Project
BULLA REGIA
- WMF Program:Field Project
- Keywords:houses, mosaics, Roman archaeology
- Site Types:Archaeological
- Funders:Robert W. Wilson Challenge
Bulla Regia is a significant archaeological site in the northwestern part of Tunisia. The region became part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century A.D., and prospered by providing agricultural products such as wheat, grains, grapes, and olives to the rest of the Empire. The public and private architecture and ornate decoration of the province’s cities, including Bulla Regia, reflect this prosperity.
Bulla Regia is unique among the numerous archaeological sites in Tunisia because its domestic architecture was constructed below ground. Scholars have hypothesized that the houses were built in this manner in order to alleviate the intense heat. Most of the ornate mosaics adorning the houses have remained in situ, and visitors can view the elaborate polychrome mosaics in their original context. The House of the Hunt is the primary focus of WMF’s work, and it includes a peristyle courtyard surrounded by rooms decorated with mosaics.
WMF is assisting with a survey to analyze existing conditions and identify the areas most in need of urgent conservation treatment. Workers have begun the process of emergency stabilization at the House of the Hunt. The team at Bulla Regia has consolidated much of the fabric of the courtyard in order to mitigate the damage that is threatening the stability of the structure.
Once the consolidation of the walls is finished, the vaults will be conserved and stabilization measures completed to protect the mosaics on the subterranean floor. We will work with local authorities to develop site interpretation materials so the public will be able to visit the House of the Hunt and appreciate its elegance and enjoy the beauty of the mosaics.
The conservation and stabilization work at the House of the Hunt will help establish improved guidelines for how best to conserve, manage, and present archaeological sites in Tunisia. Bulla Regia also provides a unique opportunity to see Roman houses of the era and to view mosaics in very good condition in their original locations.











