Lebanon > National Museum

National Museum of Beirut

The National Museum of Beirut is a must on every visitor’s itinerary. It is an introduction to Lebanon’s history, its ancient people and civilizations. Although it was severely damaged during Lebanon’s war (1975-91), generous public and private support allowed the museum to reopen permanently in 1999 with a face lift, and an updated display of its collection.

A part of Lebanon’s Directorate General of Antiquities, the Museum’s function is not only to exhibit objects, but to conserve, restore and document them. Its collections are also a valuable resource for scholars, students and tourists.

If the carved and inscribed stones on the ground floor are architectural and monumental in scope, the first floor reveals artistry of a finer kind. Here the march of history seems to slow down as the traditions of pottery, jewelry and glass-making reveal the timelessness of human endeavor.

Starting clockwise around the hall, the chronological exhibit begins with prehistory and the Bronze Age and continues through to the Arab conquest and Ottoman Period (635 - 1516 AD).

Pottery, one of the humankind’s earliest artifacts and the “lingua franca” of archaeology, is well represented. Beginning with the Chalcolithic period (4th millennium B.C.), the collections include Late Bronze Age jars from Kamid el Loz in the Beqaa, Iron Age funerary pottery found in Khaldeh south of Beirut, Roman vessels and beautiful Islamic pottery. Figurines, often used as offerings in temples or as funerary material, are one of the delights of the museum. Charming ivory figurines from Kamid el Loz date to the Late Bronze Age.

From Byblos’ temple of the Obelisks come the famous bronze figurines, sometimes overlaid with gold leaf, with their tall caps. They are always seen clustered together in an imposing crowd and have become a popular symbol of Lebanon’s long history.

Ancient Byblos is the source of many of the museum’s treasures. One of the great Phoenician cities, Byblos had close relations with Egypt from the 3rd millennium B.C. onwards. Here royal tombs yielded gold diadems or crowns, gold and jeweled breast plates, scepters, and a gold dagger. The obsidian (volcanic glass) vase and a coffer set with gold were gifts from pharaohs Amenenhat III and IV. Objects from the temple of Obelisks in Byblos include gold and bronze fenestrated axes, an impressive gold, silver and ivory dagger and a gold vase.

Also from the Hellenistic period (333 B.C.-64 A.D.) are exposed terra cotta figurines found in Kharayeb near Tyre.

The jewelry, from Middle Bronze Age carnelian neck-laces, to gold adornments of 5th century B.C. was mainly discovered in tombs.

Of particular interest is the gold Byzantine treasure found in a clay jar in downtown Beirut. The rings, from Eshmoun temple (4th century B.C.), carved with gods and goddesses on one tier and dancing figures on the other. Displayed on the left of central hall is the collection of thrones. A big one, discovered in the temple of Eshmoun and six miniature thrones are dedicated to the goddess Astarte (Venus). Flanked by winged sphinxes, the Astarte thrones come from various sites in Lebanon and date from the Persian to the Roman periods.

The imposing limestone colossus in the Egyptian style at the far left of the hall was found in Byblos. Of local manufacture, its date is uncertain although it probably reflects the pervasive Egyptian influence in Byblos during the 3rd and 2nd millennium B.C. In the same room is a plain marble sarcophagus with a Phoenician inscription. Found in Byblos, it dates to the 4th century B.C.

The museum’s most important piece is undoubtedly the sarcophagus of Ahiram, King of Byblos (10th century B.C.). The inscription which starts on the side of the coffin and continues on the border of the lid, is the earliest text using the Phoenician alphabet, the prototype of modern alphabets. In contrast with the ornately carved Roman-Byzantine sarcophagi, this limestone coffin reveals a mixture of Egyptian and Hittite-Syrian influences. The sarcophagus on four crouching lions while on one side king Ahiram is seated on a throne guarded by winged sphinxes. The other side shows people procession bearing offerings.

Only two of the museum’s 26 white marble anthropoid sarcophagi, each with the carved face of the deceased, are on display. This important collection will be exhibited in its entirety after extended work in the building’s lower level is complete, Dating from the 5th century B.C., 19 of the sarcophagi were found near Sidon in 1901. They were called the “Ford Collection” in honor to the Director of the American Presbyterian School where they were discovered. Later, other anthropoid sarcophagi were added to the collection.

One wood object can be found among all these stones. To the left of the entrance is a well-aged chunk of cedar, dating to 41 B.C. Valued for its long lasting properties, the Cedar of Lebanon played an important role in the early commerce of Tyre, Sidon and Byblos.

The imposing limestone colossus in the Egyptian style at the far left of the hall was found in Byblos. Of local manufacture, its date is uncertain although it probably reflects the pervasive Egyptian influence in Byblos during the 3rd and 2nd millennium B.C. In the same room is a plain marble sarcophagus with a Phoenician inscription. Found in Byblos, it dates to the 4th century B.C.

The museum’s most important piece is undoubtedly the sarcophagus of Ahiram, King of Byblos (10th century B.C.). The inscription which starts on the side of the coffin and continues on the border of the lid, is the earliest text using the Phoenician alphabet, the prototype of modern alphabets. In contrast with the ornately carved Roman-Byzantine sarcophagi, this limestone coffin reveals a mixture of Egyptian and Hittite-Syrian influences. The sarcophagus on four crouching lions while on one side king Ahiram is seated on a throne guarded by winged sphinxes. The other side shows people procession bearing offerings.

Only two of the museum’s 26 white marble anthropoid sarcophagi, each with the carved face of the deceased, are on display. This important collection will be exhibited in its entirety after extended work in the building’s lower level is complete, Dating from the 5th century B.C., 19 of the sarcophagi were found near Sidon in 1901. They were called the “Ford Collection” in honor to the Director of the American Presbyterian School where they were discovered. Later, other anthropoid sarcophagi were added to the collection.

One wood object can be found among all these stones. To the left of the entrance is a well-aged chunk of cedar, dating to 41 B.C. Valued for its long lasting properties, the Cedar of Lebanon played an important role in the early commerce of Tyre, Sidon and Byblos.

Detail of Ahiram’s Sarcophagus from Eshmoun temple (4th century B.C.), carved with gods and goddesses on one tier and dancing figures on the other. Displayed on the left of central hall is the collection of thrones. A big one, discovered in the temple of Eshmoun and six miniature thrones are dedicated to the goddess Astarte (Venus). Flanked by winged sphinxes, the Astarte thrones come from various sites in Lebanon and date from the Persian to the Roman periods.

At the end of the war in 1991 the Directorate General of Antiquities was faced with difficult task. The building had to be repaired, the objects restored and inventoried, and the museum’s entire function reassessed. Sandstone facade was renovated with a mixture of stone powder and resin. A cleaner interior was achieved. Later, acoustical tiles and elevators were installed and the all-important air- conditioning system and climate-controlled display cases added to protect delicate objects from excessive heat and humidity.

The fascinating story of this restoration work, including scenes filmed during the release of sarcophagi and statues from their concrete casing, can be seen in a 12 minutes video film on show in the museum’s audio visual room.

Ground Floor

On the ground floor of the museum are displayed mosaics and stone pieces, some of which are monumental. In the central and righthand sections of the hall are objects from Roman-Byzantine period (64 B.C. to 636 A.D.), starting with the famous Mosaic of the Seven Wise Men at the museum entrance. This well-preserved mosaic, which once decorated the dining room of a Roman villa in Baalbeck, depicts Calliope, muse of Philosophy, surrounded by Socrates and the Seven Wise Men. Nearby is statuary from the same period, including the statue of Emperor Hadrian, discovered in Tyre.

Four carved second century A.D. Roman Sarcophagi, two on either side of the central hall, are arguably among the most spectacular objects in the museum. One is decorated with Drunken Cupids, another with scenes of Battles Between Greeks. Facing them, the two others depict the legend of Achilles. The sarcophagi were found in Tyre’s necropolis, along with dozens of other tombs and sarcophagi discovered by Emir Maurice Chehab, Lebanon’s first Director General of Antiquities (1942- 1982). You can also see stone architects’ models of the Roman theater in Baalbeck and the Roman temple at Niha in the Beqaa valley. Also from the Niha temple is a reconstructed stone altar flanked by carved lions.

The rest of the museum’s ground floor is dedicated to the second and first millennium B.C. On the right side of the hall are the objects associated with Eshmoun, the Phoenician god of healing, whose temple can be seen near Sidon. Eshmoun was especially venerated for healing children, and the statues of babies (usually boys) were used as votive offerings to the god. Also look for the huge tribune bracelets with carved animal heads, a series of pendants with settings of semi-precious stones and pendant earrings, are all of fine quality. The jar was unearthed in 1977 during archaeological soundings by the Directorate General of Antiquities. More attractive gold jewelry comes from the Mamluke period (1289- 1516).

The technics of hand- blown glass go back to the first century B.C. in different phoenician cities among them Tyre. With their elegant shapes and exotic colors, these glass bottles, flasks and jugs are among the most impressive objects on the floor.

Easily overlooked, but of a unique interest is a sample of purple-dyed cloth from the murex, a marine snail. The purple dye industry thrived indeed in ancient Tyre and Sidon; The murex can still be found in coastal waters, although commercial dyeing is no longer produced.

At the end of the visit, a vitrine displays damaged objects during the war.

Lumpish blobs of molten glass, blackened stone and twisted metal give some hint of the war’s effect on Lebanon’s heritage and of the tremendous task of rehabilitating the museum.

Many other objects are being restored and will gradually be shown to the public. The next step will be the opening of the museum’s lower level and the display of anthropoid sarcophagi.

The Audio Visual Room is to the right of the entrance. On the left is the ticket booth and an attractive museum gift shop.

The Museum opens daily from 9:00 to 17:00 except Monday.

Entrance fees: 5000 L.L.

1000 L.L. for students and less than 18 years old Across from the museum on Damascus Street is a small garden with a roman colonnade, probably from a basilica. Discovered in Beirut in 1940, the colonnade was later moved to this site. Also in the garden is a mosaic from the 5th century A.D. Byzantine church found in Khaldeh, south of Beirut, in the 1950’s.