Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut

Archaeology Museum of the American University of Beirut
Location within Beirut
Established 1868
Location Beirut, Lebanon
Coordinates 33°53′58″N 35°29′01″E / 33.899458°N 35.483642°E
Type Archaeological
Director Dr. Leila Badre
Curator Reine Mady (Research Assistant)
Lorine Mouawad (Research Assistant)
Amale Feghali (Museum Assistant)
Website http://www.aub.edu.lb/museum_archeo/Pages/index.aspx

The Archaeology Museum of the American University of Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon is the third oldest museum in the Near East after Cairo and Constantinople.[1]

History

The museum was formed in 1868 after Luigi Palma di Cesnola gifted a collection of Cypriot pottery to the newly formed American University of Beirut.[2] Georges Post was the first curator of this collection and Morris Jesup donated the funds for construction of Post Hall (pictured) which opened in 1902.[3] There is much archaeological plundering in Lebanon due to weak governmental control and people arrive daily at the museum with suggested artefacts plundered from clandestine excavations.[4] Between 1902 and 1938 the Museum acquired collections from all around the Middle East. The museum remained closed during World War II and re-opened in 1948. It expanded in the 1950s and doubled its floor space with a refurbishment under curator D.C. Baramki which opened to the public in 1964. The museum remained open during the years of crisis in Lebanon between 1975 and 1990 and underwent another complete renovation in 2006 under the present director, Dr. Leila Badre. A Mezzanine level was added that increased the space by one fifth using funds secured from the Joukowsky Family Foundation.[5] The AUB Archaeological Museum is the third oldest museum in the Near East, after Cairo and Constantinople[6][7]

Displays

The collections are organized by chronology and themes with displays along the sides of the gallery displaying the evolution of pottery.[8] Other displays include The Cesnola Collection; the museums first showing pottery from Cyprus from the Bronze Age to the Roman era.[9] The Pre-Historic collection includes Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. The Ksar Akil collection was donated from the University of Boston team who excavated this archaeological site in 1948. The display shows a 23 m stratigraphic sequence of thirty seven layers illustrated by the flint tools belonging to several cultures detected. The sequence is radiocarbon dated between 50,000 to 18,000 BP, and contained a human jaw dated to 40,000 BP and a complete skull dated to 35,000 BP.

The Paleolithic showcase displays the journey of man through the stone age covering important events such as the discovery of fire, hunting and cave paintings. The Neolithic showcase covers the dawn of agriculture, animal domestication, the beginnings of pottery, villages and religion. The terracotta figurines collection shows their evolution from the Bronze Age to the Roman era and their importance in the development of religion. The metal figurines collection, mostly of males and gods used as symbols of power. The Bronze Age displays show artefacts dated between 3000 BC and 1200 BC including evidence of early writing, trade and urbanization. The Iron Age displays shows evidence of the invasions of sea people and city states during the period between 1200 BC and 400 BC. The Phoenician showcases display the extraction of purple dye from murex shells, pottery and Phoenician glass. Phoenician religion is represented by a large stelae of a priest, a throne of Astarte, libation spoons and a glass amulet. Other notable features of this section include the Ford Mandible dating from the 5th century BC showing the earliest known example of dentistry. The Bodashtar inscription is also displayed along with an explanation of the development of the linear alphabet. The Classical period collection includes funerary reliefs from Palmyra, Egypt and the Levant, a Byzantine mosaic and collection of funerary sarcophagi displayed on the staircase leading to the mezzanine. The Islamic period displays materials from the Umayyad Period in 656 AD to the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century where glazed tiles and plates are shown.

The newly added Mezzanine include table cases displaying small objects, such as a collection of coins, scarabs and seals, lamps, amulets, cosmetics, jewelry, tools and weapons.[10]

Projects

The museum has been involved in various archaeological research and recovery projects.[11][12] In 1956-1974 the museum was involved in excavations at Tell el-Ghassil in the Beqaa Valley which was determined an agrarian site with levels dating from 1800 to 600 BC. Some of the Iron Age material recovered is displayed in the museum including a goblet with incised decoration of birds and ducks discovered at Tell el Yehudiyeh dating from 1730 to 1550 BC that was found next to a skeleton, presumed to be a funerary gift for use in the afterlife.[10][13]

The museum has also carried out a number of excavations in Beirut Central District under the directorship of Dr. Leila Badre. These have included the ancient tell of Beirut, BEY 003 this was to try to discover the “Biruta” of the Amarna Letters. Evidence was found of a fortification system that constructed in the second millennium BC continuing until the Hellenistic period along with the remains of a building dating back into the third millennium BC and a hoard of Egyptian objects. Another site the museum has been involved with is BEY 012, Saint Georges Cathedral of the Greek Orthodox where excavations were carried out in 2001. Eight layers showed occupation from the Hellenistic period onwards, the remains of five, possibly six successive churches were found. Another site investigated was BEY 215, the an-Nahar building, revealing six levels of occupation dating from the Persian to Byzantine eraas showing continuous inhabitation since the 4th century BC. Tell Kazel in Syria has also excavated and studied by Dr. Leila Badre since 1985. Likely the ancient Simyra, levels from the Mameluk Period to the Bronze Age were discovered. Finds included a temple and rooms with sea shell paved floors. Visitors to the museum can view relics such as cylinder seals, necklaces, pottery and temple offerings organized according to their site location. The museum has also embarked on the restoration of the wall paintings of Mar Sarkis and Bakhos in Kaftoun with the University of Warsaw.[13]

Publications

Tell el-Ghassil

BEY003

Tell Kazel

The Church of Mar Sarkis and Bakhos in Kaftoun

Other publications

Brochures

Newsletter

Visitor information

The museum opening hours are between 0900 to 1700 in the winter and 0900 to 1600 in the summer on Mondays to Fridays. The Museum is closed on public holidays and during university holidays. Tours last approximately 1 hour. Group tours and school visits can be made by appointment by e-mail to the Museum assistant. Entrance and tours are free of charge.

References

  1. ↑ Leonard Woolley; Sir (19 June 2010). Guide to the Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut. BiblioLife. ISBN 978-1-175-15092-9. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  2. ↑ The Leventis Foundation CYPRIOTE ANTIQUITIES IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT, Introduction
  3. ↑ Dīmitrī Barāmkī (1959). The Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut. Nederlands Historisch-Archaeologisch Instituut in het Nabije Oosten. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  4. ↑ Peter G. Stone; Brian Molyneaux (1994). The presented past: heritage, museums, and education. Routledge in association with English Heritage. pp. 97–. ISBN 978-0-415-09602-7. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  5. ↑ Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut Website - History
  6. ↑ http://www.aub.edu.lb/museum_archeo/Pages/index.aspx
  7. ↑ "archeological museum of AUB".
  8. ↑ American University of Beirut. University Museum; Dorothy Mary Simmons Mackay (1951). A guide to the archaeological collections in the University Museum: (American University of Beirut). Printed for the American University of Beirut by the Impr. catholique. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  9. ↑ Vassos Karageorghis; Layla Badr (2009). Cypriote antiquities in the Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut [Catalogue]. A. G. Leventis Foundation. ISBN 978-9963-560-87-5. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut Website - Organization
  11. ↑ Karen D. Vitelli; Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh (2006). Archaeological ethics. Rowman Altamira. pp. 100–. ISBN 978-0-7591-0963-6. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  12. ↑ American University of Beirut. Museum of Archaeology (2003). Berytus: archeological studies published by the Museum of Archeology of the American University of Beirut. Munksgaard. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut Website - Fieldwork

External links