Can ancient glass survive the largest non-nuclear man-made explosion in history?
In short: When a massive blast rocked Beirut in 2020, a museum display containing 74 ancient glass vessels was destroyed. This video follows the recovery of the surviving fragments, serving as a testament to both the trauma of the event and the resilience of the city's heritage.
On August 4, 2020, an explosion of ammonium nitrate at the port of Beirut caused widespread devastation, resulting in at least 218 deaths and $15 billion in damages. Located just over 3km from the blast, the Archaeological Museum at the American University of Beirut suffered significant losses when a display case was thrown to the floor, shattering 72 of its 74 ancient glass vessels.
The resulting debris left shards of ancient glass inextricably mixed with modern glass from the display case and windows. Through a collaboration between the British Museum and the American University of Beirut, the project focuses on the recovery of eight of these vessels. These artifacts now bear permanent scars, standing as witnesses to the explosion and symbols of defiance and healing for the people of Beirut.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Conserving ancient glass vessels destroyed in the 2020 Beirut Explosion | Shattered Glass of Beirut
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