Country: Libya
Collection Type: State agency/ Ministry
Collection Size: 10,000-50,000
Period: 1930-1960 1960-1980 Later than 1980
Type of Material & Format: Black and White images Colour images Film-based negatives Glass plates positives and/or negatives Prints Slides (positives)

The Department of Antiquities tasks include the protection, raising awareness, and scientific research regarding all archaeological finds, movable and unmovable.

The photo archive in the Red Castle (Saraya Alhamra) in Tripoli belongs to the Department of Antiquities (DOA) and is the main custodian of Archaeology in Libya.It was first created by the Italian colonial power in the beginning of the 20th century (1912-1941) and the occupation of Libya, the occupation was accompanied by extensive archaeological activity which continued throughout the occupation period. The archive has grown in size following Libya’s independence, which witnessed an increase in archeological activity and discoveries in the 50s up to the 1990s.

The collection contains a broad spectrum of photographic material; including glass plate negatives, black and white photos, in addition to negatives and projector positives of different sizes, covering a period of more than half a century.The images depict a wide range of subjects including: excavation work, from the early excavations of the Italian era, 1920s and 1930s, to the excavations of the modern era in the 80s and 90s, daily life, traditions and historical figures.

The collection is available to researchers and students.

Contact Details: Name: Mahmoud Khalifa Hadia
Email: [email protected]
Address: The Saraya Alhamra (Red castle) , Martyr Square, Tripoli, Libya.
Tel: (218) 3330289 / (218) 21 444 0167