Abstract:
Several archaeological excavation projects have been initiated over the last decade at ancient
sites in many regions of Algeria. One of the newly excavated sites is referred to here as
"Mlakou", a region in the department of Bejaia, Algeria. This paper reports on the unearthing
of archaeological and architectural vaults built with terracotta vaulting tubes from the Roman
period. The vaulting tube was a widespread construction material in Roman North Africa and
was the subject of several studies spanning several Mediterranean countries, though very little
of these were from Algeria. Vaulting tubes have been excavated from many sites across Algeria
both on coastal sites (Souk Ahras, Setif, Guelma, Tebassa, Batna, Tipaza and Chélif) and deep
in the desert (Biskara). The results of this work would contribute to the existing bulk of
knowledge on the use and manufacturing techniques of vaulting tubes in Roman architecture.
In addition, the study draws a comparative analysis with nine other vaulting tube types in terms
of decoration technique, dimensions, shape and location.
