Early Arabic Inscriptions in Libya

Abstract

With financial aid from the Society for Libyan Studies I was able to visit Libya on special leave from the British Museum between 21 April and 11 May. The object of the visit was to examine early Islamic epigraphic material, in particular any that might contribute to a knowledge of the archaeology of Ajdabiyah and contemporary sites. One week was spent in Tripoli as a guest of the Department of Antiquities, one week with Dr Whitehouse's team at Ajdabiyah and several days at Cyrene, Tolmeita and in other parts of Cyrenaica.At Tripoli Museum a fine collection of Kufic gravestones collected in and around the city was examined. These can be divided into two chronological and stylistic groups. The earliest pieces of the period of Aghlabid and Fāṭimid domination (third–fourth centuries A.H./ninthtenth centuries A.D.), are roughly incised rectangular or irregular slabs of stone or marble. The Kufic is plain, ornament being generally limited to bifurcation of the terminals; however, elements of foliation are discernible, notably on an example dated 248/862 (Rossi, Iscrizioni arabi e turchi del museo di Tripoli (1953) no. I). By contrast, those inscriptions which belong to the Khazrūnid and Muwaḥḥid periods (fifth-sixth centuries A.H./eleventh–twelfth centuries A.D.) are carved in relief on finely shaped marble blocks of a distinctive elongated type. The lettering is in the floriated style with additional decorative devices such as loops and right-angled bends in the uprights. Borders are adorned with vine-leaf or geometric motifs. The apparently abrupt transition to this evolved type of funerary monument is striking evidence of the high cultural level attained in Tripoli soon after the rise to power of an independent local dynasty.