Lebanese Publishers: Readers Don’t Trust Arabic Books, Prefer Translated Ones

Rana Idris, Dar Al Adab
Rana Idris, Dar Al Adab
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Lebanese Publishers: Readers Don’t Trust Arabic Books, Prefer Translated Ones

Rana Idris, Dar Al Adab
Rana Idris, Dar Al Adab

Publishers admit that Arabic readers favor translated books. Every publisher has his own explanation of this phenomenon and the reasons behind it, but they all agree it’s not healthy. According to Rana Idris, owner of Dar Al Adab Publishing, people in the Gulf region are the top buyers of translated books, followed by Egyptians, Maghrebis, and Iraqis.

Waiting for a change of taste, publishers have nothing to do but fulfill the readers’ desire by providing the best-translated publications, especially that selling translated books is the only means to keep the Arabic book alive today.

“We are preparing to publish nine new Arabic novels with losses that we cannot compensate for without selling translated novels, which are costly compared to Arabic books because we have to pay for copyrights and translation,” says Rana Idris.

It's not true that translated books are published without copyrights. “This happened in the past, but the situation has changed today,” says Hassan Yaghi, founder of Dar Al Tanweer Publishing, Beirut. “The chaos in this field is gone, and the market is now controlled. We face a lot of pressure, as publishing houses are forced to buy copyrights of foreign books for the sake of the book and the publishing process. This helps prevent chaos, and the spread of bad translations we used to see,” he adds.

“Copyrights of foreign books don’t cost the same; some cost $1,000 or $2,000, and some can cost up to $10,000. Some books are regular, some are highly demanded, and others are popular, best sellers, and competitive. Therefore, a publisher must pay to publish them; we are in a global market, and it’s better for the publisher not to steal copyrights because this could affect the writing process. Writers work for years to compose books, then someone comes and steal their efforts. This is a major reason behind the recession in this field,” Yaghi explains.

Publishing companies deal with different countries and regulators, and each have its own rules and work system. Rana Idris, who publishes novels translated from several languages, says the transfer is very costly.

“When I get an important new title, I pay $15,000-$20,000 in advance, and around $5,000 prepayment for the translator, in addition to the costs of editing, rereading, and review. Let’s say I got the copyrights to translate a novel by Murakami, I should pay $10,000-$15,000 to the publishing house, and another sum to the translator, in addition to the costs of editing, printing, and cover design…” she said.

For his part, Bassam Chebaro, owner of the Arabic Scientific Publishers, notes that some countries motivate the translation of books written in their languages, and pay for publishing houses for this purpose, which facilitates the mission of publishers and helps them save some costs.

Turkish, Russian, and Korean governments, for example, contribute to the translation costs of their publications. Relying on the sales, according to Chebaro, is useless because they are worthless and insufficient. “I worked in this field for 35 years. We used to print 5,000 copies of the book as a trial. However, today, we try with 1,000 copies, and some houses print only 500. Over 350,000 million people live in the Arab world, but we can’t print more than that, and sometimes these few prints remain unsold. Because of videos, mobile devices, and social media, our Arab people have abandoned reading and books, and the publishing industry is suffering,” he says.

Does the high demand for translated books in the Arabic market mean that the Arabic novel has degraded, and has been replaced with translated novels?

“The Arabic novel didn’t degrade, because it didn't advance in the first place. It has never reached an important level, and never been represented by names who can compete globally,” Yaghi said.

“Writing in the Arab world has remarkably weakened especially in the intellectual field since the works of Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd, Abdallah Laroui, and Mohammed Arkoun. The academic level has degraded, so did education in general, as well as scientific productivity. The mood of the readers has changed, they don’t favor the complex, intellectual books anymore, and prefer the easy, light philosophic books and entertaining novels,” he added.

But the publishers’ numbers are concerning. In the Arabic Scientific Publishers, over half of the published books are translated. “The house publishes over 6,000 books, half of them translated from foreign languages,” says Chebaro.

In Dar Al Adab, 65 percent of the novels published annually are translated, while only 35 percent publications are Arabic. In 2010, the numbers were reversed, Arab readers favored the Arabic novel at the time. However, the demand changed gradually, and the situation has been stable since 2017.

“I often take advantage of selling translated novels during bookfairs to remind the readers of great Arabic novels that are worth their attention. For example I tell the reader: Why don’t you read a book by this writer, her writing style is similar to Isabel Allende’s, or she discusses topics similar to those tackled by Elif Şafak,” Idris says.

The situation in Dar Al Tanweer is more significant, as 70 percent of its annual publications are translated. It’s a concerning number indeed. Does this mean that the Arabic book has become extinct, or about to?

We asked Founder Hassan Yaghi. “Yes, the Arabic book might be on the path of extinction. Our society is no more able to write, read, criticize, and promote books. Most readers resort to Amazon, instead of an Arabic reference, to explore the best and most popular books. Amazon has proved itself as a credible source worldwide, its reviews and feedback are trustworthy for buyers. This is what readers look for, a trusty reference,” he answers.

Rana Idris attributes the rejection of Arabic publications to many reasons, including “the lack of trust in the standard of Arabic writers. But this is unfair for novelists whose works are being read in the entire world, and neglected by their compatriots who don’t appreciate their talent.

“We live in a distrust phase. We don’t trust our civilization, culture, or writers. We don’t trust the Arabic language itself and its ability to fulfill its duty. In addition, there is a lack of serious criticism in newspapers and media which are usually the mediator between the reader and books. Most of today’s critics are fawners,” she adds.

Rana Idris sadly believes that there is a real difference between the serious criticism we read in The New Yorker for example, and what we read in some Arabic outlets. This contributes to a lower quality of Arabic books, and helps promote some local, non-talented writers.

Bassam Chebaro believes that piracy affects the Arabic productivity in this industry as well. When we search for ‘Arabic Books’ on Google, we find tens of thousands of results offered for free download. This doesn’t exist in other parts of the world, as many countries addressed this challenge with Google and regulated electronic publishing to put an end to such practices. “In fact, we don’t have a clear idea of our sales because the market of counterfeit publications is stronger than publishers, and our publications are being constantly violated. Our books are hacked in no time, we barely sell 3,000 to 4,000 copies before the book becomes available for free online. That’s why we say the Arabic books are violated, and that’s what the Arab Publishers Association (APA) seeks to address, and we hope they succeed.”

However, Chebaro insists that he will never be reluctant to translate and publish a foreign book that sold 700 million copies just because he’s concerned about piracy.

“Piracy isn’t the only concern for Arabic publishers. We are part of the writing and publishing industry in the world, but we are not major players. The lack of credible criticism, and the shrinking trust in Arabic books have affected the publishing industry. We are part of a huge market, but the Arabic presence in it is very slim.”



Author Haruki Murakami Says Pandemic, War in Ukraine Create Walls That Divide People 

Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami poses for media during a press conference on the university's new international house of literature, The Haruki Murakami Library, opening at the Waseda University in Tokyo, on Sept. 22, 2021. (AP)
Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami poses for media during a press conference on the university's new international house of literature, The Haruki Murakami Library, opening at the Waseda University in Tokyo, on Sept. 22, 2021. (AP)
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Author Haruki Murakami Says Pandemic, War in Ukraine Create Walls That Divide People 

Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami poses for media during a press conference on the university's new international house of literature, The Haruki Murakami Library, opening at the Waseda University in Tokyo, on Sept. 22, 2021. (AP)
Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami poses for media during a press conference on the university's new international house of literature, The Haruki Murakami Library, opening at the Waseda University in Tokyo, on Sept. 22, 2021. (AP)

Japanese writer Haruki Murakami says walls are increasingly built and dividing people and countries after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic fueled fear and skepticism.

“With feelings of suspicion replacing mutual trust, walls are continually being erected around us,” Murakami said in late April at Wellesley College. That speech, “Writing Fiction in the Time of Pandemic and War,” was released Wednesday in The Shincho Monthly literary magazine published by Shinchosha Co.

“Everybody seems to be confronted with a choice — to hide behind the walls, preserving safety and the status quo or, knowing the risks, to emerge beyond the walls in search of a freer value system,” he said.

Like the protagonist in his new novel.

“The City and Its Uncertain Walls” was released in April in Japan and an English translation is expected in 2024. The protagonist, as Murakami described, faces a tough choice between two worlds: an isolated walled city of tranquility with no desire or suffering, and the real world beyond the walls filled with pain and desire and contradictions.

The novel is based on a story he wrote for a magazine soon after becoming a novelist but was never published in book form. He said he knew it had important ideas and put it aside because he wanted to rewrite it.

Some 40 years later, he discovered “this tale fits perfectly with the age we live in now.”

Murakami started rewriting the book in March 2020, soon after COVID-19 began spreading around the world, and finished it two years later, as the war in Ukraine passed its one-year mark.

“The two big events combined and changed the world in dramatic ways,” he said.

The sense of safety that came with a common belief in globalism and mutual economic and cultural dependency “crumbled with Russia’s sudden invasion of Ukraine,” Murakami said, spreading fear of similar invasions elsewhere. Many countries, including his home Japan, have since bolstered their military preparedness and budgets.

As the war continues without an end in sight, so do the high walls being built around people, between countries and individuals, Murakami said. “It seems to me that the psychic condition — if someone isn’t your ally, he is your enemy — continues to spread.”

“Can our trust in each other once more overcome our suspicions? Can wisdom conquer fear? The answers to these questions are entrusted to our hands. And rather than an instant answer, we are being required to undergo a deep investigation that will take time,” Murakami said.

He says that, while there’s not much a novelist can do, “I sincerely hope that novels and stories can lend their power to such an investigation. It’s something that we novelists dearly hope for.”

Murakami has made other efforts to encourage people to think, combat fear or tear down walls. He hosted the radio show “Music to put an end to war” a month after Russia’ invaded Ukraine. His Japanese translation of “The Last Flower,” former New Yorker cartoonist James Thurber’s 1939 anti-war picture book, will be released later this month from Poplar Sha.

Did the protagonist stay inside the walls? “Please try reading the book yourselves,” Murakami said.


Saudi International Handicrafts Week Kicks Off in Riyadh

Saudi International Handicrafts Week Kicks Off in Riyadh
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Saudi International Handicrafts Week Kicks Off in Riyadh

Saudi International Handicrafts Week Kicks Off in Riyadh

Under the patronage of Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Heritage Commission, the activities of the "Saudi International Handicrafts Week" organized by the Heritage Commission were launched on Tuesday. They will last until June 12, state news agency SPA reported.

The event took place at Riyadh Front in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Culture and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Heritage Commission, Hamed bin Mohammad Fayez; the CEO of the Heritage Commission, Jasser Al-Harbash; and a gathering of local Arab and international experts and artisans.

The Deputy Minister of Culture delivered a speech at the ceremony in which he stressed the importance of the Saudi International Handicrafts Week in highlighting the creative artwork and craftwork, introducing the rich heritage of the Kingdom, and creating a platform to embrace craft skills and creations.

The Deputy Minister stressed that handicrafts could be described as economic and cultural projects, a field for job seekers and investment opportunities, and having an essential role in preserving cultural heritage and strengthening national identity.

The opening ceremony witnessed a special musical concert, a documentary film about ancient crafts, and the story of the handicrafts’ inheritance hundreds of years ago.

The Saudi International Handicrafts Week is held in an area of 18,000 square meters at Riyadh Front in a design inspired by the heritage and traditional architectural style. The event allows artisans to display and sell their works in 11 sections: metal, textile, palm, leather, wooden and pottery handicrafts, crafts of binding and gilding, ornaments and jewelry, and embroidered handicrafts.

The Saudi International Handicrafts Week opens its doors to visitors this week, from 4 pm to 11 pm, except for Wednesday, June 7, when it opens from 2 pm to 10 pm.


Saudi Minister of Culture Visits Germany to Explore Cultural Cooperation

Saudi Flag via Reuters
Saudi Flag via Reuters
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Saudi Minister of Culture Visits Germany to Explore Cultural Cooperation

Saudi Flag via Reuters
Saudi Flag via Reuters

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, has concluded an official visit to Germany, on June 5.

The trip aimed at reinforcing cultural relations and exploring areas of cooperation between the two countries.

During the visit, Prince Bader met with Claudia Roth, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media, and Andreas Goergen, Secretary General for the Federal Ministry of Culture and Media, where they explored areas of cooperation and opportunities for cultural exchange.

Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud said: "This visit is an extension of our longstanding cultural ties with Germany, with whom we have had many partnerships and cultural exchanges since 1973. For the past 20 years, one of the main areas of cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Germany has been the field of archaeology. We look forward to further enhancing our cultural relations and to continue working closely towards creating opportunities for the exchange of knowledge, talent and expertise.”

As part of the meeting, both parties discussed opportunities for cultural cooperation, as well as strengthening the cultural relations through facilitating mutual visits by specialized delegations and implementing joint cultural projects, according to SPA.

In addition, the meeting explored ways of exchanging knowledge and expertise in the various cultural sector.


Egypt Reopens Historic Mosque after Long Restoration

A general view of the historical mosque of Al-Zahir Baybars, that was built in 1268 by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars al-Bunduqdari, as Egypt reopens it after the completion of renovation work, in Cairo, Egypt, June 5, 2023. (Reuters)
A general view of the historical mosque of Al-Zahir Baybars, that was built in 1268 by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars al-Bunduqdari, as Egypt reopens it after the completion of renovation work, in Cairo, Egypt, June 5, 2023. (Reuters)
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Egypt Reopens Historic Mosque after Long Restoration

A general view of the historical mosque of Al-Zahir Baybars, that was built in 1268 by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars al-Bunduqdari, as Egypt reopens it after the completion of renovation work, in Cairo, Egypt, June 5, 2023. (Reuters)
A general view of the historical mosque of Al-Zahir Baybars, that was built in 1268 by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars al-Bunduqdari, as Egypt reopens it after the completion of renovation work, in Cairo, Egypt, June 5, 2023. (Reuters)

A 13th century mosque that fell into disrepair after being used over the years as a soap factory, a slaughterhouse and a fort reopened in Cairo on Monday after undergoing a long restoration.

The mosque of Al-Zhahir Baybars, built under Mamluk rule in 1268, spans an area of three acres just north of central Cairo, making it Egypt's third-largest mosque.

The mosque underwent mechanical and chemical restoration to bring it back to its original condition, said Tarek Mohamed El-Behairy, who supervised the restoration.

"Some parts were destroyed, some parts have been dismantled because they were structurally unsuitable to remain in the mosque," he said.

"But we were very keen, even in the reconstruction process, to work according to the correct archaeological style."

The restoration, which cost $7.68 million, was co-funded with Kazakhstan and began in 2007.

For 225 years, the mosque was either closed, abandoned or had operated for non-religious purposes that contributed to its disrepair.

During Napoleon's campaign in Egypt, it was used as a military fort, then under Ottoman rule in the 19th century as a soap factory. Later, when the British invaded Egypt in 1882, it was used as a slaughterhouse.

Al-Zahir Baybars was a prominent figure in Egypt's history credited with cementing Mamluk rule in Egypt which spanned three centuries up to 1517.


Doors Close for Final Time on Amsterdam Museum’s Blockbuster Vermeer Exhibition

Cyclists pass under the Vermeer exhibit sign at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. (AP)
Cyclists pass under the Vermeer exhibit sign at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. (AP)
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Doors Close for Final Time on Amsterdam Museum’s Blockbuster Vermeer Exhibition

Cyclists pass under the Vermeer exhibit sign at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. (AP)
Cyclists pass under the Vermeer exhibit sign at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. (AP)

The blockbuster exhibition of paintings by Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer closed its doors for the final time on Sunday, with the art and history national museum of the Netherlands hailing the show as its most successful ever.

The Rijksmuseum said the exhibition that drew on collections around the world to bring together 28 of the 37 paintings generally ascribed to Vermeer attracted 650,000 visitors from 113 countries during its 16-week run that started in early February.

The large number of visitors — including French President Emmanuel Macron, movie director Steven Spielberg and Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis — came despite the museum limiting numbers to ensure everybody got a good view of masterpieces such as “Girl with a Pearl Earring” and “The Milkmaid.”

“Vermeer is the artist of peacefulness and intimacy. We wanted the visitors to enjoy it to the fullest,” museum general director Taco Dibbits said. “This was only possible by limiting the number of visitors.”

The exhibition included seven paintings that had never previously been displayed publicly in the Netherlands, among them three from The Frick Collection in New York.

For art lovers who didn’t manage to get their hands on one of the highly-sought-after tickets, six Vermeer paintings will remain on show in the Rijksmuseum’s Gallery of Honor — four from the museum’s own collection along with “The Girl with the Red Hat” from the National Gallery of Art in Washington and “Young Woman Seated at a Virginal” from The Leiden Collection in New York.


Saudi Arabia Guest of Honor at Doha International Book Fair 2023

General view of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
General view of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
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Saudi Arabia Guest of Honor at Doha International Book Fair 2023

General view of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
General view of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo

Saudi Arabia was named the guest of honor at the Doha International Book Fair 2023 in Qatar. The 32nd edition of the fair, under the slogan “With Reading We Rise”, will take place on June 12-21, the Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday.

Saudi Arabia will showcase the most prominent publications, cultural pieces, and archaeological finds from the Kingdom, SPA said.

Artifacts, live performances and educational films about the country’s rich cultural history and its connection with neighboring civilizations will be on display at the fair, it added.


Saudi Natural Reserve Registered in World Database on Protected Areas

According to ITBA, the registration was done in cooperation with the National Center for Wildlife. SPA
According to ITBA, the registration was done in cooperation with the National Center for Wildlife. SPA
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Saudi Natural Reserve Registered in World Database on Protected Areas

According to ITBA, the registration was done in cooperation with the National Center for Wildlife. SPA
According to ITBA, the registration was done in cooperation with the National Center for Wildlife. SPA

Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Natural Reserve Development Authority (ITBA) has registered the reserve in the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), one of the main steps toward accession to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Green List (IUCN).

According to ITBA, the registration was done in cooperation with the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), which is the national authority responsible for inventorying and registering reserves in the WDPA. This step contributes to the Kingdom appearing in specialized global databases and highlights national efforts, undertaken with the support of the Saudi leadership, to protect the environment and ensure its sustainability.

The authority said that its registration in the global database of protected areas reflects its commitment to achieving the goals of the Saudi Green initiative launched by the Crown Prince in March 2021, specifically, raising the percentage of protected areas to 30% of the Kingdom’s area by 20230 from the current 16.2%.

WDPA, launched in 1981, represents the most comprehensive database of protected areas globally. It is a joint project between the UN Environment Program and IUCN, and is managed by the UN Environment Program World Conservation Monitoring Center, in collaboration with governments, NGOs and academia. The database is updated monthly.


119th Regular Session of the Executive Council of 'ALECSO' Kicks Off in Tunis

The 119th regular session of the Executive Council of the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization kicked off in Tunis on Saturday - SPA
The 119th regular session of the Executive Council of the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization kicked off in Tunis on Saturday - SPA
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119th Regular Session of the Executive Council of 'ALECSO' Kicks Off in Tunis

The 119th regular session of the Executive Council of the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization kicked off in Tunis on Saturday - SPA
The 119th regular session of the Executive Council of the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization kicked off in Tunis on Saturday - SPA

The 119th regular session of the Executive Council of the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) kicked off Saturday in Tunis.

The two-day session will cover various agenda items, including monitoring the implementation of decisions made during previous sessions and assemblies. Additionally, discussions will focus on the educational, cultural, and scientific conditions in Palestine, the threats faced by Jerusalem, and the review of reports and recommendations from specialized ministerial conferences.

Also, proposals from member states will be examined, including the Saudi Kingdom's proposal to launch the ALECSO Forum for Business and Partnerships, as well as the Arab Observatory Center for Translation project.

Representatives from member states, Arab and international bodies, and organizations in Tunisia, along with representatives from the Arab League, took part in the meeting.

The Kingdom's representative and Chairman of the Executive Council, Hani bin Moqbel Al-Moqbel, lead the discussions.

Also present were the Director General of ALECSO, Mohamed Ould Omar, and the Secretary-General of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science (SNC), Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Bulahid.

During the session, the Executive Board of ALECSO commended the success of the "Future of Education, Science, and Culture International Organizations Forum (FESCIOF)," held in Riyadh last March.

They expressed appreciation to the Saudi leadership for hosting the conference for two consecutive terms and recognized the efforts of the SNC in ensuring its international success, SPA reported.

In his speech, Al-Moqbel stated that ALECSO and SNC organized the FESCIOF conference in Riyadh under the slogan "Together for impact in the 21st century." He emphasized that the Kingdom aimed for a new transformative phase characterized by an international perspective, a future-oriented framework, and a comprehensive vision.

This made the initiative, tools, and leadership of the conference truly exceptional, particularly as it was the first of its kind since the inception of the organization over 50 years ago.


Village Bin Man Helped Unearth Ancient Bronze Statues in Tuscany 

A general view of the ruins of an ancient spa where around 20 Etruscan and Roman bronze statues were discovered in San Casciano dei Bagni, a hilltop village in southern Tuscany still home to popular thermal baths, Italy, May 29, 2023. (Reuters)
A general view of the ruins of an ancient spa where around 20 Etruscan and Roman bronze statues were discovered in San Casciano dei Bagni, a hilltop village in southern Tuscany still home to popular thermal baths, Italy, May 29, 2023. (Reuters)
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Village Bin Man Helped Unearth Ancient Bronze Statues in Tuscany 

A general view of the ruins of an ancient spa where around 20 Etruscan and Roman bronze statues were discovered in San Casciano dei Bagni, a hilltop village in southern Tuscany still home to popular thermal baths, Italy, May 29, 2023. (Reuters)
A general view of the ruins of an ancient spa where around 20 Etruscan and Roman bronze statues were discovered in San Casciano dei Bagni, a hilltop village in southern Tuscany still home to popular thermal baths, Italy, May 29, 2023. (Reuters)

One of Italy's most remarkable archaeological finds in decades goes on show this month - Etruscan and Roman statues pulled from the mud in Tuscany thanks in part to the intuition of a retired garbage man.

About two dozen bronze statues from the third century BC to the first century AD, extracted from the ruins of an ancient spa, will go on display in Rome's Quirinale Palace from June 22, after months of restoration.

When the discovery was announced in November, experts called it the biggest collection of ancient bronze statues ever found in Italy and hailed it as a breakthrough that would "rewrite history".

The statues were found in 2021 and 2022 in the hilltop village of San Casciano dei Bagni, still home to popular thermal baths, where archaeologists had long suspected ancient ruins could be discovered.

Initial attempts to locate them, however, were unsuccessful.

Digging started in 2019 on a small plot of land next to the village's Renaissance-era public baths, but weeks of excavations revealed "only traces of some walls", San Casciano Mayor Agnese Carletti said.

Then former bin man and amateur local historian Stefano Petrini had "a flash" of intuition, remembering that years earlier he had seen bits of ancient Roman columns on a wall on the other side of the public baths.

The columns could only be seen from an abandoned garden that had once belonged to his friend, San Casciano's late greengrocer, who grew fruit and vegetables there to sell in the village shop.

When Petrini took archaeologists there, they knew they had found the right spot.

"It all started from there, from the columns," Petrini said.

‘Scrawny boy’ pulled from mud

Emanuele Mariotti, head of the San Casciano archaeological project, said his team was getting "quite desperate" before receiving the tip that led to the discovery of a shrine at the center of the ancient spa complex.

The statues found there were offerings from Romans and Etruscans who looked to the gods for good health, as were the coins and sculptures of body parts like ears and feet also recovered from the site.

One of the most spectacular finds was the "scrawny boy" bronze, a statue about 90 cms (35 inches) high, of a young Roman with an apparent bone disease. An inscription has his name as "Marcius Grabillo".

"When he appeared from the mud, and was therefore partially covered, it looked like the bronze of an athlete ... but once cleaned up and seen properly it was clear that it was that of a sick person," said Ada Salvi, a Culture Ministry archaeologist for the Tuscan provinces of Siena, Grosseto and Arezzo.

Salvi said traces of more unusual offerings were also recovered, including egg shells, pine cones, kernels from peaches and plums, surgical tools and a 2,000-year-old lock of curly hair.

"It opens a window into how Romans and Etruscans experienced the nexus between health, religion and spirituality," she said. "There's a whole world of meaning that has to be understood and studied."

More treasures to be found

The shrine was sealed at the beginning of the fifth century AD, when the ancient spa complex was abandoned, leaving its statues preserved for centuries by the warm mud of the baths.

Excavation will resume in late June. Mariotti said "it is a certainty" that more will be found in the coming years, possibly even the other six or 12 statues that an inscription says were left behind by Marcius Grabillo.

"We've only just lifted the lid," he said.

After the Rome exhibition, the statues and other artefacts are to find a new home in a museum that authorities hope to open in San Casciano within the next couple of years.

Petrini hopes the treasures will bring "jobs, culture and knowledge" to his 1,500-strong village, which is struggling with depopulation like much of rural Italy.

But he is reluctant to take credit for their discovery.

"Important things always happen thanks to several people, never thanks to only one," he said. "Never."


Restoration Lags for Syria's Famed Roman Ruins at Palmyra

Tourists visit Roman ruins in Palmyra, Syria, Tuesday, May 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Tourists visit Roman ruins in Palmyra, Syria, Tuesday, May 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
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Restoration Lags for Syria's Famed Roman Ruins at Palmyra

Tourists visit Roman ruins in Palmyra, Syria, Tuesday, May 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Tourists visit Roman ruins in Palmyra, Syria, Tuesday, May 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

At the height of ISIS’ rampage across Syria, the world watched in horror as the militants blew up an iconic arch and temple in the country’s famed Roman ruins in Palmyra.
Eight years later, ISIS has lost its hold but restoration work on the site has been held up by security issues, leftover ISIS land mines and lack of funding.
Other archaeological sites throughout Syria face similar problems, both in areas held by the government and by the opposition. They were damaged by the war or, more recently, by the deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck a wide area of neighboring Türkiye and also Syria in February.
Youssef Kanjou, a former director of Syria's Aleppo National Museum, said the situation of heritage sites in his country is a “disaster.”
Without a coordinated preservation and restoration effort, said Kanjou, now a researcher at Tübingen University in Germany, "We will lose what was not destroyed by the war or the earthquake."
Before the war, Palmyra — one of Syria’s six UNESCO world heritage sites — was the country’s archaeological crown jewel, a tourist attraction that drew tens of thousands of visitors each year. The ancient city was the capital of an Arab client state of the Roman Empire that briefly rebelled and carved out its own kingdom in the third century, led by Queen Zenobia.
The militants later destroyed Palmyra's historic temples of Bel and Baalshamin and the Arch of Triumph, viewing them as monuments to idolatry, and beheaded an elderly antiquities scholar who had dedicated his life to overseeing the ruins.
Today, the road through the desert from Homs to Palmyra is dotted with Syrian army checkpoints. In the town adjacent to the ancient site, some shops have reopened, but signs of war remain in the form of charred vehicles and burned-out or boarded-up stores and houses.
The Palmyra Museum is closed, and the much-loved lion statue that used to stand in front of it has been moved to Damascus for restoration and safekeeping.
In 2019, international experts convened by UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural agency, said detailed studies would need to be done before starting major restorations.
Youmna Tabet, program specialist at the Arab states unit of UNESCO's World Heritage Center, said restoration work often involves difficult choices, particularly if there isn't enough original material for rebuilding.
“Is it worth it to rebuild it with very little authenticity or should we rather focus on having 3D documentation of how it was?” she said.
Missions to the site were held up at first by security issues, including land mines that had to be cleared. ISIS cells still occasionally carry out attacks in the area.
Money is also a problem.
"There is a big lack of funding so far, for all the sites in Syria,” The Associated Press quoted Tabet as saying, noting that international donors have been wary of breaching sanctions on Syria, which have been imposed by the United States, the European Union and others.
US sanctions exempt activities related to preservation and protection of cultural heritage sites, but sanctions-related obstacles remain, such as a ban on exporting US-made items to Syria.
Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, has begun restoring Palmyra's triumphal arch, the largest-scale project underway to date at the site.
“We have some funding from some friends in some places, but it is not sufficient in relation to the disaster that occurred,” said Mohammad Nazir Awad, director general of Syria's department of Antiquities and Museums.
It doesn't have to be this way, said Maamoun Abdulkarim, who headed the antiquities department at the time of the ISIS incursion. Abdulkarim pointed to the international push to recover damaged heritage sites in the city of Mosul in neighboring Iraq, also controlled by the militants for some time, as an example of a successful restoration.
“We need to make some separation between political affairs and cultural heritage affairs,” said Abdulkarim, now a professor at the University of Sharjah. He warned that damaged structures are in danger of deteriorating further or collapsing as the rehabilitation work is delayed.
The deadly Feb. 6 earthquake caused further destruction at some sites already damaged by the war. This includes the old city of Aleppo, which is under the control of the government, and the Byzantine-era church of Saint Simeon in the Aleppo countryside, in an area controlled by Turkish-backed opposition forces.
About one-fifth of the church was damaged in the earthquake, including the basilica arch, said Hassan al-Ismail, a researcher with Syrians for Heritage a non-governmental organization. He said the earthquake compounded earlier damage caused by bombings and vandalism.
The group tried to stabilize the structure with wooden and metal supports and to preserve the stones that fell from it for later use in restoration.
Ayman al-Nabo, head of antiquities in the opposition-held city of Idlib, appealed for international assistance in stabilizing and restoring sites damaged by the earthquake.
Antiquities should be seen as “neutral to the political reality,” he said. “This is global human heritage, which belongs to the whole world, not just the Syrians."