This really arises out of mapping and the production of my Legio XX inscriptions map, so perhaps an issue really for my other blog, but it does point up a more general problem with some older records of discoveries, to whit, where on earth is Ksar el Birsgaun?
This is the recorded provenance of the tombstone set up by Julius Victor for his sister according to CIL VIII 2080. Unfortunately the place seems to have ceased to exist...
The main problem seems to be that these minor places in what is now Algeria are either no longer occupied or no longer bear the names recorded by French geographers in the 19th century. What I really need is a detailed 19th century gazeteer (and possibly a French one at that).
From somewhere I have Ksar el Birsgaun = Berzegan. But Berzegan proves very elusive itself. Soumat el Kheneg is apparently 9km south of Berzegan (which might be a place or might just be a valley) and Soumat el Kheneg appears in the Barrington Atlas (hurrah!) so I can at least take a reasonable guess
No comments:
Post a Comment