The fish processing factory
Roman period industrial complex for salting fish and producing garum, established on the site of a Punic 3rd -2nd c. BC construction. Neapolis works are outstanding for their site : a series of six basins side by side plus two others about 2m deep; some basins, when they were uncovered, still contained amphorae full of powdery remains with fish bones, fragments of vertebrae, and tiny heads if small fry.
Source: Information table at site
Nowadays part of the town of Nabeul’s urban fabric, in the tourist area, the ancient site of Neapolis was discovered by chance in 1965 during terracing work. Salvage excavations led to the discovery of a unique complex: a proper industrial installation dating to Roman times for the production of garum and salting of fish. These are unquestionably the remains of a factory producing this condiment that was so popular with the Romans on a large scale, no doubt exporting a large part to other Mediterranean countries where the Romans had spread its use. The complex consists of large basins where the fish guts and small fry were placed to macerate to produce a sauce resembling the Asian nuoc mam. One can see the remains of rows of fish, dried in this case, to preserve them over a long period of time.
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