THE ARTS SOCIETY THE HAGUE

Kindly invites you to our Live Special Event
on Sunday 27 November 2022 at 11.00 hrs. to 'Byblos - World's Oldest Harbour' 

at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum of Antiquities)

Rapenburg 28, 2311 EW  Leiden

The world´s most ancient port, Byblos, situated in what is now Lebanon, and a UNESO World Heritage site, is a legendary city.  In 6500 BC it started off as a simple fishing village, and then, as the land above the port provided the very sought-after cedar wood, much appreciated by the elites to construct their dwellings, it became the purveyor to the Pharaohs for thousands of years.  Around 3000 BC it played a major role in trading between the various countries having ports around the Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East.

This large exhibition with over 500 objects offers you the most beautiful and best the world has to offer on the history of this remarkable city.  You´ll see finds from the royal tombs and temples, Roman mosaics, figurines of gods and goddesses, richly decorated weapons and beautiful jewellery.

The ancient port is brought to life in large projected 3D reconstructions and drone shots of excavated ruins.

Finds from the elite burial complex recently excavated by the Lebanese Ministry of Culture – Directorate General of Antiquities and the Louvre will be on display with images of the excavations.

The RMO, Leiden in partnership with the Lebanese Ministry of Culture/ Directorate General of Antiquities, is supporting the construction of a new archaeological museum and cultural centre in Byblos, due to open in Spring 2023.

The curator of this important exhibition Dr David Kertai has most kindly agreed to give us a private lecture in English, lasting an hour, after which you may view the displayed objects at your own pace.  Dr Kertai studied architecture at Delft University of Technology, Ancient History at Vrije University Amsterdam and Archaeology at Leiden University. He has worked as a researcher and lecturer at the University College London,  New York University and at Freie Universitat, Berlin a.o. Furthermore Dr Kertai has been active as field archaeologist in Iraq, Syria and Turkey since 2005.

Please join us on this fascinating travel through thousands of years of culture and history!

We have 70 places available.