THE MEGALITHIC TOMBS
Roknia
The megalithic tombs are located next to the Satha plateau in Roknia, 15 km north of Hammam Debagh and 35 km from the Province capital. It is the largest and oldest cemetery in North Africa, dating from the prehistoric period. It is located in the middle of an isolated environment of rocky mountains and deep valleys, at a distance of 3 km long and between 700 and 800 meters wide. They were discovered during excavations in 1868, where bones, shells, pottery and primitive jewellery were found. The megalithic cemetery consists of two types of graves: * DOLMENIC NECROPOLIS: Numbering at least 3,000, the megalithic monuments in question extend over a length of about 3 km, notably on the edge of a plateau overlooking the oued (which gave its name to the municipality chief town). The quadrangular huts, whose height generally varies from 1 m to 1.30 m and length from 0.8 m to 3 m and width from 0.60 m to 1.7 m, are delimited by 4 or 5 or even 6 supports, most often monoliths (1 m high). Their top slab is on average 2m high. They are surrounded by stone circles. * FUNERAL CAVES: “LES HAOUANET” Classified as prehistoric monuments in 1900, they are also called hypogea or funerary caves dug into the rock. They occupy the side of the cliff bordering the Satha plateau to the west. There are said to be 400 burials, one after the other. The entrance is small (since its average length is hardly more than 0.50 m or 0.60). The threshold is above the level of the cave floor. With very few exceptions, the cells are cubic and generally quite roughly cut. They are small, with a length of 1.50 m to 2 m and a width of 1 m to 1.30 m.
