Tophet

This vast children's cemetery was a field of urns estimated to have been used for at least 20,000 interments. It was named by modern-day archaeologists in reference to the place where the Canaanites sacrificed their children in the Valley of Hinnom, as mentioned in the Old Testament. There is no way of telling whether the Carthaginians followed the same rites; some Greek and Roman writers vilify them for practicing child sacrifice, but this may be propaganda. It is difficult to tell from the existing remains whether or not the children and youths died from natural causes or were sacrificed. According to the accounts that talk of human sacrifice, children were hurled into sacred fires as offerings to Ba'al Hammon. Those sent to the flames included the children of the wealthy and powerful, for what was given up had to be valuable for the sacrifice to be valid.