This blog is dedicated to the preservation of Libyan cultural heritage.
Libya has been home to many peoples, all of whom have left their imprint on the land. From prehistoric peoples, whose rock art is all that remains of their civilizations, to the Phoenicians, to the Berbers, who left behind the UNESCO site of Ghadames, to the Greeks and Romans, whose monumental structures still stand today over Leptis Magna and other cities, to the Vandals and Byzantines, to the Arabs, who were to have an enduring impact on Libya, to the Turks, and to European colonizers.
This cultural heritage is under grave threat. ISIS has looted artifacts in order to finance its apocalyptic mission and has destroyed sites as part of its cultural cleansing project. And because of economic dislocation, Libyans too are selling looted artifacts just to make ends meet. Though cultural heritage sites were neglected during Col. Gaddafi's rule, the current political instability has further weakened efforts to protect sites and police looting and vandalism.
Commendable efforts have been made to shore up institutional capacity to police and monitor looting, to train Libyan archaeologists in recording methodologies, and to help international actors identify Libyan artifacts. More can and should be done, notably in the area of advocacy and outreach. For example, why is cultural heritage worthy preserving in and of itself?
That is what this blog seeks to show. Each week I will discuss a new fascinating example of the richness of Libyan cultural heritage in the hope that as people learn more about all that Libya has to offer they will be more willing to protect it. In this way, these posts will represent one small contribution to protecting sites not just in Libya, but around the world as well.
Libya has been home to many peoples, all of whom have left their imprint on the land. From prehistoric peoples, whose rock art is all that remains of their civilizations, to the Phoenicians, to the Berbers, who left behind the UNESCO site of Ghadames, to the Greeks and Romans, whose monumental structures still stand today over Leptis Magna and other cities, to the Vandals and Byzantines, to the Arabs, who were to have an enduring impact on Libya, to the Turks, and to European colonizers.
This cultural heritage is under grave threat. ISIS has looted artifacts in order to finance its apocalyptic mission and has destroyed sites as part of its cultural cleansing project. And because of economic dislocation, Libyans too are selling looted artifacts just to make ends meet. Though cultural heritage sites were neglected during Col. Gaddafi's rule, the current political instability has further weakened efforts to protect sites and police looting and vandalism.
Commendable efforts have been made to shore up institutional capacity to police and monitor looting, to train Libyan archaeologists in recording methodologies, and to help international actors identify Libyan artifacts. More can and should be done, notably in the area of advocacy and outreach. For example, why is cultural heritage worthy preserving in and of itself?
That is what this blog seeks to show. Each week I will discuss a new fascinating example of the richness of Libyan cultural heritage in the hope that as people learn more about all that Libya has to offer they will be more willing to protect it. In this way, these posts will represent one small contribution to protecting sites not just in Libya, but around the world as well.
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