Editing Berbers (section)

=== Antiquity ===
Some of the earliest evidence of original Amazigh culture in North Africa has been found in the highlands of the Sahara and dates from the second millennium BC, when the region was much less arid than it is today and when the Amazigh population was most likely in the process of spreading across North Africa.<ref name="Brett-1996">{{Cite book|last1=Brett|first1=Michael|title=The Berbers|last2=Fentress|first2=Elizabeth|publisher=Blackwell|year=1996|isbn=9780631207672|language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|pages=15–22}} Numerous archaeological sites associated with the [[Garamantes]] have been found in the Fezzan (in present-day Libya), attesting to the existence of small villages, towns, and tombs. At least one settlement dates from as early as 1000 BC. The structures were initially built in [[dry stone]], but around the middle of the millennium ({{Circa|500 BC}}) they began to be built with [[mudbrick]] instead.<ref name="Brett-1996" />{{Rp|page=23}} By the second century AD there is evidence of large [[villa]]s and more sophisticated tombs associated with the aristocracy of this society, in particular at [[Germa]].<ref name="Brett-1996" />{{Rp|page=24}}

Further west, the kingdom of Numidia was contemporary with the Phoenician civilization of Carthage and the [[Roman Republic]]. Among other things, the Numidians have left thousands of pre-Christian tombs. The oldest of these is [[Madghacen|Medracen]] in present-day Algeria, believed to date from the time of [[Masinissa]] (202–148 BC). Possibly influenced by [[Ancient Greek architecture|Greek architecture]] further east, or built with the help of Greek craftsmen, the tomb consists of a large [[tumulus]] constructed in well-cut [[ashlar]] masonry and featuring sixty [[Doric order|Doric]] columns and an Egyptian-style [[cornice]].<ref name="Brett-1996" />{{Rp|pages=27–29}} Another famous example is the [[Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania|Tomb of the Christian Woman]] in western Algeria. This structure consists of columns, a dome, and spiral pathways that lead to a single chamber.<ref>{{cite book|last=Davidson|first=Basil|title=Africa in History|year=1995|isbn=978-0-684-82667-7|page=50|publisher=Simon & Schuster }}</ref> A number of "tower tombs" from the Numidian period can also be found in sites from Algeria to Libya. Despite their wide geographic range, they often share a similar style: a three-story structure topped by a convex pyramid. They may have initially been inspired by Greek monuments but they constitute an original type of structure associated with Numidian culture. Examples of these are found at [[Siga]], Soumaa d'el Khroub, [[Libyco-Punic Mausoleum of Dougga|Dougga]], and [[Sabratha]].<ref name="Brett-1996" />{{Rp|pages=29–31}}

Mediterranean empires of [[Ancient Carthage|Carthage]] and [[Ancient Rome|Rome]] left their mark in the material culture of North Africa as well. Phoenician and [[Punic people|Punic]] (Carthaginian) remains can be found at [[Carthage]] itself and at [[Lixus (ancient city)|Lixus]]. Numerous remains of [[Ancient Roman architecture|Roman architecture]] can be found across the region, such as the [[amphitheatre of El Jem]] and the archaeological sites of [[Sabratha]], [[Timgad]], and [[Volubilis]], among others.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ennabli|first=Abdelmajid|date=2000|title=North Africa's Roman art. Its future.|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/documents/6056/|url-status=live|access-date=11 January 2022|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912130852/http://whc.unesco.org/en/documents/6056 |archive-date=12 September 2014 }}</ref><gallery>
File:Garma (Garama) - Ruinen der antiken Stadt Garma 02.jpg|Remains of [[Germa]], a capital of the [[Garamantes]] (first millennium BC)
File:Mausolée medghassen.jpg|[[Numidia]]n tomb of [[Madghacen|Medracen]] ({{circa|200}}–150 BC)
File:TUNISIA DOUGGA MAUSOLEE LIBYCO PUNIQUE 001.jpg|[[Libyco-Punic Mausoleum of Dougga|Numidian mausoleum of Dougga]], example of a "tower tomb" (2nd century BC)
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