Byblos, cité éternelle: Institut du Monde Arabe exhibition postponed

The exhibition, which was due to run from November 2024 to March 2025, has now been postponed to an unspecified date. In an official press release, the Institut du Monde Arabe explains: " For several months, the Institut du Monde Arabe has been actively preparing with the Lebanese authorities and prestigious cultural institutions a major exhibition (...) presenting the remarkable history of one of Lebanon's oldest cities, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Despite all our efforts and those of our partners, the current situation in Lebanon has forced us to revise the opening schedule for this major exhibition, which cannot be held on the dates originally envisaged."

TheInstitut du Monde Arabe presents an exceptional exhibition. An exhibition on one of the world's most ancient cities, featuring priceless artefacts and works of art, and showcasing unique and recent archaeological discoveries.

The Institute presents Byblos, the eternal city, born in Lebanon over 8,900 years ago. Byblos was the world's first international seaport, linking the Egypt of the Pharaohs, Mesopotamia, the Aegean, Roman and Phoenician civilizations... This city overlooking the Mediterranean played a major role not only in trade - notably in cedar wood - but also in culture and knowledge.

During the Bronze Age, 9,000 years ago, this small fishing port gradually grew to become one of the most important city-states of antiquity. For more than 2,000 years, Byblos was one of the Mediterranean's main ports, an essential stopover for traders from the region's great civilizations.

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Several millennia of life, change and the blending of cultures leave their mark: the IMAexhibition unveils 300 exceptional works, some of which have been unearthed during very recent archaeological digs. Abishemou obelisk, mosaics from the European abduction, treasures from the royal necropolis, temple objects from the 2nd millennium BC, gold and silver tableware, jewelry and precious stone ornaments, weapons, bronze and earthenware figurines...

In a spectacular scenography that pays tribute to the city's wealth, the museum highlights its many treasures. The various objects and works of art illustrate the passage of centuries and the influence of different civilizations on the city of Byblos. Greeks, Egyptians, Phoenicians: the interplay of power and money, the blending of cultures can be seen in the materials used, the craft techniques or the specific shapes.

The exhibition also features some very recent and invaluable archaeological discoveries, never before shown to the general public. On display is a miraculously intact Bronze Age necropolis (circa 1800 BC), which housed the tombs of the kings of Byblos, Abi-Shemou and Yapi-Shemou-Abi.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Byblos is an ancient city, witness to the changes and great civilizations of our world. Byblos is also one of Lebanon's most populous and active cities, a modern city that still hides secrets and treasures from its past... We can't wait to discover it thanks to theexhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe!