Procedures for Accessing

the “Virgile” Database of Archaeological and Ethnographic Collections of the National Heritage Institute

1 Introduction to the Virgile Database:

The Virgile database is a key tool used by the National Heritage Institute (INP) for the inventory and management of archaeological collections in Tunisia. Developed in 2004, it is based on an Oracle database with an ASP.NET interface.
Its use is strictly limited to internal access; it is not available to the public online.
The database is managed jointly by the Department of General Survey and Research and the IT Unit of the INP.

Virgile includes all archaeological and ethnographic collections preserved in museums and storage facilities belonging to INP,Tunisia. It currently contains several thousand artifacts, with data continuously updated and enriched by the INP’s scientific teams.

  1. Legal Framework:

Access to the Virgile database is subject to strict legal regulations, particularly:

  • The Tunisian Heritage Code governing archaeological excavations, reporting of discoveries, and preservation of cultural property (Law n°35 of 24 February 1994 on the Protection of Archaeological, Historical and Traditional Arts Heritage, as amended by Decree-Law n°43 of 2011).
  1. Procedures:

Phase 1: Submission of Application

Researchers, students or others, wishing to access the Virgile database must submit an application to the Director General of the INP including:

  • an official request stating the applicant’s identity and status (researcher, PhD student, heritage specialist, etc.);
  • the research topic and objectives;
  • the collections, museums or sites concerned;
  •   an authorization from the applicant’s institution;
  • a confidentiality agreement.

Phase 2: Consultation

Access is granted on-site, either at INP headquarters or in authorized storage facilities, through a dedicated computer.
The applicant is accompanied by a dedicated staff member providing assistance in data retrieval (inventory number, chronological period, typology, site, institution, etc.).
Partial printing or export of data may be permitted under conditions determined according to the nature of the information.

Phase 3: Data Processing

Data may be exported in Excel, Access, or other suitable formats, strictly for internal research use.
The applicant must provide the INP with a copy of the final research results, including:

  • detailed descriptions of the studied artifacts;
  • drawings, photographs and analyses produced during the research;
  • any material that contributes to enriching the national inventory.

No data or images extracted from the database can be published or used without prior authorization from the INP.

  1. Restricted Documents:

Access to certain documents in the Virgile database is subject to special conditions due to their unpublished or sensitive nature. These restrictions aim to protect confidential information and safeguard the rights of authors, researchers and partner institutions.
This includes:

  • unpublished or non-validated scientific material;
  • non-evaluated academic work (theses, dissertations, reports under review);
  • sensitive data related to unpublished archaeological sites, recent discoveries or specialized restoration techniques;
  • content protected by scientific or patrimonial rights, sometimes prohibited even for consultation.

Access is granted only upon explicit authorization from the INP’s General Director, and each request is examined individually in consultation with the responsible parties or rights holders.

  1. Copying and Use of Documents:

Reproduction of any visual or written content from the database (photographs, plans, drawings, descriptions) is subject to the following conditions:

  • submission of a written request specifying the nature of the documents concerned;
  • indication of the intended use (publication, teaching material, exhibition, etc.);
  • specification of the media and dissemination channels.
    No reproduction or publication is allowed without prior written authorization from the INP.
    Specific conditions may be applied, such as mandatory citation of the source, respect for document integrity, publication deadlines and rights compliance.