CHAPTER XXIV.
MUKTHER.
We devoted Tuesday, April 18, to an examination of the ruins of Mukther.
This city has been identified by nearly all the older travellers as Tucca Terebinthina. Bruce, amongst the number, appears to have entertained no doubt on the subject. It was M. Guérin[174] who first pointed out that the similarity of the modern and ancient names, coupled with their recorded distances from known places, left no doubt that Mukther was the Mactar or Oppidum Mactaritanus in the list of African bishoprics,[175] and that Tucca Terebinthina was to be sought for at the modern Dougga, about eleven miles to the south-west, where considerable ruins exist, but which must not be confounded with the more important city of the same name, near Teboursouk.
The position of Mukther is admirably chosen; it is built on a wide and elevated plateau between two water-courses, the Oued Sabon, or river of soap, on the north, and the Oued Mihran on the south. The banks of the former are high and precipitous, and serve as a natural defence on the north-west side of the town. This has been further fortified by a wall constructed of immense blocks of stone, placed loosely and irregularly together, resembling more the retaining wall of a terrace than a regular line of defence.
We commenced our explorations from this side of the ravine, opposite to the lower triumphal arch. On the north-west face of it was evidently the necropolis of the city. The hill-side is covered with tombs. Many contain simply records of the names and ages of the deceased, others have rudely sculptured figures. One tomb was a carefully constructed vault of cut stone, near to which was a handsome cippus, which probably was erected over it before its violation. One only struck me as sufficiently curious to deserve copying. It was evidently a family tomb, containing four inscriptions, the first of which was the rudest and the most injured by time; but what rendered it curious was the existence of two hieroglyphical figures sculptured on the stone in relief before the inscription was engraved.
On the opposite side of the ravine, and rising directly from its right bank, is a large triumphal arch, which forms the first of Bruce’s illustrations. Of this he has left us eight sheets.
1. A rough pencil outline, which has not pleased him, and which he has subsequently cancelled by a waved pencil line of obliteration; on the back are numerous architectural details and memoranda of measurement.