MUSÉE PUBLIC NATIONAL DE SÉTIF

This little-known public archaeological museum is a must-see in Sétif! It's a fascinating place to visit, and its collections are particularly rich. The first museum to be set up in Algeria after independence, it comprises four sections devoted respectively to Prehistory, Antiquity, Islamic Arts and Numismatics. The rooms devoted to Antiquity are among the most interesting because of the rich Roman past of the town, the ancient Sitifis founded in 96 A.D. Collections of archaeological remains, mostly from the Roman period, can be seen here, from excavations carried out in Sétif itself or on the sites of the Kalaa des Béni Hammad. A room is also reserved for objects from a major Christian necropolis dating from the ^2nd and ^3rd centuries. But the highlight of the museum is the superb Roman mosaic of Bacchus on a chariot pulled by two tigers. This mosaic, entirely reconstructed by archaeologists in the center of the museum, can be admired from the top floor to fully appreciate its beauty. A museum guide will explain why this ^4th-century Roman mosaic is one of the most beautiful in the world: the precision of the colored micro-piercings makes it a pixelated image ahead of its time, with even the shadows of the figures represented! Bluffing and fascinating! Plus: very friendly staff.