Temehu
 
   
  
 

 


 

 

  the front building of Sabratha Museum

The entrance to the newly refurbished Sabratha Museum (Sabratah).

Sabratha Museum

July 2009

 

After a prolonged closure due to maintenance and structural work, Sabratha Museum is now open to the public. The museum once was known as Sabratha Classical Roman Museum, originally opened in 1932, then was reopened in 1966, and now in 2009. However, we have been able to access only two galleries (as of July 2009) as well as the entrance hall. There are three more galleries which are still closed and expected to open in due course. As you enter the building, the gallery at the end of the corridor (the southern wing) is the Church, which houses massive mosaic wall panels and floors from the Christian Basilica of Justinian. Some of the statues and columns are displayed outdoors in the courtyard, like those visible between the entrance columns (second from right: Serapis), while others are displayed in the hall as you enter the museum. The main gallery room (currently open) contains beautiful Byzantine wall frescos, mostly come from a private house of a wealthy citizen of ancient Sabratha, mosaic panels, and statues from various temples, including the Temple of Zeus and Serapis.

 

 

concordia

The Goddess Concordiae Africanvs.

 

 

the goddess concordia

The Goddess Concordiae Africanvs.

 

In mythology Concordia was the goddess of Agreement, Understanding and Marital Harmony, who was also known as Harmonia. Her darker side is the goddess Discordia: Disagreement and trouble. The goddess was popular more among the imperial members of the society, and her cult was known as Concordia Augusta (or Majestic Harmony). The goddess was often represented as standing between two members of the Royal House shaking hands, to signify that the agreement between the two is truly blessed.

 

a group of goddesses

 

 

 

 

 

oceanus

Oceanus or Neptune, originally comes from the Oceanus Baths.

 

jupiter

Jupiter, the god of fortune.

 

a stone sculpture of statues, animals amd birds

 

 

Room 1 INSULA III
Byzantine Town Walls

mosaic fragment

Byzantine wall frescoes

 

 

mosaic fragment

 

 

mosaic fragment

 

 

wall fresco byzantine

 

 

mosaic face with eyes closed as if sleep

 

 

 

mosaic designs: petals and leaves

Mosaic panels of leaves (ivy).

 

 

mosiac of  Diana the goddess

The head of the Hunting-goddess Diana.

 

 

 

the plan of the museum

Sabratha Museum

 

 

 

mosaic panels of figures

The Four Seasons Mosaic.

 

 

 

mosaic

Salvomi Avisse, from the theater baths.

 

 

 

The three graces

The Three Graces

 

 

 

mosaic


mosaic designs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Church Gallery

the church door

This gallery of the museum is known as "The Church".


Exhibits in this gallery come for the Christian Basilica of the time of Justinian. The church contains an impressive collection of wall and floor mosaic panels, rich in vibrant colours and geometrical designs, animals, birds and characters, as well as columns, column bases, and display cases of clay oil lamps.

oil lamps on display

A collection of clay oil lamps from the Church Gallery.

 

 

 

a cross

 

The Byzantine Church itself was built in the 6th century AD; but some of the material used, like the square-sided columns and the acanthus motifs, date from an earlier period. The main aisles of the church were lavishly decorated with mosaics, which are currently in display in this gallery. It was a common practice in ancient times to use material taken from earlier temples and buildings. When Carthage was destroyed, its marble columns and slabs were reused in both Italy and North Africa. And, as if this practice acquired genetic signature, the modern Italians (1930s) also used stone blocks taken from archaeological sites to build forts and walls during their occupation of Libya.

 

the church

The Church

the church


Mosaic from the Basilica of Justinian.
These and other wall mosaics in display originally come from the basilica's two aisles.

 


the church mosaic floor

Mosaic designs from the Basilica of Justinian (see photo of original site, below.) This rich scene, which includes the peacock (near the top),
originally comes from the central nave of the church.

 

 

an old photos of the justinian church

 

large mosaic designs on a wall

Mosaic from the Basilica of Justinian.

 

a close up of mosaic designs

 

the nmedusa

 

 

 

The Hall & The Courtyard

The statues in this section are found in the courtyard and along the entrance hall, standing
between the doors to the various rooms that make up the main galleries or wings of the museum.

 

statues in the hall by the doors

 



headless statue

A headless statue ?

 

 

broken headless statue

Broken headless statue!

 

 

a happy god

Very pleased!

 

 

african head sculpture

 

 

 

a goddess     a statue of a goddess

 

 

 

a stone bust of a woman

 

 

 

goddess unknown