The tophet (also topheth) was a sacred precinct usually located outside cities where sacrifices and burials were made, especially of young children, in rituals of the Phoenician and then Carthaginian religion. The tophet is the most evident cultural export from Phoenician cities to their colonies throughout the Mediterranean and they have been a valuable source of information on burial practices and even Mediterranean trade via the habit of using imported pottery as funerary urns to store the ashes of the deceased.
More about: Tophet5 days left
Invest in History Education
By supporting our charity World History Foundation, you're investing in the future of history education. Your donation helps us empower the next generation with the knowledge and skills they need to understand the world around them. Help us start the new year ready to publish more reliable historical information, free for everyone.
$3754 / $10000
Definition
Timeline
-
c. 1200 BCE - c. 800 BCEFirst wave of Phoenician colonization where largely trading-posts are founded throughout the Mediterranean.
-
c. 800 BCE - 600 BCESecond stage of Phoenician colonization where trading-posts become full colonies throughout the Mediterranean.
