The Museum of
Qasr
Libya
(Castle Libya)
is in a sense a Mosaic Museum. The mosaics
were excavated from the nearby Christian church
after they were discovered by Libyan labourers
in 1957 (see full story below). The collection
contains 50 panels, mostly of animals, gods,
goddesses, nymphs, and famous landmarks like
the Pharos light house of Alexandria; illustrating
the coexistence of Christian beliefs with
the earlier pre-Christian iconography.
The pagan or ancient religious traditions
continued to flourish among the early Christians
around the Mediterranean
basin, and in some respects to the present day
as folklore.
The history of Qasr Libya goes back to the Greek period (4th century
BC), as it was called Olbia. The
complex contained two churches: the
eastern church, which was discovered
in 1957, and the western church,
discovered in 1964; near which a
small archaeological museum was built in the 1960s. This museum was
completed and opened in 1972 and became known as The Byzantine
Mosaic Museum, which housed the mosaic
floors of the western church.
Breathtaking mosaic scenes preserve
a glimpse of life as it was in ancient Cyrenaica, including
a Nile scene of a farmer in action
to rescue his beloved cows from the jaws of a crocodile.
Other scenes include those of goddesses,
nymphs, rivers, buildings, hymns,
musicians, animals (including peacocks,
ostriches, camels and horses), seafaring ships and a
boat.
Newspaper Article Reporting The Discovery In 1957
The following newspaper article,
also in display in the museum,
describes the story or the history of the museum. The included black
&
white image shows the floor in its
original state.
The floor of the building contains 50 mosaic
panels:
Kosmisis (Adornment)
Ktisis
Nymph Kastalia
Ananewsis
New Town (Thedo)
Horseman
Church
Castle
A satyr
Musician
&
his dog
Merman
&
trident
Basket
&
four birds
Pharos light house
Deer
&
fruit tree
Couchant deer
Lion
Ostrich
Lion
Eagle
Stag devouring a snake
Bear
Duck
&
crocodile
Bull
Zebra
Zebra beast
Nile scene
&
lotus
Geon the Nile
Physon river Danube
Nile Scene
River Euphrates
Nile scene
River Tigris
An amphibious
Amphibious monster
Boat
&
two people
Stag grazing
Deer
Foundation panel: 539AD
Leopard
Bull
Fish
&
urchin
Fish
Fish
&
shell
Horse
Ostrich
Peacock
Two birds
&
vase
Three fish
&
lobster
Crab, fish
&
squid
Ram
This tile says that the mosaic work was laid
in the third year of an indiction by bishop
Makarios in 539 AD.
An indiction is a 15-year cycle, used to date documents,
with each year
being numbered as follows: first indiction, second
indiction, third indiction, and so on.
The famous Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt,
with a statue of the Sun-God Helios, the giver of light.
The Nymph Kastalia (or Castalia) of Delphi, looking
very relaxed.
The nymph of the prophetic springs of the Delphic
Oracle on Mount Parnassos in Greece. Her name was said to mean: kass-
(to sew), in reference to the two springs being mythically connected:
the Aitolian river Akheloos emerging from Mount Parnassos
as Kassotis, and then its reappearance as the spring Kastalia. The water
from the well Cassotis at Delphi was said to give the temple's
priestess the power of prophecy.
The Nile River God Geon.
In mythology river gods are the offspring
of the great Goddess Oceanos (or Okeanos - the ocean);
the brothers of the Oceanides, the goddesses
of streams; and the fathers of the Naiades
the nymphs of springs; hereby represented by the god Geon, in reference to
the river Nile, who is said to be related to the Indian river god Ganges.
The Tigris River God
The Euphrates River God
The River Nymph Physon
The Forest
&
Woods Satyr: The God of Fertility.
The beastly nature of the representations of
this mythical character stems from its association
with the nature of woods and human desires and thus its appearance in
earlier Greek art as an old and ugly figure.
Although the Romans portrayed him as half man
(upper half) and half goat with a goat's tail,
the earlier Greek representations showed him as half man half horse.
A musician playing music, with his dog looking amazingly
amused.
A Merman With A Tiller
&
Trident
Nile Scene of Waterfowls, Lotus Flowers And Fish
A Duck on The Back of a Fabulous Crocodile.
A Bear in Action.
Ananewsis: Bejewelled Female In Curtained Canopy
Kosmisis (Adornment)
The Goddess Ktisis
The personification of generosity and donation, as
expressed by the branch she is holding with her right hand, and as such
she can be seen as a reincarnation of Isis (Kt-Isis) - the Goddess
of Agriculture. The features of Ktisis and cloths strongly express her
Libyan nature.
