The Tyrrhenian Calcareous Sandstone Quarries In The Eastern Coast Of The Cap Bon Peninsula (Northeast Tunisia)

Abstract

Activities related to the extraction and exploitation of natural resources are varied in Tunisia. But the most important numerically and spatially are stone quarries, which, once abandoned, are considered as low-value land and, in most cases, become an environmental nuisance, even though they have the potential to be of great natural, scientific, or cultural interest. The abandoned calcareous sandstone quarries that were opened in the Tyrrhenian barrier beach on the eastern coast of the Cap Bon peninsula (northeast Tunisia) illustrate this. The industrial quarrying started in the 1970s, but more detailed observations of the site reveal that the recent quarries often overlap with older ones dating back to antiquity. The site is very rich in archaeological remains and offers the opportunity not only to analyze and understand the variety of the landscape, but also the evolution of extraction techniques over time. This paper is devoted to sharing better knowledge and valuation of the quarries and their heritage, landscape, and environmental assets. It also aims to provide ideas for reintegrating them into their environment and making them useful spaces for the towns of the east coast of the peninsula, which are undergoing very rapid urbanization.