Libya 2009 - Part 3

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The Museum of Qasr Libya - there are 50 small mosaic panels in this room - all from the Eastern Church of the village of Olbia The mosaic floor of the church was discovered in 1957 and according to an inscription on one of the panels was laid in AD539 The tesserae are small, less than 1cm in diameter, and the panels are naive, humorous and full of life Many of the panels feature animals Qasr Libya
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Qasr Libya This is the Western Church where the mosaic floor was uncovered.  The panels in the Museum have been lifted from these holes One side of the frieze has been left in situ Qasr Libya - detail of the frieze Qasr Libya - detail of the frieze
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The wild flowers at the Qasr Libya site were the best we saw during our visit This modern bridge spans the gorge of Wadi Al-Kuf This region was the scene of fierce fighting between the Italians and the Libyan Resistance in 1927
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The many caves of Wadi Al-Kuf offered shelter to the Libyan guerrillas
Our hotel at Susa overlooked the entrance to the site of Apollonia, the harbour of Cyrene A lady in traditional dress in Susa Cyrene - the Sanctuary of Zeus.  The original temple was built in the 5th Century BC but was damaged and restored several times The temple was reduced to rubble by the earthquake of AD365 and was reconstructed to this state by Italian archaeologists
Wadi Al-Kuf Susa Susa Cyrene Cyrene
         
The Temple of Zeus was originally larger than the Parthenon in Athens, though this is difficult to believe The Temple of Zeus The Temple of Zeus The temple has 8 x 17 limestone doric columns This sphinx on its Ionic column has been pieced together from fragments.  It is similar to the one
found in Delphi
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The Three Graces This toe comes from the huge statue of Apollo from the Temple of Apollo in Cyrene This was originally the Gymnasium of Cyrene built by the Greeks in the 2nd Century BC It was converted into a Forum by the Romans in the 1st Century AD There was a small doric temple in the centre
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One of the two monumental gateways into the Forum The other one The Monumental Gateway from across the site One of several small theatres in Cyrene The Skyrota, the sacred way from the Forum to the Sanctuary of Apollo is lined with columns incorporating statues of Hercules and
Hermes
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Hercules or Hermes? This is the largest of the theatres in Cyrene It dates from the 2nd Century AD A fine opus sectile floor in the House of Jason Magnus Detail of the opus sectile floor
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Looking across the Agora of Cyrene which is a bit of a muddle The Naval Monument is 3rd Century BC and features a wingless and headless Victory on the prow of a ship The Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore is 3rd Century BC.  The statues represent fertility The Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore This is purported to be the tomb of Battus, the founder of Cyrene in the 7th Century BC
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Looking down towards the Sanctuary of Apollo Tombs of the necropolis with the modern village of Shahat above The Sanctuary of Apollo showing the Greek Propylaia and the columns of the Temple of Apollo The Temple of Apollo - like the Temple of Zeus this has been rebuilt several times.  This probably dates from the 2nd Century AD The Fountain of Apollo situated under the cliffs is 5th Century AD
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The front of the Temple of Apollo.  Its doric columns are smooth, not fluted, and therefore probably Roman Nymphaeum close to the Temple of Apollo The Wall of Nikodemus - this was built by a priest from the Temple of Apollo to protect the sanctuary from the amphitheatre beyond A moment to relax in the sunshine The original 6th Century BC theatre of Cyrene was converted by the Romans into an amphitheatre....
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...with a stunning view The amphitheatre of Cyrene The amphitheatre of Cyrene The amphitheatre of Cyrene Looking back over the sanctuary with the Wall of Nikodemus in the foreground and the Temple of Apollo beyond
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The Roman Baths of Cyrene A beautiful marble floor and a plunge pool in the Roman Baths I have failed to identify the building in the centre background - it is not marked on the maps I have looked at Pilae and hypocaust in the Roman Baths in the Sanctuary of Apollo Perhaps this building is a small temple or a treasury?
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The Greek Propylaia A picnic lunch in the Sanctuary of Apollo was very special The small harbour of Susa The Western Church of Apollonia - this is one of five Byzantine churches on the site.  The re-cycled cippolino columns are Roman,
the white ones are Byzantine A small baptistry in the corner of the Western Church.  It is lined with slate
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This is the Central Church of Apollonia Each column has a Byzantine cross carved onto it This is all that remains of the Roman Baths The Eastern Church - this was the largest church of Apollonia with many cipollino columns Looking at modern Susa from the Palace of Dux
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The theatre of Apollonia has a spectacular setting The sea is gradually encroaching onto the site The Theatre, Apollonia The Theatre, Apollonia
Slonta - little is known about this site.  The carvings are pre-Greek and possibly of Berber origin, though their date is still under debate
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There is a wealth of detail carved into the rocks This is a snake, but there are other animals and faces carved into the rock face This is a frog These faces are carved into a small overhang This is a table covered with small human figures and topped by vast pigs
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One of the pigs The small figres beneath the pigs More weird and wonderful carvings Benghazi - looking down on Hotel Tibesti and the lagoons from the air Back to the Arch of Marcus Aurelius at night to visit the restaurant nearby
Slonta Slonta Slonta Benghazi Tripoli
         
The speciality of the restaurant is lamb cooked in a clay pot.  This has to be tapped until the pot cracks and the lamb is revealed Katrina is drafted in to have a go She taps for quite a long time.... ...before the pot finally cracks Success!
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The lamb was delicious        
Tripoli        
         
         
         
         
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