Painting: “The Jebel Zaghwan”

“The Jebel Zaghwan” by Leo Jahaan.
Oil on canvas, 2013.
100 cm x 100 cm.

“The Jebel Zaghwan”.  The word ‘jebel’ (also ‘djebel’ or ‘jabal’) is used in parts of Northern Africa and the Middle-East when referring to a hill or mountain.  Here depicted is a mountain located near the town of Zaghwan (also known as Zaghouan) in Tunisia.  The mountain has long been an important feature, with the lower slopes featuring the ‘Temple of Water’ built by the Romans almost 2000 years ago.  The temple was the source of one of the longest Roman aqueducts, carrying over 200 liters of water per second from the mountain to Carthage over 132 km away and taking over 2 days to arrive.  In the 13th century an Arab ruler built a bypass to divert water to his palace gardens.  The mountain is now part of a national park, and a modern water line still carries water from here to the capital Tunis.