ICOM International Council of Museums - Museo Estancia Jesuitica ...

Lina Gebrail Tahan : Fascinating Historical Events of the National Museum of Beirut
At the end of 1922, the museum needed to transfer to a neighbouring room in the
Diaconesses building. The Head of the Antiquities Service said that he will not start the
transfer until Major Albert Trabaud gave him the promised artefact which was the
Obelisk of Rouad (Bibl. Centrale Louvre, Ms. 314 (4)) 17 . He also mentioned that the
other rooms were needed for the National Library. He said that his secretary would
start doing that as soon as the artefact was received. He also said that this move was a
waste of time and money and that he wanted to have the other room ready and empty
for the transfer (Arch. IFAPO/SAHC) 18 . Donations were encouraged and a letter of
thanks was written to each donor (Arch. IFAPO/SAHC) 19 . It was decided at the end of
this year that all antiquities found on the territory of Greater Lebanon during the
excavations, even if they were of minimal scientific interest, would be transferred
temporarily to the Musée d’Art Antique du Levant. This museum was open to any
member of the public. The Antiquities Service would open it for anybody willing to visit
it. Due to the shortage of staff, a permanent attendant could not be appointed (Arch.
IFAPO/SAHC) 20 .
The Musée d’Art Antique du Levant remained on the ground floor of the Diaconesses
building until July 1922 and was emptied in November 1922 by the Governor of Mount
Lebanon without the consent of Virolleaud, the Head of the Antiquities Service. The
latter declined all sort of responsibility (Arch. IFAPO/SAHC) 21 . It was not really known
why this sudden evacuation took place, but as seen, the lack of space and the
demands of the administrative advisor of the Sandjak of Beirut to use the building for
military reasons probably pushed the Governor to take the necessary measures and
empty the place.
A few days later, the Head of the Antiquities Service declared that the museum, along
with all the artefacts discovered on the Lebanese territory, belong to the state of
Greater Lebanon. He proposed to the Secretary of the High-Commission to hand the
museum officially to the Governor of Greater Lebanon after its refurbishment at the
beginning of March and said it would be open to the public every day except on
Thursday and Sunday afternoons (Arch. IFAPO/SAHC) 22 . At the end of April 1923, the
Gallery of Byblos was opened to the public and all the artefacts coming from the
excavations of Byblos were exhibited in the Diaconesses building (Arch.
IFAPO/SAHC) 23 .
On April 10, 1923, there was a certain disagreement as to whether the antiquities
discovered on the Lebanese territory belonged to Greater Lebanon or to the French
Republic, because most of them were discovered at the financial expense of the
French. This issue was exploited again by the Governor of Lebanon and Emir Fouad
Arslan. The latter asked the French for an official inventory of all the discoveries made
on the Lebanese territory, and he proposed the creation of a National Antiquities
Service formed by qualified Lebanese men. The list that the Emir Arslan requested was
17 Report by Virolleaud on the excavations in Syria from 1922-1923.
18 Letter No. 852/A.B. from the Head of the Antiquities and Fine Arts Service of the High-Commission of
the French Republic to the Secretary General of the High-Commission of the French Republic in Syria
and Lebanon, dated Beirut November 28, 1922.
19 Letter No. 902 from the Head of the Antiquities and Fine Arts Service of the High-Commission of the
French Republic to the Secretary General of the High-Commission of the French Republic in Syria and
Lebanon, dated Beirut, December 16, 1922.
20 Letter No. 899/ A.B. from the High-Commissioner of the French Republic in Syria and Lebanon to the
Governor of the state of Greater Lebanon, dated Beirut, December 15, 1922.
21 Letter No. 922 from the Head of the Antiquities Service to the Secretary General of the High-
Commission of the French Republic in Syria and Lebanon, dated Beirut January 15, 1923.
22 Letter No. 931from Virolleaud, Head of the Antiquities and Fine Arts Service to the Secretary General
of the High-Commission, dated Beirut, January 22, 1923.
23 Letter No. 984 from the advisor of the Antiquities and Fine Arts of the High-Commission to the High-
Commissioner of the French Republic in Syria and Lebanon dated Beirut, April 7, 1923.
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