The Libyan Tourist Police and Antiquities Protection Department have successfully uncovered an archaeological site dating back to the late Roman period.
The incident occurred after the Western Branch of the Department received a report from a citizen about a suspected archaeological site in the municipality of Zawiya Al-Markaz, specifically in the Bernawi area.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Interior, a report was filed, and the General Prosecution of the Western Region and the Sabratha Antiquities Monitoring Authority were notified.
The Chief of the Tourist Police and Antiquities Protection Office in Sabratha, the Head of the Security Media Department, the Head of the Investigation Unit, and members of the investigative team, along with experts from the Sabratha Antiquities Monitoring Authority, visited the site to conduct an inspection.
Upon examination, it was confirmed that the site is indeed of archaeological significance. According to the preliminary report, it is a “house dating back to the late Roman period.”
Necessary legal measures have been taken, and members of the Tourist Police have been assigned to safeguard the site against vandalism and theft.
Last month, the Libyan Ministry of Interior announced the unearthing of an archaeological cemetery of significant historical value in the municipality of Al-Zawiya. It is positioned close to the city’s eastern entrance.
This extraordinary discovery, traced back to the Phoenician era, unravels a new facet of the intricate historical tapestry connecting modern-day Libya with the ancient Phoenician civilisation. Known as one of the most influential civilisations during the Iron Age, the Phoenicians were paramount players in the Mediterranean region’s historical narrative.
The discovery was initially made by a local resident of Al-Zawiya who stumbled upon the site during a land surveying and excavation process. Promptly alerted by the resident, the Tourism Police sprang into action, quickly mobilising a team to investigate the possible historical site.