Carthage, More Alive Than Ever
For Geo Magazine
"On the Byrsa hill in Tunis, echoes of the ancient Punic city still resonate through the people who shape, restore, and reinvent its legacy.
Artisans, artists, and passionate guardians keep centuries-old gestures alive — from mosaics and Phoenician-inspired jewelry to the rare purple dyes that once colored the Mediterranean world.
Artisans, artists, and passionate guardians keep centuries-old gestures alive — from mosaics and Phoenician-inspired jewelry to the rare purple dyes that once colored the Mediterranean world.
Between memory and creation, Carthage shows that an ancient city can still be a place of ideas and imagination, where history becomes a living craft."
Commissioned by GEO Magazine · Written by Boris Thiolay · Photo Editing by Valerio Vincenzo
Housine Mraihi, mosaicist and craftsman:
“I’m proud to make a living by keeping our history alive.”
“I’m proud to make a living by keeping our history alive.”
Mohammed Ghassen Nouira, maker of the ancient purple dye:
“Through experimentation, I’ve rediscovered the fermentation secrets that produce natural dyes from blood-red to deep indigo.
“Through experimentation, I’ve rediscovered the fermentation secrets that produce natural dyes from blood-red to deep indigo.
”Inès El Hassoumi, creator of the Dourbia augmented-reality app:
“The app offers guided visits across Carthage’s archaeological sites, nine of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage.”
“The app offers guided visits across Carthage’s archaeological sites, nine of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage.”
Abdelaziz Belkhodja, writer and lecturer:
“I fell into Carthage when I was a child… I dedicate my time to reviving the memory of this cosmopolitan civilization.”
“I fell into Carthage when I was a child… I dedicate my time to reviving the memory of this cosmopolitan civilization.”
Salah Ghadhab, official guide:
“Every stone in Carthage has a soul. Tunisia has always been a land of culture, openness, and spirituality — and I try to be its ambassador.”
“Every stone in Carthage has a soul. Tunisia has always been a land of culture, openness, and spirituality — and I try to be its ambassador.”
