Im Rahmen des noch andauernden Wiederaufbaus der Beiruter Altstadt nach dem libanesischen Bürgerk... more Im Rahmen des noch andauernden Wiederaufbaus der Beiruter Altstadt nach dem libanesischen Bürgerkrieg 1975-1990 wurde in archäologischen Rettungsgrabungen ein erheblicher Teil der antiken Stadt Berytus freigelegt und dokumentiert. Das libanesisch-deutsche Forschungsprojekt «Berytus» widmet sich jetzt der Analyse und Auswertung der Grabungen im Bereich der römischen Neustadt, die 15/14 v. Chr. für römische Veteranen errichtet worden ist.
Im Rahmen des noch andauernden Wiederaufbaus der Beiruter Altstadt nach dem libanesischen Bürgerk... more Im Rahmen des noch andauernden Wiederaufbaus der Beiruter Altstadt nach dem libanesischen Bürgerkrieg 1975-1990 wurde in archäologischen Rettungsgrabungen ein erheblicher Teil der antiken Stadt Berytus freigelegt und dokumentiert. Das libanesisch-deutsche Forschungsprojekt «Berytus» widmet sich jetzt der Analyse und Auswertung der Grabungen im Bereich der römischen Neustadt, die 15/14 v. Chr. für römische Veteranen errichtet worden ist.
This study presents the first results of the Phillips-University of Marburg 'Berytos Projekt' to ... more This study presents the first results of the Phillips-University of Marburg 'Berytos Projekt' to analyze the excavation data collected in the Wadi Abu Jmil quarter of Beirut. French archeologist Comte Robert du Mesnil du Buisson and his colleagues located the Roman Circus or Hippodrome in the area based on findings and reports of its inhabitants. Some had reported the presence of marble seats, and the lead curse tablet found at the site of the Greek consulate on Rue de France made its way into the National Museum. Development-led excavations (1995-2014) at a number of sites revealed the central barrier, the ranked seating area, the northern walls and finally the foundations of the starting gates. The Beirut Hippodrome or Roman Circus had suffered from the great earthquake in 551 CE and had become a quarry for building material. The analysis of the stratigraphy and ceramics of targeted soundings allowed the authors to reconstruct five centuries of its building history.
During the excavations associated with the reconstruction of the Beirut City Center, the remains ... more During the excavations associated with the reconstruction of the Beirut City Center, the remains of a heavily truncated lower city gate were exposed. Just outside the gate a set of four marked stones were situated against a wall. A description of the context of these stones and the finds of stones within the gates of Iron II-III in the region leads to an interpretatation of this feature.
Im Rahmen des noch andauernden Wiederaufbaus der Beiruter Altstadt nach dem libanesischen Bürgerk... more Im Rahmen des noch andauernden Wiederaufbaus der Beiruter Altstadt nach dem libanesischen Bürgerkrieg 1975-1990 wurde in archäologischen Rettungsgrabungen ein erheblicher Teil der antiken Stadt Berytus freigelegt und dokumentiert. Das libanesisch-deutsche Forschungsprojekt «Berytus» widmet sich jetzt der Analyse und Auswertung der Grabungen im Bereich der römischen Neustadt, die 15/14 v. Chr. für römische Veteranen errichtet worden ist.
Im Rahmen des noch andauernden Wiederaufbaus der Beiruter Altstadt nach dem libanesischen Bürgerk... more Im Rahmen des noch andauernden Wiederaufbaus der Beiruter Altstadt nach dem libanesischen Bürgerkrieg 1975-1990 wurde in archäologischen Rettungsgrabungen ein erheblicher Teil der antiken Stadt Berytus freigelegt und dokumentiert. Das libanesisch-deutsche Forschungsprojekt «Berytus» widmet sich jetzt der Analyse und Auswertung der Grabungen im Bereich der römischen Neustadt, die 15/14 v. Chr. für römische Veteranen errichtet worden ist.
This study presents the first results of the Phillips-University of Marburg 'Berytos Projekt' to ... more This study presents the first results of the Phillips-University of Marburg 'Berytos Projekt' to analyze the excavation data collected in the Wadi Abu Jmil quarter of Beirut. French archeologist Comte Robert du Mesnil du Buisson and his colleagues located the Roman Circus or Hippodrome in the area based on findings and reports of its inhabitants. Some had reported the presence of marble seats, and the lead curse tablet found at the site of the Greek consulate on Rue de France made its way into the National Museum. Development-led excavations (1995-2014) at a number of sites revealed the central barrier, the ranked seating area, the northern walls and finally the foundations of the starting gates. The Beirut Hippodrome or Roman Circus had suffered from the great earthquake in 551 CE and had become a quarry for building material. The analysis of the stratigraphy and ceramics of targeted soundings allowed the authors to reconstruct five centuries of its building history.
During the excavations associated with the reconstruction of the Beirut City Center, the remains ... more During the excavations associated with the reconstruction of the Beirut City Center, the remains of a heavily truncated lower city gate were exposed. Just outside the gate a set of four marked stones were situated against a wall. A description of the context of these stones and the finds of stones within the gates of Iron II-III in the region leads to an interpretatation of this feature.
Urbicide II, lessons to be learned for archeological heritage management in Aleppo from the Beiru... more Urbicide II, lessons to be learned for archeological heritage management in Aleppo from the Beirut post-conflict reconstruction (1993-2017)
Roman urban ideologies and the making of Colonia Julia Augusta Felix Berytus (Beirut)
Hans Cur... more Roman urban ideologies and the making of Colonia Julia Augusta Felix Berytus (Beirut)
Hans Curvers – BCC Archaeology Project
Beirut has had a very long history of continuous urbanised settlement going back to at least the Early Bronze Age (3nd millennium BC). The last fifteen years has provided an opportunity to explore long-term development of urbanisation and to investigate changing urban ideologies associated with a city of the East Mediterranean basin. Large-scale excavations have provided a wealth of evidence which is currently being processed and assimilated. In regard to this evidence, this paper will provide some preliminary thoughts regarding the evolution of the urban landscape of Beirut during the Graeco-Roman era.
It was during the Graeco-Roman period that fundamental changes occurred to the urban character of Beirut. Current evidence is beginning to suggest the radical and rapid transformation of the existing urban layout: from one of a progressively Hellenised settlement of growing regional importance to that of a highly self-conscious and symbolic showpiece of Roman imperial and ideological intentions. This ‘re-positioning’ of the Beirut urban ‘brand’ initially came about in the Augustan period as a result of its alteration to a colony, and as an urban focus for the related regional colonization. The pattern over the next two centuries seems to be one of over-investment and an increasing density of public buildings at the expense of residential areas. The paper will assess the reasons behind this seemingly exceptional urban development and will suggest it may reflect a continued interest in the city of Beirut as a Latin urban project of huge regional importance.
Hoe gaat een opgraving precies in zijn werk, wat doet een oudheidkundige en "wat heb je eraan"? I... more Hoe gaat een opgraving precies in zijn werk, wat doet een oudheidkundige en "wat heb je eraan"? In dit boek wordt door een team van deskundigen een tipje van de sluiter opgelicht.
Preface (Beirut 2016) In an attempt to provide the archeological community with information on th... more Preface (Beirut 2016) In an attempt to provide the archeological community with information on the findings in Beirut I have decided to publish the 'gray records' that were submitted to stakeholders in the BCC Archeology Project works, most of these reports were submitted to the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA). Since these reports or publications in the archive of the DGA, developers and BCC Archeology Project are "gray literature" (unpublished, not cataloged, and have very limited circulation), the content should be considered pre-preliminary. This report was presented as a MA thesis to the University of Paris IV – Sorbonne. It is with permission of Gabriela Faraldo Victorica that I included her thesis in the BCC Archeological Project-Gray Reports, with minor changes in the general layout only.
A brief history of urban planning and heritage puts the post-conflict reconstruction of Beirut in... more A brief history of urban planning and heritage puts the post-conflict reconstruction of Beirut in a wider perspective. A summary of the Beirut City Center archeological project and the various aspects of archeological heritage management in the city allow for an evaluation of the proposed text of article 18 on the archeology in a future reconstruction program in cities suffering from Urbicide. Article 18 includes all aspects of the archeological work ahead, embedding archeology in the planning process is crucial for the implementation during execution. Destruction, more specifically urbicide, remains relatively unexplored in archaeology and heritage management. The term itself refers to some form and measurable degree of damage inflicted on the city. The damage may exceed beyond repair. In some cases irreversible damage is examined for its impact on an existing equilibrium, extraordinary features that represent the end of an archaeological culture or historical phase and the beginning of a new one. In other cases labels like Urbicide are applied and plans are made to salvage and reconstruct. The destruction of cities in Western Asia (Beirut, Aleppo, Homs, Jenin and Raqqa) are recent examples. It is in this phase, that new designs call for archeological interventions. In Beirut, I have participated as an archeological heritage manager in the reconstruction and development of the city center. In this phase of reconstruction, archeology will add more destructed heritage to the tasks of the planners. Archeology and Development Browsing the newspaper articles on Beirut's reconstruction and development reveals that archaeology and development seem to be in a decades-long conflict. Archeology evokes an image of research that is quite free and academic, and follows in the footsteps of Indiana Jones with a scent of adventure. Urban planning and development, on the other hand, evoke problems of capitalism, destruction of urban heritage buildings and removal of public spaces. These images express a general opinion against a science considered only useful for solving problems about the origins of agriculture, writing, the rise of civilization and the first cities. To resolve problems of current development, exact sciences and engineering are called for. Other disciplines involved, such as the social sciences-among which archaeology may
Uploads
Papers
Hans Curvers – BCC Archaeology Project
Beirut has had a very long history of continuous urbanised settlement going back to at least the Early Bronze Age (3nd millennium BC). The last fifteen years has provided an opportunity to explore long-term development of urbanisation and to investigate changing urban ideologies associated with a city of the East Mediterranean basin. Large-scale excavations have provided a wealth of evidence which is currently being processed and assimilated. In regard to this evidence, this paper will provide some preliminary thoughts regarding the evolution of the urban landscape of Beirut during the Graeco-Roman era.
It was during the Graeco-Roman period that fundamental changes occurred to the urban character of Beirut. Current evidence is beginning to suggest the radical and rapid transformation of the existing urban layout: from one of a progressively Hellenised settlement of growing regional importance to that of a highly self-conscious and symbolic showpiece of Roman imperial and ideological intentions. This ‘re-positioning’ of the Beirut urban ‘brand’ initially came about in the Augustan period as a result of its alteration to a colony, and as an urban focus for the related regional colonization. The pattern over the next two centuries seems to be one of over-investment and an increasing density of public buildings at the expense of residential areas. The paper will assess the reasons behind this seemingly exceptional urban development and will suggest it may reflect a continued interest in the city of Beirut as a Latin urban project of huge regional importance.