DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18096#0015
TO THE READER
The inscriptions in the following pages have mostly been
published in various forms and at different periods, especially
during the latter half of the last century. From the time of
Shaw, whose volumes were first published in 1738, so many
travellers in North Africa have recorded their interpretations of
inscribed lettering that it is difficult, in some cases, to assign
credit where credit is due. And since the French occupation of
Algeria and Tunisia opportunities have been offered of publish-
ing these interpretations in many noteworthy periodicals, such
as the Revue Africaine, commenced in 1856, and the Annuaire
de la Societe archeologique de la Province de Constantine, which
was issued as far back as 1853. To collate and systematise the
great mass of inscriptions has been the laborious work of such
well-known epigraphists as Leon Renier, Gustavus Wilmanns,
and others, whose names appear in footnotes in the following
pages. Most of them can be better studied in the volumes of
inscriptions mentioned on pp. 32 and 33, and referred to
hereafter under the letters C.I.L. and LR.A. Incompleteness of
lettering, arising either from exposure or destruction, has given
rise to difference of opinion in filling up many omissions of
importance, but it is satisfactory to note that a general agreement
prevails on most of the inscriptions of historic value. Whenever
an alternative reading is admissible, the titles of the books that
may be referred to are given in the text or in one of the
footnotes.
The inscriptions in the following pages have mostly been
published in various forms and at different periods, especially
during the latter half of the last century. From the time of
Shaw, whose volumes were first published in 1738, so many
travellers in North Africa have recorded their interpretations of
inscribed lettering that it is difficult, in some cases, to assign
credit where credit is due. And since the French occupation of
Algeria and Tunisia opportunities have been offered of publish-
ing these interpretations in many noteworthy periodicals, such
as the Revue Africaine, commenced in 1856, and the Annuaire
de la Societe archeologique de la Province de Constantine, which
was issued as far back as 1853. To collate and systematise the
great mass of inscriptions has been the laborious work of such
well-known epigraphists as Leon Renier, Gustavus Wilmanns,
and others, whose names appear in footnotes in the following
pages. Most of them can be better studied in the volumes of
inscriptions mentioned on pp. 32 and 33, and referred to
hereafter under the letters C.I.L. and LR.A. Incompleteness of
lettering, arising either from exposure or destruction, has given
rise to difference of opinion in filling up many omissions of
importance, but it is satisfactory to note that a general agreement
prevails on most of the inscriptions of historic value. Whenever
an alternative reading is admissible, the titles of the books that
may be referred to are given in the text or in one of the
footnotes.