence, a new preservation and enhancement intervention was carried out. This operation included the consolidation of walls weakened by weather conditions, the application of a layer of mortar on cracked areas, and the installation of technical sheets and period indications to facilitate site identification.
