The Qasr el-Banât Mausoleum in the Periphery of Lepcis Magna: State of Preservation, Reconstructive Hypothesis and Topographic Context
This paper presents the results of an architectural survey undertaken in October 2013 at Qasr el-Banât, one of the most significant preserved Roman mausolea of the suburban area of Lepcis Magna. The structure is a massive three-storey, tower-type mausoleum with a funeral chamber inside the podium provided with three large niches. Thanks to the analysis of old photographs, it was possible to reconstruct much of its original aspect and to propose a 3D reconstruction which includes missing elements such as part of the upper storey and the roofing. Moreover, through accurate measurements, it was possible to establish that the Punic foot (ca. 34.5 cm) was used in its design and construction. Topographic analyses and its probable connection with an ancient land partition detected in the area, suggest that Qasr el-Banât functioned as a boundary marker of this
limitatio
and that it was probably built in the
mid-second century AD.
Parole chiave / Keywords
Leptis Magna, Gasr el-Banât, mausoleo, paesaggio suburbano, storia dell’architettura
Lepcis Magna, Qasr el-Banât, mausoleum, suburban landscape, architectural history
