Today, Lebanon is recovering a group of lead coffin pieces linked to the city of Tyre, after they were found in sales catalogs issued by the “Arte Primitivo” house, which specializes in selling antiquities, according to what Culture Minister Ghassan Salama announced.
Salama explained that Lebanon will receive the pieces from the Lebanese Consul General in New York, Talal Daher.
He said in a statement, “The Ministry of Culture – General Directorate of Antiquities, and within the framework of its tasks to protect the Lebanese cultural and archaeological heritage and combat illicit trafficking in cultural property, followed up on the issue of smuggled objects with the American authorities and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and achieved their recovery.”
He pointed out that the pieces have unique artistic, decorative and technical characteristics that are typical of lead coffin-making workshops in the city of Tyre, which were among the active and widely produced workshops during ancient times.
He noted that the lead tablets feature similar bas-relief decorations, executed using moulds, indicating that they were likely produced during the same time period, and perhaps in the same workshop.
Salama explained that all the pieces intersect in their characteristics with models discovered in an underground Roman burial ground in the town of Debaal, located about 14 kilometers southeast of the city of Tyre, pointing out that the tomb was found in sound condition.
He considered that the issue is of particular importance, given that the Tire region, which was recently subjected to the most horrific destruction, is considered one of the areas rich in archaeological reserves, stressing that all indications showed that pieces of coffins were found in the Tire region during illegal excavations.
Salama concluded by stressing that protecting Lebanese cultural property and combating its smuggling and trafficking is a national responsibility, and that every piece taken out of Lebanon illegally represents a loss of national heritage.
He stressed that the Ministry of Culture – General Directorate of Antiquities will not be lenient in performing its duties, and will work to recover any piece proven to have left Lebanon illegally.
