British Museum set to return ancient Greek statue looted from Libya

By: Thomas Schmitt Attorney on November 12, 2019 / comment : 0 Archaeology, Heritage, Libya, North Africa, UK

London’s British Museum is set to return a looted ancient Greek statue of the goddess Persephone to Libya which is estimated to be worth £1.5m.

Statue of Persephone dating from 3rd century BC to be returned from the UK to Libya [Credit: Middle East Eye]

According to Al-Wasat newspaper, Mohammed al-Kouni, the Libyan charge d’affaires, visited the British Museum along with his delegation on Thursday to see the artefact and make arrangements for its return.

Libya's cultural heritage has been under threat from looting in the turbulent years that have followed the 2011 uprising against longtime autocrat Muammar Gaddafi.

The ancient Greek statue currently in the British Museum's possession was taken from a world heritage site in Shahhat in 2012.

The piece was illegally excavated from a grave in the ruins of Cyrene, an important Hellenic city located in the north of what is now Libya, and then subsequently smuggled into the United Kingdom.

The four-foot marble relic is of a hooded woman believed to be a representation of the queen of the underworld, Persephone.

The statue dates from the third or fourth century BC, and Dr Peter Higgs, a curator of Greek sculpture at the British Museum, described it as “one of the best examples of its type and … extremely rare”.

A 2015 ruling by Judge John Zani ruled that the statue, which was in the possession of Jordanian national Riad al-Qassas, had been “misdeclared” on arrival to the UK as border officials believed it was worth £72,000 and originally Turkish.

The artefact was discovered in a west London warehouse by customs officials, before being handed to the British Museum as the court ruled on its ownership.

Qassas was ordered to pay £50,000 costs in the 2015 ruling. Meanwhile, a claim from Emirati businessman Hassan Fazeli that the statue had been in his family since 1977 was waved away.

The return is part of a drive by the Libyan Antiquities Authority to repatriate stolen goods, a process that can take many years to see fruition.

There are currently five UNESCO world heritage sites in Libya that are classified by the United Nations as endangered: Ghadames, Cyrene, Tadrart Acacus, Leptis Magna and Sabratha.

Though the North African country boasts several archaelological sites and centuries of cultural history, some regions of Libya have not yet archived or documented many of their excavated artefacts.

This has left it difficult to assess how many ancient artefacts have been looted since 2011, though it is estimated that some 8,000 ancient coins and small artefacts have been lost.

In early October, the United States returned a Libyan statue known as the “Head of a Veiled Woman” following an 11-year investigation.

Author: Haneen Shlebak | Source: Middle East Eye [November 12, 2019]

Libya retrieves stolen bust from the US

By: Thomas Schmitt Attorney on October 02, 2019 / comment : 0 Archaeology, Heritage, Libya, North Africa

The US Department of Homeland Security is to return to the Libyan authorities the head of an archaeological marble statue that was smuggled illegally to the United States, the Libyan Foreign Ministry said.

Credit: The Libya Observer

"The step comes in implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries at the beginning of 2018 on the imposition of import restrictions on antiquities, cultural, and historical property of Libya," the Foreign Ministry explained.

The Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jamal Barq, clarified that the head will be handed over to the Libyan Embassy in Washington, to be later returned to its historical location in Libya.

Source: The Libya Observer [October 02, 2019]

Roman tomb discovered in Libyan city of Tarhuna

By: Thomas Schmitt Attorney on November 29, 2018 / comment : 0 Archaeology, Libya, North Africa

An ancient tomb containing belongings and remains, which dates back to the Roman era in the second century AD, was discovered in the area of Dogha in Tarhuna city, 65 kilometres (40 mi) to the southeast of Tripoli.

Credit: Municipal Council of Tarhuna

Credit: Municipal Council of Tarhuna

Credit: Municipal Council of Tarhuna

The Municipal Council of Tarhuna said that the new archaeological discovery goes back to more than 1,700 years, clarifying that the tomb consists of a rectangular chamber with two openings and contains three coffins made of limestone, one of them has the name of its owner, carved on it.

Source: The Libya Observer [November 29, 2018]

Vandalism and neglect haunt Libya's ancient heritage sites

By: Thomas Schmitt Attorney on October 23, 2018 / comment : 0 Archaeology, Heritage, Libya, North Africa

Graffiti covers the ruins of Cyrene in eastern Libya, a city founded by Greeks more than 2,600 years ago that once attracted tourists but is now neglected and the target of vandals.

A general view of the ancient ruins of the Greek and Roman city of Cyrene, in Shahhat, Libya [Credit: Esam Omran Al-Fetori/Reuters]

Insecurity and looting has hit Libya’s archaeological sites in the chaos and fighting that has followed the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, as rival groups struggle to consolidate control of the country.

Libya is home to five of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, listed for their outstanding universal value. The sites include the ruins of the Roman city of Leptis Magna and Sabratha, which is famous for its amphitheatre.

There are also prehistoric rock carvings in the Akakous mountains deep in the southern Sahara desert near the border with Algeria.

The temple of Zeus among the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Cyrene [Credit: Abdullah Doma/AFP]

In the east, tourists once trekked to Cyrene, a site founded by Greeks and later expanded by Romans, nestled in the mountains some 200 km (124 miles) east of Benghazi.

But with foreign tourists gone and the sites visited only by Libyan families on weekend trips, locals have seized land at the sites and vandals have even smeared graffiti on columns and walls.

That presents a challenge to local authorities trying to protect the ruins located in the small community of Shahat.

Graffitti spayed on the ruins [Credit: Reuters]

“In Cyrene, instead of speaking to one owner, now we speak to 50 with different backgrounds,” said Ahmad Hussein, the head of the antiquities department of a parallel administration in charge of eastern Libya.

“Some of the owners have built houses on these sites,” he said.

The challenge is worsened by a law in 2013 that allowed people to reclaim land confiscated under Gaddafi. Some people took that literally and annexed what they felt they deserved. Hussein wants to hold those who seized land accountable.

The effort to preserve ruins is further hampered by the fact that Libya has two governments. One administration backed by the United Nations sits in Tripoli, while the east has a parallel government.

Late Roman tomb with wall murals [Credit: Reuters]

In a rare positive sign, Hussein said that about 1,700 artifacts had been returned since 2011 after they were looted inside the country. Many other items are smuggled abroad though.

Leptis Magna in northwestern Libya has been able to escape vandalism thanks to local history fans and relative security at its location near the city of Misrata.

Sabratha has been repeatedly hit by fighting between rival factions and UNESCO last year issued an appeal to protect the site. The site received no help.


In the capital Tripoli, a lone director is trying to preserve some 18 Roman graves, dating back some 1,700 years which were found in 1958 in the western suburb of Janzour.

“There is no support for this site,” said al-Amari Ramadan Mabrouk, director of the Janzour antiquities office.

Libyan families come occasionally but otherwise spiders and dust cover the graves.

“I cannot give a number for tourists who visit Libya ... but I can say that, before 2011, tourism was popular in Libya,” he said.

Author: Ayman al-Warfalli | Source: Reuters [October 23, 2018]

'Jewel of Roman Empire' faces Libya dangers

By: Thomas Schmitt Attorney on October 03, 2018 / comment : 0 Archaeology, Heritage, Libya, North Africa

Perched on the edge of Libya's Mediterranean coast, the ancient city of Sabratha remains an awe-inspiring spectacle, the pink columns of its amphitheatre towering above turquoise waters.

A picture taken on September 1, 2018 shows colomns at the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha, around 70 kilometres  from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

But the world heritage site is classed as "endangered" by UNESCO, its majestic structures pockmarked by mortar and small arms fire.

Shell casings and bullets still litter the surrounding earth, a year after clashes between rival armed groups.

Locals say snipers positioned themselves at the top of the amphitheatre, once a jewel of the Roman Empire.

A picture taken on September 1, 2018 shows an edifice at the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha, around 70 kilometres from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

Bringing bloodshed back to the gladiatorial arena some 18 centuries after it was built, 39 people were killed and 300 wounded in the fighting.

Today, the site around 70 kilometres (45 miles) from the capital lies eerily abandoned, encircled by parched grass and weeds.

Since the toppling and killing of Libya's dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a 2011 uprising, Sabratha has become a key departure point for illegal migration.

A picture taken on September 1, 2018 shows a portion of the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha, around 70 kilometres from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

Smugglers and militias have profited amply from a chronic security vacuum.

It is from the long and deserted shores a few kilometres (miles) from ancient Sabratha that most migrants start their perilous boat journeys towards Europe.

'Permanent danger'

UNESCO declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list.

A picture shows a detail from a high relief at the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha, around 70 kilometres from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

The UN's cultural organisation based its decision on two factors -- "damage already caused" and vulnerability to future destruction.

It noted that "armed groups are present on these sites or in their immediate proximity".

Experts fear worse is to come for the country's historic sites, as armed groups continue to vie for ascendancy.

A picture taken on September 1, 2018 shows an edifice at the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha, around 70 kilometres from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

Libya's archaeological heritage is at great risk, warns Mohamad al-Chakchouki, head of the North African country's department of antiquities.

The "entrenchment of armed groups inside archaeological sites and the battles which have unfolded near the sites, including Sabratha, pose a permanent danger", he told AFP.

The conservation of sites was once entrusted to Western teams.

A picture taken on September 1, 2018 shows a portion of the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha, around 70 kilometres from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

But these experts have not travelled to Libya "for four years, because of the chaos and insecurity", said Chakchouki.

Spread out over 90 hectares (220 acres), including a part engulfed by the sea, Sabratha is one of three former cities that constituted Roman Tripolitania.

The others are Oea -- modern-day Tripoli -- and Leptis Magna in western Libya that was one of the sites classed as endangered by UNESCO two years ago.

A picture taken on September 1, 2018 shows columns of the amphitheatre at the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha,  around 70 kilometres from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

At the mercy of the scorching summer sun and the salty sea breeze, Sabratha suffers from stone erosion and degradation, said Mohamad Abu Ajela, an official at the city's office of antiquities.

But the "damage caused by man is a greater fear", he said.

A Spanish archaeological mission recently visited Sabratha and signed an agreement to restore some areas, including the theatre.

But completion of the work "depends on the security situation", Ajela said.

Urbanisation and looting

Alongside armed conflict, several protected Libyan sites are threatened by uncontrolled urban expansion.

A picture taken on September 1, 2018 shows an edifice at the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha, around 70 kilometres from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

One example is Cyrene, an ancient Greek city in northeastern Libya.

Exploiting the chaos, people have claimed ownership of land and built within the archaeological site's perimeter.

Looting is another threat to these sites, as the lack of security has led to illicit excavation and smuggling of antiquities.

A picture taken on September 1, 2018 shows columns of the amphitheatre at the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha,  around 70 kilometres from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

Several thefts of ancient objects have been reported.

In March, Spain's interior ministry announced the seizure "of numerous works of art" from the Cyrenaica and Tripolitania regions, including seven mosaics, sarcophagi and pieces of Egyptian origin.

Madrid said it had proof that two necropolises were looted by "terrorist groups".

A picture shows a detail from a high reliefat the site of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha, around 70 kilometres from the Libyan capital Tripoli. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Sabratha to be at risk in July 2016, along with four other Libyan sites on its World Heritage list [Credit: Mahmud TurkiaAFP]

Officials in the antiquities department attempt to save what they can, often through desperate measures.

Museums have closed -- including in Tripoli -- and some archaeological treasures have been transferred to a "safe place", Chakchouki said.

Source: AFP [October 03, 2018]

Libya urges Spain to speed up return of stolen Greek-era antiquities

By: Thomas Schmitt Attorney on June 25, 2018 / comment : 0 Archaeology, Heritage, Libya, North Africa, Spain

The deputy head of Libya’s  Presidential Council Ahmed Mitig demanded on Sunday Spain hand over smuggled Libyan antiquities recently seized by Madrid.

Credit: Alamy

Mitig made his remarks during a meeting with Spanish Ambassador to Libya Francisco de Miguel in the capital Tripoli, according to a statement by his media and communication office.

Spain’s ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to cooperate with Libya on the return of the smuggled items.

“The Libyan embassy in Madrid has presented a Memorandum of Understanding regarding judicial cooperation and protection of Libyan cultural heritage.” Mitig confirmed.

He also said he hopes for the return of Spanish companies to Libya, especially in the field of water desalination.

Chief of the Libyan Archaeological Authority, Mohamed Faraj, there are nearly 25 smuggled pieces held in Spain.

Meanwhile, the Libyan Archaeological Authority said last March that smuggled Libyan antiquities of the Greek era would soon be restored after negotiations with Spanish authorities.

In 2017, the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed it was following up 11 antiquities smuggled to Spain, the sale of which was stopped by the Spanish authorities.

Source: Libyan Express [June 25, 2018]

Entomologist confirms first Saharan farming 10,000 years ago

By: Thomas Schmitt Attorney on March 16, 2018 / comment : 0 Africa, Archaeology, Libya, North Africa

By analysing a prehistoric site in the Libyan desert, a team of researchers from the universities of Huddersfield, Rome and Modena & Reggio Emilia has been able to establish that people in Saharan Africa were cultivating and storing wild cereals 10,000 years ago. In addition to revelations about early agricultural practices, there could be a lesson for the future, if global warming leads to a necessity for alternative crops.

Takarkori rock shelter [Credit: University of Huddersfield]

The importance of find came together through a well-established official collaboration between the University of Huddersfield and the University of Modena & Reggio Emilia.

The team has been investigating findings from an ancient rock shelter at a site named Takarkori in south-western Libya. It is desert now, but in the Holocene age, some 10,000 years ago, it was part of the "green Sahara" and wild cereals grew there. More than 200,000 seeds - in small circular concentrations - were discovered at Takarkori, which showed that hunter-gatherers developed an early form of agriculture by harvesting and storing crops.

But an alternative possibility was that ants, which are capable of moving seeds, had been responsible for the concentrations. Dr Stefano Vanin, the University of Huddersfield's Reader in Forensic Biology and a leading entomologist in the forensic and archaeological fields, analysed a large number of samples, now stored at the University of Modena & Reggio Emilia. His observations enabled him to demonstrate that insects were not responsible and this supports the hypothesis of human activity in collection and storage of the seeds

The investigation at Takarkori provided the first-known evidence of storage and cultivation of cereal seeds in Africa. The site has yielded other key discoveries, including the vestiges of a basket, woven from roots, that could have been used to gather the seeds. Also, chemical analysis of pottery from the site demonstrates that cereal soup and cheese were being produced.

A new article that describes the latest findings and the lessons to be learned appears in the journal Nature Plants. Titled Plant behaviour from human imprints and the cultivation of wild cereals in Holocene Sahara, it is co-authored by Anna Maria Mercuri, Rita Fornaciari, Marina Gallinaro, Savino di Lernia and Dr Vanin.

One of the article's conclusions is that although the wild cereals, harvested by the people of the Holocene Sahara, are defined as "weeds" in modern agricultural terms, they could be an important food of the future.

"The same behaviour that allowed these plants to survive in a changing environment in a remote past makes them some of the most likely possible candidates as staple resources in a coming future of global warming. They continue to be successfully exploited and cultivated in Africa today and are attracting the interest of scientists searching for new food resources," state the authors.

Research based on findings at Takarkori continues. Dr Vanin is supervising PhD student Jennifer Pradelli - one of a cohort of doctoral candidates at the University of Huddersfield funded by a £1 million award from the Leverhulme Trust - and she is analysing insect evidence in order to learn more about the evolution of animal breeding at the site.

Source: University of Huddersfield [March 16, 2018]