Sidi Khrebish Excavations, Benghazi, 1972-73

Abstract

A full account of the Society's involvement with the emergency excavations at Sidi Khrebish, Benghazi, is contained in the Annual Reports for 1970–1 and 1971–2. In November 1972, at the invitation of the Libyan Department of Antiquities, the Society sent out a fresh team of archaeologists to begin the new season's excavations. Work has since continued uninterrupted until the time of writing (1 July 1973) and is due to finish at the end of September. The preservation of the site from redevelopment for another year owes a great deal to the keen and active interest of the late Director-General of Antiquities, Mr Awad Sadawya, and the success of the expedition is greatly indebted to his efforts. We owe our thanks also to the officials of the Department of Antiquities whose sustained good will and co-operation has helped us greatly over this long period. In particular Mr Mohammed Nemri, Acting Director-General of Antiquities, Mr Abdulhamid Abdussaid, Controller of Antiquities for the Benghazi area, and Mr Ali Salem Letrik, Deputy Controller of Antiquities for Benghazi have taken full part in what has always been a team operation. The disused Turkish cemetery of Sidi Khrebish lies close to the sea, a short distance to the north of the bustling commercial heart of modern Benghazi (see Fig. 1). It covers part of the north-western outskirts of the city of Berenice, founded in 247 B.C., the Hellenistic and Roman successor to the Hellenic city of Euesperides. The major part of the city lies to the south and to the east of the cemetery, under the mixture of Turkish, Italian and more recent buildings which form the modern town.