There are
several reasons to write about the Archaeological Museum of Tripoli. It is one of those
‘must-see’ places that sadly are off the beaten track for the average tourist,
especially since Gaddafi has been eliminated and the country has not regained
its stability.
I was privileged to
visit this wonderful collection just before the outbreak of the Arab Spring,
unaware of the quantity and high quality of artwork that awaited me. It must be
said that I discovered these treasures on my first day in Libya, and, as
always, I should have returned after my tour of the archaeological sites as
well.
Anyway, I took
in as much as I could fully aware that the best pieces from any excavation made
their way to the museum in the country’s capital. Tripoli was no exception.
The first
statues I see are two magnificent Roman copies of Praxiteles’ originals from the 4th century BC. One is the
Diadumenos, a young athlete who is tying the ribbon of victory around his head.
The other is Apollo-Antinous hinting at Dionysus, combining the body of Apollo
with the head of Antinous, the lover
of Emperor Hadrian. Both life-size
marbles were recovered from the Baths of Hadrian in Leptis Magna. The arched vaults of these baths from the 2nd century AD, have simply collapsed
burying and saving its precious statues in the process.
Stealing the
show is the marble Apollo playing the lyre. He is a little taller than
life-size and as true to life as imaginable. Apollo’s delicate hands and
fingers seem to strike the strings as he holds his instrument with his left
hand and the plectrum in his right. The lyre is intact, except for the strings,
and it is a unique opportunity to have a close-up look. His eyes, whose traces
of paint make them alive, stare melancholically into the distance. They are a
vivid reminder of all the painted statues in antiquity. Apollo’s body is truly
worthy of a god.
The elegant Muse
Calliope is sitting nearby listening carefully to his tune. More remarkable
statues gather around Apollo. An unspecified sea goddess is looking up to him
and Mars is standing in a niche behind him. The slender Isis
is wearing a diadem, and Venus is very similar to other copies of the famous
Aphrodite of Cnidos (see: Was
Alexander the Great aware of Cnidos?). Hadrian definitely had an outspoken taste for beauty!
Another large
group of statues and busts is brought together from the theater of Leptis
Magna, consisting mainly of Roman emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, etc.
Even Augustus' wife Livia, and granddaughter, Agrippina the Elder are present.
Upstairs, in the Mezzanine there is a statue of Faustina, the wife of Marcus Aurelius.
Inside the
theater of Leptis Magna stood a small temple dedicated to Ceres-Augusta,
goddess of the harvest – our word for cereal derivates from the name Ceres. A
seated statue of this goddess also found its way to the museum.
The goddess
Cybele with the many breasts (or whatever they represent) as worshiped in Ephesos was
unearthed in the sanctuary of the amphitheater. A Roman copy of a Greek
original Diana/ Artemis, as displayed at the Louvre in Paris and the Archaeological Museum of Antalya is also exhibited.
The Ancient Forum
of Leptis Magna
yielded a rather damaged Dionysus with satyr and panther, and a headless Lady
Fortuna wearing a beautifully draped tunic.
The museum’s
impressive main hall also displays four delicate mosaics from a private villa
in Leptis Magna.
It dates from the 2nd century AD and depicts scenes of daily life in and around
the Nile – hence its name Villa of the Nile.
Upstairs, a
special room holds the original reliefs of the Arch of Septimius Severus (see: A
solid gold bust of Septimius Severus), proof of the political
loyalty of the inhabitants of Leptis Magna in the 3rd century. The relief of Septimius
Severus standing between his two sons, Caracalla and Geta, was
meant to express the good harmony inside the imperial family. Here is also a
statue of Caracalla as a child.
The Cyrene Room has a wooden scale model of the Agora, which, unfortunately, is
meaningless unless one has visited the site. Nearby are faceless goddesses
believed to represent Persephone from the necropolis of Cyrene. Also, a rare
Minerva wearing the Aegis tied to her waist as opposed to her Greek
version Athena who wears it around her shoulders. She also holds her owl and
carries the spear and shield. The statue is carefully carved in pure Greek
tradition.
The Archaeological
Museum of Tripoli has a rich
collection of mosaics from the 2nd century AD. Many villas were built along the
Mediterranean coast by wealthy landowners who loved to show off. One such
example is the Roman Villa of Zliten
some 200 km
east of Tripoli. It yielded a large floor mosaic
executed in a wonderful combination of opus
sectile and clearly outlined opus
vermiculatum. The central panel is filled with different sorts of fish, and
the border with less peaceful scenes of gladiator fights. From the same villa
comes the floor mosaic representing the Four Seasons. Tajura is located closer to Tripoli where
another Roman villa from the 2nd century AD has been spotted. A large mosaic
with geometric figures and the head of the sea god, Amfitritus, in its center
has been removed from the Villa of the Nereids.
Unfortunately, I
did not visit any of these villas since they were usually closed to preserve
them. Under the present chaotic regime, I wonder how much of these precious villas have
survived the revolt and looting in the wake of Gaddafi’s execution.
From Ghirza, a Roman fortress near Misrata, an entire Mausoleum from the
4th century AD has been moved to the entrance hall of the museum. It has a
strange mixture of different styles that can hardly be defined.
It is, of
course, preferable to leave such constructions and the precious statues and
mosaics
in situ but in case of
political unrest and war, the artifacts are generally better protected inside
the walls of a museum. It so happens that the
Archaeological Museum of Tripoli is housed inside the
so-called Red Castle of Tripoli. In 2011, following the outbreak of the Libyan
Civil War, the museum was closed, but rebels managed to break into the museum
and stole a few of Gaddafi’s belongings that were kept in a special room. Previously, the
most valuable artifacts had been moved to a safer location. As of 2020, the
museum is still closed.
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