Djelfa region in ancient times

History of archaeological research in DJELFA

Several archaeologists dealt with the archaeological aspect of Djelfa region during the second half of the nineteenth century, such as Dr. Victor REBOUD, who commented on the funerary monuments in the suburbs near the city of Djelfa, which was also concerned with Jacob Emile HARTMAYER, who referred to the 'Djelfa Archaeological Mill', He determined its geographical location to the left of the road linking Djelfa and Laghouat; Where he confirmed the presence of ancient buildings designed one after the other near the 'mill', which in his view may express the influx of different civilizations into the region.

Alongside it, there was a giant wall composed of huge stones, some of which were pulled together by a strange cement material, and next to it there were giant stones and stone heads, dating back to the Paleolithic era, in addition to the remains of the bricks used in the dwellings built by the Romans and the owners of the palaces in the roofing of their homes.

Hart MAYER mentioned the similarities between the huge wall that surrounded the 'Djelfa mill', as the same wall in the 'Hammam Riga' area. He concluded that the building was built by the same inhabitants buried in the giant tombs, assuming that it could have been built by a single human race.

To the southeast of the 'Djelfa Mill' and the giant cemeteries, there were religious monuments that did not resemble cemeteries, but rather temples that were apparently dedicated to the practice of religious rituals, the offering of sacrifices and other strange habits.

The researches of the twentieth century was based on an inventory and description of rock art stations. Where "Flamon" and "PERRET" made a detailed study of the stations "Dayat al-Stal, Znina and Qasr Zakkar", and Raymond VAUVREY discussed , in his book on rock art in North Africa ,the stations that the region contains

As for Paul BELLIN, he dealt with the rock art found in the heights of 'Ouled Nail' in 1937, similar to the two stations of 'Safia Bournan and Dayet al-Stal'. Research continued in the region during the second half of the twentieth century, as Jean LETHIELLEUX and Danilo GREBENART were interested in the remnants of the Stone Age on the outskirts of Djelfa.

The city of 'Amourah ', which is about 70 km south of Djelfa, has a great geological importance, as it contains dinosaur footprints and geological sections in its mountains referred to the second geological time Sedimentary formations of the fourth geological time and archaeological remains of the prehistoric period were discovered in one of its caves

The researcher Stéphane GSELL, in his archaeological atlas, reviewed the funerary monuments and archaeological sites contained in the Ouled Nail mountains, and devoted an entire page of his maps, in which he counted approximately 160 archaeological sites and points, but most of them remain unknown due to the inaccuracy of what the researcher came up with.

In 1876, Captain BEAUMONT - who was the commander of the 'Djelfa Annex' searched two graves, and found in the first human molars preserved in good condition, and in the second grave he found a human skull of a Negro man who appeared to be burly, while in the yard adjacent to the cemetery, some objects were taken Including spear heads and carved stones

An archaeological site dating back to the prehistoric period was also discovered, located about 500 meters west of 'Qasr Massad' on the left bank of 'Oued Hamouida', which is a site discovered under the Roman ruins, and the first who mentioned it is Major SUZONNI

The site consists of excavations in the form of layers, numbering ten, which the indigenous people used as landfills for storing wheat, and the site was called the Gunpowder Palace, because during deep excavations they discovered layers of carbon and gunpowder.

During the attempt of the people to uproot a Roman stone to use it to divert the course of the Oued Hamouida ,human and animal remains of elephant tusks made of ivory were discovered, and a weapon made from it, which consisted of spears and a small dagger. Among the funny things that were found there was a "half skull of an elephant", which the specialists were unable to diagnose, but they concluded in the end that the elephants used by "Hannibal" in his attempt to invade "Rome" through the "Perini and Alpes" mountains came from the same area..

CaptainHart Meyer concluded, after conducting in-depth studies at the Higher School ofGeology in Algiers , that the tools, items, and remains that were discovered in'Messaad and Djelfa' are the same, which means that the people who inhabitedthe two areas were of one human race. Hart Meyer also referred to the originsof the Berbers of the region and considered them of Roman origins, especiallyin the region of 'Messaad, Damad and Amourah ', looking to customs andinhabitants of the region until that time and their human morphologies,according to him, they are of Roman origin, unlike the inhabitants of thepalaces