Reburial of a mosaic floor discovered at Tocra (Taucheira)

Abstract

A large number of mosaic floors in Cyrenaica are in poor condition and a systematic programme for the assessment of exposed mosaics followed by strategic planning for their long term preservation is long overdue and badly needed. A mosaic floor discovered at Tocra in 1972 is a prime example of a deteriorated pavement. In this case the Department of Antiquities decided to protect the mosaic by careful reburial in a methodical fashion. Preservation of the Tocra pavement by careful reburial, with due regard to context and need, is unprecedented and represents a new, extreme but essential conservation activity for Libyan archaeology.

Conserving and managing mosaics in Libya (CaMMiL): the final project review

“…When we visited Tocra during the evaluation trip, Ahmed Buzaian of the University of Benghazi was in the process of designing a mosaic reburial. We discussed the steps with him and the reburial has now been completed (Buzaian and Hashem 2014; Buzaian 2015). Since then Mohamed Abougela, Sabratha's site controller, has asked us to collaborate on the design for the reburial of mosaics in the ‘Office Baths’.…”