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REVIEW BY PAUL NEWSON
This lavishly produced A4 book is one outcome of a recent major exhibition jointly organised by the Netherlands and Lebanese antiquities services, and held in the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden during the winter of 2022 to 2023. Both the exhibition and the book aimed to pour light on the extraordinary archaeological wealth of what has often been labelled ‘the world’s most ancient port’: one whose access to the ancient cedar forests of Mount Lebanon ensured its importance for many centuries.
The book brings together 43 summary articles on various aspects of the archaeology of Byblos and its hinterland. The work is arranged into four sections: within each section are historical summaries of each major period, along with articles on various topics. The first, ‘Exploring Byblos’, sets the scene with papers on the history of excavations, with emphasis on the extensive work and legacy of Maurice Dunand, under whose direction much of the ancient settlement’s centre was uncovered between 1926 and 1975. An interesting insight is provided by the succinct piece on recent rescue excavations that highlights the future potential beneath the modern city, especially for later periods.
The second section, ‘The Origins of a Harbour City’, recounts characteristics of the site’s early occupation, from the Neolithic to the end of the Early Bronze Age III (2500 BC). From this long period, evidence has been found for extensive settlement, with dwellings from at least 6900 BC and signs of urbanisation with the remains of an encompassing defensive wall (Wall A) from c.3000 BC. It is during the Early Bronze Age that the first indications of Byblos’ transformative and long-standing connections with ancient Egypt become apparent in the material culture.
The largest section is the third, ‘The Focal Point of the Mediterranean Sea’, with 17 papers dedicated to the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. These comprise a range of topics, from new insights into the harbour to a range of analyses of material culture unearthed in different contexts – be they temple foundation gifts to the gods or votive faience animals in the enigmatic obelisk temple. Especially intriguing to me were the assessments of the as-yet-undeciphered Byblos Script, and the recently unearthed and unlooted Middle Bronze Age necropolis. It is clear that this period was when Byblos was at its most influential: highly connected with ancient Egypt and dominating this end of the eastern Mediterranean.
The final section, ‘Prospering in the Shadows’, covers select subjects of the more recent periods from the Iron Age up to the medieval, ending with a study of the massive standing fortifications of the Crusader castle by its undoubted expert the late Anis Shaaya.
While the average length for each article is around six pages, they are written by many of the current leading specialists of the Near East, and are well-illustrated with good colour photographs, maps, and plans. Taken together, this celebration of international cooperation forms an insightful guide and rich introduction to this most fascinating of cities.
Byblos: A Legacy Unearthed
National Museum of Antiquities (the Netherlands) and Ministry of Culture/Directorate General of Antiquities (Lebanon)
Sidestone Press, £60
ISBN 978-9464262209
