Thouda (also spelled Tahouda, Tehouda, or T’houda) is an archaeological site located near the town of Sidi Okba, in the Biskra province of Algeria. The site occupies a strategic position on the southern edge of the Aurès Mountains, on the western bank of the Biraz River.
History
The site of Thouda was inhabited from Antiquity until the medieval period. During the Roman era, the town was known as Thabudeos and was part of the defensive system of the limes of the Numidia province. The site is also famous for being the scene of a great battle in 683 between the forces of Koceila and those of the Arab general Oqba Ibn Nafi, who met his death there.
Site Description
The archaeological site of Thouda covers a vast area, with its central part protected by a 14-hectare fence. The main remains include:
- A rectangular fortress measuring approximately 120 m x 70 m, equipped with corner towers and internal buttresses. Excavations have revealed several phases of occupation, the last dating from the 11th-12th centuries.
- Baths of about 400 m² located in the northwestern part of the fortress, built according to a symmetrical “imperial” plan.
- A water supply system comprising three parallel aqueducts dating from different historical periods.
- Stone quarries on the slopes of Djebel Kméro to the north of the site.
- A medieval settlement area (dachra) built on a hill (koudiat) near the fortress.
Archaeological Excavations
The first excavations on the site were carried out during the colonial period by Touchard in 1901, and later by Baradez in 1949. Since 2004, new prospecting and excavation campaigns have been conducted under the direction of Yacine Rabah Hadji from the University of Algiers 2. These works have provided a better understanding of the chronological evolution of the site and its different components.
Thouda (also spelled Tahouda, Tehouda, or T’houda) is an archaeological site located near the town of Sidi Okba, in the Biskra province of Algeria. The site occupies a strategic position on the southern edge of the Aurès Mountains, on the western bank of the Biraz River.
History
The site of Thouda was inhabited from Antiquity until the medieval period. During the Roman era, the town was known as Thabudeos and was part of the defensive system of the limes of the Numidia province. The site is also famous for being the scene of a great battle in 683 between the forces of Koceila and those of the Arab general Oqba Ibn Nafi, who met his death there.
Site Description
The archaeological site of Thouda covers a vast area, with its central part protected by a 14-hectare fence. The main remains include:
- A rectangular fortress measuring approximately 120 m x 70 m, equipped with corner towers and internal buttresses. Excavations have revealed several phases of occupation, the last dating from the 11th-12th centuries.
- Baths of about 400 m² located in the northwestern part of the fortress, built according to a symmetrical “imperial” plan.
- A water supply system comprising three parallel aqueducts dating from different historical periods.
- Stone quarries on the slopes of Djebel Kméro to the north of the site.
- A medieval settlement area (dachra) built on a hill (koudiat) near the fortress.
Archaeological Excavations
The first excavations on the site were carried out during the colonial period by Touchard in 1901, and later by Baradez in 1949. Since 2004, new prospecting and excavation campaigns have been conducted under the direction of Yacine Rabah Hadji from the University of Algiers 2. These works have provided a better understanding of the chronological evolution of the site and its different components.
