Cairo – The Libyan cultural scene is preparing for a new research publication. It is titled “Land of the Garamantes: Sokna, A Journey to the Beginning.” This will take place at the Cairo International Book Fair. The exploratory work was authored by researchers Hamza Mahmoud Al-Fallah and Mohammed Al-Tarhouni. It was published by Dar Al-Farajani in Tripoli, Cairo, and London.
The publication is a significant addition to documenting Libyan heritage. It discusses the inscriptions in Sokna valleys within the Garamantes region. The work combines academic documentation with a philosophical dimension. It offers a multidisciplinary reading of the hidden history of the region’s inscriptions. The book also questions whether it is “a legend, a research, or a journey.”
Ali Abdullah Waydan is a founding committee member of the Sokna Civil Organization. This organization focuses on documents, manuscripts, and human heritage. Waydan stated in special remarks that the book resulted from extensive field trips. These trips explored Sokna valleys. The valleys are rich with inscriptions and drawings from the Garamantes era. The work was supervised by writers Mohammed Al-Tarhouni and Hamza Al-Fallah. Photographer Issam Al-Sabri accompanied them. The entire project was under the organization’s umbrella.
He added that the publication re-examines the hidden history of the inscriptions. It corrects historical errors made by previous researchers regarding Libyan rock art. The book explores the intersection of symbolic geography with identity and art. It also observes the aesthetics of the wild natural landscape. The work further chronicles the story of water in the face of drought.
He noted that the book marks a qualitative leap in documenting the heritage of Sokna valleys. It is dedicated to Libya, with all its diverse spectrums and cultural richness. He affirmed the team’s philosophy. Their philosophy states, “Libya lives within us.”
The work will participate in the Cairo exhibition. It aims to provide Arab and international audiences with a glimpse. This glimpse will be into Libya’s buried treasures. These treasures lie deep within the desert.