National Museum of Beirut

National Museum of Beirut

Beirut National Museum main entrance
Data
place	Junction of Damascus - El Yafi streets, Beirut
Art	Archaeological collection of different periods in the history of Lebanon
opening	1942
Website	http://www.museebeyrouth-liban.org/en

The National Museum of Beirut ( Arabic متحف بيروت الوطني, DMG Mathaf Bairut al-Watani ) is a museum of archeology in Lebanon .

history

The collection was established after World War I , the museum building was completed in 1937, and the museum was officially opened in 1942. The museum's collection consists of around 100,000 objects, most of which come from excavations conducted by the Lebanese General Directorate of Antiques. During the Lebanese civil war , the museum building was in a geographical location that was contested by both rival factions. The museum building suffered considerable damage in these years, but the majority of the collection was saved from damage in good time by taking precautionary measures.

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  Some artifacts in the museum

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  Ancient grave in the museum

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  Side wing of the museum

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  inside view

Currently, after extensive renovation work, the museum has regained its former importance as the National Museum of Lebanon and is best known for its collection of Phoenician objects.

management

In 1928 Maurice Chehab (1904–1994) began his work in antiques management. In 1944 he became head of the antiques management and in 1960 he was appointed general director of the museum. He is also the namesake of the gallery. During the civil war (1975–1991), he took numerous security measures with concrete barriers and artificial walls to protect the museum. He had some of the art objects outsourced.

building

Sarcophagus of King Ahiram

The museum building, designed by architects Antoine Nahas and Pierre Leprince Ringuet in the Egyptian revival style, is made of ocher-colored Lebanese limestone. The three-storey total of 11,000 exhibition space is distributed over the basement, ground floor and first floor. ${\displaystyle \mathrm {m^{2}} }$

The main pieces in the collection

The collection includes pieces found on Lebanese territory from the Paleolithic to the Ottoman Empire .

Bronze age

Statue of Reshef

Includes the maritime activities of the Phoenicians and Phoenician script .

• Cosmetic box made of ivory from Sidon, 14th century BC u. Z.

from the obelisk temple in Byblos , 19th century BC u. Z .:

• Ahiram sarcophagus
• Gold bronze votive statues
• Gold bronze statuette of Reshef
• Ornate knife made of gold and ivory

Iron age

Votive statues

Includes the maritime expansion of the Phoenician city-states and their control by the Assyrians , Babylonians, and Persians .

• Collection of anthropoid marble sarcophagi, 4th century BC
• Votive statues of the Eschmun temple in Sidon 5th century BC u. Z.

Sarcophagus with legend of Achilles

Mosaic of the Seven Wise Men

Hellenistic period

Hellenization by Lexanders , Ptolemies and Seleucids .

• Marble statue of Aphrodite
• Greek gods figures

Roman period (64 B.C.E.-395 C.E.)

• Achilles sarcophagus made of marble, 2nd century a. Z.
• Mosaic Calliope , Socrates and the Seven Wise Men of Greece , Baalbek 3rd century a. Z.
• Mosaic Abduction of Europe , Byblos, 3rd century a. Z.

Byzantine Period (395 C.E.-636 C.E.)

• “Envy” mosaic, Beirut
• Numismatic collection

Web links

• National Museum of Beirut. Accessed March 3, 2019 . 
• National Museum of Beirut. Retrieved January 16, 2017 . 
• Juliane Metzker (DLF): Emergency plans for the Lebanese National Museum. June 4, 2015, accessed January 16, 2017 . 

Commons : Beirut National Museum  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ BBC: Lebanon recovers ancient treasures
2. ↑ dailystar.com.lb: National Museum's basement rises from the dead , May 17, 2014
3. ↑ Brigitte Colin: The Beirut Museum Opens its Doors (.pdf) In: UNESCO . Retrieved April 16, 2017.
4. ↑ Collection of funeral rites

Coordinates: 33 ° 52 ′ 42.2 "  N , 35 ° 30 ′ 53.9"  E