The Dar Al-Saada Dome was an important example of Mamluk masonry and architecture in Gaza. It was being restored to create a safe place for manuscripts from the 13th century library of the Great Omari Mosque. The project would also create a multi-purpose community education and exhibition centre.
Preserving the past, safeguarding the future was a British Council – Cultural Protection Funded project, “protecting cultural heritage at risk in Gaza through restoration and community engagement.”
The work would include Conservation and Documentation of at least 2,400 Islamic manuscript leaves from the Omari Great Mosque library. The Omari Great Mosque was destroyed in an Israeli air strike on December 8 2023. It is unknown how many of the ancient manuscripts were lost. These included old copies of the Quran, biographies of Prophet Muhammad and ancient books on philosophy, medicine and Sufi mysticism. The library, established by Sultan Zahir Baybars and opened in 1277, once boasted a collection of 20,000 books and manuscripts. Many of the rare books and manuscripts housed there were lost or destroyed during the Crusades and World War I, leaving only 62 books.
In partnership with the British Library Endangered Archives Programme, HMML in 2023 digitised a selection of ancient, single copy books from the mosque’s library that are unavailable anywhere else in the world.
The lead organisation in the £331,487.77 funded project is Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS) with partners the University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS) and Recanati e Restauro (ReR).
The rare manuscripts from the library of the 13th century Great Omari Mosque were an invaluable resource for academics and the local community. They needed urgent conservation work and secure display and storage facilities. This was due to previous military actions which were putting them in danger. The project started in 2020 but Israeli bombardments since October 2023 has endangered all of these important 13th century works. They may all have been destroyed.
The project would also have trained local people in conservation skills with The Dar Al-Saada Dome becoming a community resource centre.
The British Councils’ Cultural Protection Fund was founded in 2016. It is led by the British Council in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The UK is a signatory to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execution of the Convention
Fiona Grahame
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