The ‘Messak Project’ : archaeological research for cultural Heritage management in SW Libya

The Messak plateau contains remarkable evidence of human occupation during prehistoric and historic times, such as rock art engravings, megalithic monuments, and scatters of stone tools. Since 1980 these remains have been heavily affected by oil extraction-related operations, and it has only been over the last decade that these operations were adequately supported by archaeological mitigation strategies. The \u2018Messak Project\u2019 was originally conceived as a three-year programme (2010\u20132012) focusing on a range of co-ordinated actions to increase the knowledge of the area, to assess any damage and potential risks, and to preserve and manage the cultural heritage. Uprisings in Libya led to the sudden interruption of the project in late February 2011. Nevertheless, major results of the projects include: the compilation of a database of circa 10,000 sites, including hundreds of unpublished sites from previous surveys; the discovery of circa 2500 new archaeological sites; and the drawing of a set of GIS-based maps. In this paper we firstly introduce the materials and methods of the \u2018Messak Project\u2019, and secondly, we present an updated overview of the archaeological landscape of the Messak in the light of the project\u2019s recent achievements.Les plateaux du Messak rec\ue8lent des traces anthropiques remarquables remontant aux diff\ue9rentes p\ue9riodes pr\ue9historiques et historiques : art rupestre, monuments en pierre s\ue8che et concentrations d'outils lithiques. Depuis 1980 les travaux des compagnies p\ue9troli\ue8res y ont provoqu\ue9 d'importants dommages, et c'est seulement ces dix derni\ue8res ann\ue9es que des programmes arch\ue9ologiques d'urgence et de sauvetage ont \ue9t\ue9 lanc\ue9s. 'The Messak Project' avait \ue9t\ue9 con\ue7u \ue0 l'origine pour une dur\ue9e de trois ans (2010\u20132012) et comprenait toute une gamme d'interventions destin\ue9es \ue0 am\ue9liorer les connaissances sur la r\ue9gion, \ue9valuer les dommages et risques potentiels et, finalement, pr\ue9server et g\ue9rer le patrimoine culturel. L'insurrection libyenne de f\ue9vrier 2011 a entra\ueen\ue9 la fin brutale du projet. N\ue9anmoins, les principaux r\ue9sultats incluent : la compilation des donn\ue9es de pr\ue8s de 10 000 sites dont des centaines, enregistr\ue9s lors de travaux pr\ue9c\ue9dents, sont in\ue9dits; la d\ue9couverte d'environ 2500 nouveaux sites arch\ue9ologiques; l'\ue9tablissement d'une s\ue9rie de cartes bas\ue9es sur une analyse par SIG. Dans cet article, nous pr\ue9senterons d'abord le mat\ue9riel et les m\ue9thodes utilis\ue9es lors du 'The Messak Project' et, dans un deuxi\ue8me temps, nous exposerons une vue d'ensemble du paysage arch\ue9ologique du Messak \ue0 la lumi\ue8re des plus r\ue9centes avanc\ue9es