Tunisia: Bardo Museum

The last time we came to Tunisia, the Bardo Museum was closed because of political tension. Though the overall political situation may now be worse, Tunisia is open for tourists and so is the Bardo, home of the largest and finest Roman mosaic collection in the world. It was the first thing on our Tunis agenda.

While there is no doubt as to the size of the Bardo collection, we both thought the museum at El Jem may have an even finer collection. Nevertheless Tunisia certainly has the finest Roman mosaics in the world.

On our first full day in Tunis we headed straight to the Bardo Museum by suburban train.






The Islands Mosaic is a Roman mosaic found in the ancient city of Ammaedara, Tunisia. It represents islands and cities of the Mediterranean Sea of the 3rd or 4th century CE.


Typical room in the museum = mosaics from floor to ceiling, on all four sides.


Marine Mosaics Room.




Roman Mosaic showing the personification of the "Days of the Week" with Saturn (Saturday) in the middle.


Roman Mosaic of "Virgil and the Muses". It is the most famous piece in the Bardo; that is, the Mona Lisa of the Bardo. ;-)


Previously, the Bardo building was a sumptuous palace, thus many of the exhibition rooms are exquisite themselves.






This mosaic of a typical country farm villa caught our attention.


Portion of a Roman Mosaic of Three Cyclopes: Brontes, Steropes and Pyracmon Forging Lightning. Found at the Dougga Archaeological Site.


Birds.


More Maritime Scenes including Ulysses Tied to the Mast of his Ship to Resist the Sirens.




The Triumph of Dionysus of Acholla


Video: Roman Mosaic of Many Fish in the Sea