Turnhout, Brepols, 2010 Paperback, 345 pages + Two maps of Northern Africa, Five maps, 220 x 280 mm. FINE! ISBN 9782503513201.
In 1951, Pierre Salama published a book in Algiers entitled Voies romaines de l'Afrique du Nord, which featured a map of the road network at the scale of 1:1 500 000, printed as soon as 1949. Fifty years later, a group of Africanists have decided to publish this new map using the layout that Pierre Salama had been working on since the 70's, based on overlays of the map of the French National Institute of Geography (IGN) at the scale of 1:500 000, but only for the western part of the Maghreb. The IGN printed this layout on a geographical mother map with colours, an indication of landforms and river system. The authors have also written an introduction providing the necessary information to the reader approaching road archaeology without former training. The sites identified on the map are dealt with in notes with varying degrees of detail. The notes give the Ancient and Modern names justifying the identification and location of each site. They also provide a summary of the main steps of their administrative history and describe the main archaeological remains for the different periods of occupation. This 'New Salama Map' could not be published before the recent death of our friend and colleague, but was submitted to his careful scrutiny and approval. Pierre Salama avait publie a Alger, en 1951, un volume sur les Voies romaines de l'Afrique du Nord qui contenait une carte au 1/1.500.000e du reseau routier, imprimee des 1949. Cinquante ans plus tard, un groupe d'africanistes s'est propose de publier la nouvelle carte dont, depuis les annees 1970, P. Salama preparait le trace, sur des calques de la carte de l'Institut de Geographie National francais au 1/500.000e, mais seulement pour la partie orientale du Maghreb. L'IGN s'est charge d'imprimer ces traces sur un fond de carte geographique en couleurs, indiquant le relief, attenue, et l'hydrographie. Les auteurs ont aussi prepare une introduction apportant l'essentiel des precisions necessaires au lecteur qui aborderait l'archeologie des routes sans etudes prealables. Les sites localises sur la carte font l'objet de notices plus ou moins detaillees, indiquant les differents noms antique et moderne qui justifient l'identification et la localisation, resumant les etapes essentielles de l'histoire administrative et decrivant les principaux vestiges archeologiques pour les differentes periodes de son occupation. Cette ?« nouvelle carte Salama ?» n'a pu paraitre avant le deces recent de notre ami et collegue, mais elle avait ete examinee et approuvee par lui. Languages: French.