This 3D scan captures a Punic funerary stela from the Tophet of Salammbô, a sacred site in ancient Carthage (present-day Tunisia). The stone is carved with the symbol of Tanit, the principal goddess of the Carthaginian pantheon—represented by a triangle (body), horizontal arms, and a circular head.
The stela once marked a burial urn containing the cremated remains of an infant or small animal. These burials date from the 8th to the 2nd century BCE and reflect deep spiritual practices of the Punic world.
There are two leading interpretations of the Tophet’s purpose:
•Some scholars, drawing from Roman and Greek sources, believe it was used for ritual child sacrifice to Tanit and Baal Hammon.
•Others argue it served as a cemetery for infants who died naturally, with cremation and burial carried out as religious rites of mourning and protection.
The site remains a powerful symbol of Punic spirituality and the complexity of ancient Medit…
üìç [Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia](https://scaniver.se/L36.84132,10.32312)
