Some people might
assume that because there has been little talk of Beirut’s archaeological
excavations in a long time, that all is well on that front.
But knowledgeable
observers cannot fail to be shocked by what has been happening. The following
observations are not made for the sake of causing controversy. What concerns us
is our heritage, and the little that remains of it in the heart of our capital,
once the “Mother of Laws.”
First, on the
legal front:
The law requires
archaeological excavations to be supervised either by an archaeologist with
relevant experience from the Directorate-General of Antiquities (DGA), or a
qualified academic from a university or archaeological institute. This law was
applied diligently, even during the heyday of Solidere with all its thuggery.
The company brought in a total of over 20 teams from Lebanese universities and
a number of European and other institutions to help oversee various sites.
Since 2005, the
Lebanese University has been excluded from any excavations in Beirut,
ostensibly because it lacks the necessary funding. Foreign universities were
excluded too on the grounds that they cannot provide better care for Lebanon’s
antiquities than the Lebanese themselves can, and that the foreign academics
only come for the money (although these foreign teams are self-funded, and do
not cost Lebanon anything).
To fill this
contrived vacuum, all archaeological excavations in Beirut were entrusted to a
private company, which was established by individuals who were still students,
none of whom had yet gained a master’s degree. This company, naturally, seeks
to make a financial profit, making it possible for the goal of safeguarding the
country’s heritage to be compromised.
Secondly, on the
scientific front:
It is standard
practice for researchers working on archaeological digs to publish preliminary
reports in which they provide details of their finds for the benefit of
concerned specialists and others.
The DGA magazine
Baal, is in a peculiar position in this regard.
All the
scientific teams which took part in excavations in Beirut in the 1990s
published their reports and findings in a professional and serious manner.
These were in keeping with established scientific and academic standards, and
provided more than enough material for several issues of the magazine, giving
us a textual, photographic, cartographic, and diagrammatic record of everything
that was unearthed in Beirut.
Yet for the past
six years or more, Baal magazine has been completely devoid of any reports of,
or data about, excavations in Beirut – even though these have continued
unabated throughout this time.
The main reason
for this, in our opinion – unless there is a concealed reason – is that those
carrying out the excavations have not yet acquired enough of the technical
capacity, academic methodology, or functional expertise needed to publish the
findings. In practice, this means that about 70 archaeological sites have been
allowed to disappear without a trace, either physical or photographic.
Third, regarding
the fate of the antiquities:
During the heyday
of Solidere and its thuggery, I was involved in a number of hard-fought
campaigns aimed at protecting archaeological sites. We were, and remain,
convinced that some ruins unearthed during construction of buildings need to be
kept where they are, both to testify to Beirut’s magnificent history, and also
to serve as tourism and cultural attractions. Despite threats and attempted
bribery – and despite Dutchman Hans Curvers’ theory that no archaeological find
need remain in situ – we managed, with the help of UNESCO and the international
committee it set up, to secure the preservation of a few sites: The Ancient
Hill, The Phoenician Quarter, and the site of the Small Palace.
Since 2005, about
70 sites have been excavated in Beirut. Everything found in them to this day
has been removed, except from the newly-uncovered Mina al-Hosn site, which was
the target of a dubious deal aimed at digging it up too.
What is the
difference then between the actions of Curvers – whose prosecution and
deportation we repeatedly called for – and those of his Lebanese successors? At
least Curvers kept meticulous records and published his reports in Baal
magazine. The private company has yet to publish a single scientific report.
This must rank as one of the worst failings ever in the history of archaeology
in Lebanon.
Is it conceivable
that not a single ruin worth preserving has been found in the ancient heart of
this capital, despite the great expanse of the area excavated, and the numerous
locations involved? Who decided that? Who is responsible for the decision to
uproot our history from the ground of Beirut? Bemused and astonished, it is our
right and our duty to ask.
Fourth, regarding
responsibility:
The Ministry of
Culture controls the DGA, and as such is entrusted with Lebanon’s antiquities
and historic heritage. Its officials are supposed to be duty-bound to defend
our ancient legacy – or at least that is how we understand the concept of
performing one’s national duty.
But what is the
reality of the situation?
Since last
August, Minister of Culture Gaby Layoun, has surrounded himself with a small
committee composed of what he has described as academics. We warned him at the
time that this was a serious mistake, as the committee – controlled by the
self-styled “Jupiter” of archaeology throughout the Levant – will be the
undoing of the DGA.
There are many
reasons why we made this assertion. First, the committee brings with it dreams
and prejudices that are unrelated to heritage or archeology. Second, it will
cover up scandals rather than opening files and reforming what needs to be
reformed. Third, it will create a contrived vacuum by excluding foreign experts
and belittling Lebanese specialists – because “none of them deserve the PhDs
they hold” – so that it can assert its own control over the DGA. Finally, it is
our belief this committee will exact revenge against certain “hostile”
staffers, by way of settling some of its members’ old scores.
Sadly, what we
used to warn against is now actually happening. Indeed, the illustrious
committee went further.
It has not
sufficed with all the above, or with renewing the cover provided to the private
company that has been cleansing Beirut of its antiquities. It also started
digging up old ministerial decrees imposing preservation orders on several
archaeological sites in the center of the capital, with the aim of overturning
them and removing the antiquities from their original locations, under the
rubric of “dismantling and integration” – otherwise known as taking people for
a ride.
The first death
sentence the committee passed was against the Roman Hippodrome that was
discovered in Wadi Abu-Jamil. This was done on the basis of a report that was
all of five lines long, and was described by his excellency the minister as an
“important achievement.”
The second of the
esteemed committee’s achievements is the “scientific” report it is preparing in
order to “prove” to the public that the structure of the Phoenician port in
Mina al-Hosn is merely a “small pile of stones” – in the words of one its
“scientists” – and therefore a natural candidate for “dismantling and
integration.”
We have begun to
fear that its third achievement will be to deem the Phoenician Hill to be
another mere pile of stones which deface the heart of the capital and must be
bulldozed away. Who knows? The committee might even find that the columns of
Baalbak are not in their correct historical location, and should be dismantled
and integrated into the Berdawni valley for the benefit of restaurant-goers.
What is being
done to Beirut today can be described – as during the Solidere days – as a
large-scale cultural massacre. We are entitled to ask out aloud: what is the
explanation for the extraordinary zeal with which Beirut’s antiquities are
being squandered?
Is it really the
national interest?
Is it a uniquely
refined aesthetic view of how city centers can be beautified?
Is it simply
ignorance?
Or is it – as
rumored – something else?
Naji Karam is
Professor of Phoenician Art and Archaeology and former head of the Art and
Archaeology Department at the Lebanese University.
The views
expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect Ama Ata's editorial
policy.
This article is
an edited translation from the Arabic Edition.
Original Article from:
