On August 4, 2020, the Beirut Port Explosion swept through Beirut, creating massive destruction. The city’s cultural heritage wasn’t spared and the effects will last for years.
Just over 3 km from the blast’s center, 74 glass vessels displayed at the Archaeological Museum at the American University of Beirut (AUB) were destroyed.
Their restoration was initiated in a collaboration between AUB and the British Museum. The shattered vessels were transported to the Museum’s center and were carefully put together piece by piece.
“The story of the restoration of eight of these vessels is a powerful expression of the grief, solidarity, and recovery of the people of Lebanon,” stated the British Museum.
For three months, the Archaeological Museum’s staff has worked with British Museum conservators to restore the eight mainly-Roman vessels, which are featured with a few Byzantine and Islamic examples.
The team made the joins between the shards visible so those scars can “bear witness to the explosion and the determination of the people of Lebanon to recover,” the museum noted.
The vessels now on display range from the 1st to the 9th century, and feature bowls, a flask, a beaker, a jug, and a cup that represent Lebanon’s cultural heritage.
The exhibition will take place until October 23, 2022, daily from 10:00 – 17:00, Room 3 – free event.
After the display ends, the vessels will be returned to Beirut.
