Rule2025-08615
Emergency Import Restrictions on Categories of Archaeological and Ethnological Material of Lebanon
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 14, 2025
Effective
May 13, 2025
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentU.S. Customs and Border Protection
Abstract
This document amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect the imposition of emergency import restrictions on categories of archaeological and ethnological material of Lebanon, pursuant to a determination made by the United States Department of State under the terms of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act. The emergency import restrictions will be in effect until January 23, 2029, unless extended. This document contains the Designated List of Archaeological and Ethnological Material of Lebanon that describes the types of objects or categories of archaeological and ethnological material to which the import restrictions apply.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 92 (Wednesday, May 14, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 14, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20384-20393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-08615]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
19 CFR Part 12
[CBP Dec. 25-05]
RIN 1685-AA32
Emergency Import Restrictions on Categories of Archaeological and
Ethnological Material of Lebanon
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland
Security.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This document amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) regulations to reflect the imposition of emergency import
restrictions on categories of archaeological and ethnological material
of Lebanon, pursuant to a determination made by the United States
Department of State under the terms of the Convention on Cultural
Property Implementation Act. The emergency import restrictions will be
in effect until January 23, 2029, unless extended. This document
contains the Designated List of Archaeological and Ethnological
Material of Lebanon that describes the types of objects or categories
of archaeological and ethnological material to which the import
restrictions apply.
DATES: Effective on May 13, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For legal aspects, W. Richmond
Beevers, Chief, Cargo Security, Carriers and Restricted Merchandise
Branch, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade, (202) 325-0084, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b5dac198dac1c7c7d6c0d9c1c0c7d4d9c5c7dac5d0c7c1ccf5d6d7c59bd1ddc69bd2dac3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2a455e07455e5858495f465e5f584b465a58455a4f585e536a49485a044e4259044d455c">[email protected]</span></a>. For operational aspects, Julie L.
Stoeber, Chief, 1USG Branch, Trade Policy and Programs, Office of
Trade, (202) 945-7064, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b382e6e0f4f1c1d2ddd0dbf3d0d1c39dd7dbc09dd4dcc5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="44751117030636252a272c042726346a202c376a232b32">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (Pub. L. 97-
446, 19 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) (CPIA), which implements the 1970 United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit
Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (823
U.N.T.S. 231 (1972)) (Convention), allows for the conclusion of an
agreement between the United States and another party to the Convention
to impose import restrictions on eligible archaeological and
ethnological material. In certain limited circumstances, the CPIA
authorizes the imposition of restrictions on an emergency basis (19
U.S.C. 2603). The emergency restrictions are effective for no more than
five years from the date of the State Party's request and may be
extended for three years where it is determined that the emergency
condition continues to apply with respect to the covered material (19
U.S.C. 2603(c)(3)). These restrictions may also be continued, in whole
or in part, pursuant to an agreement concluded within the meaning of
the CPIA (19 U.S.C. 2603(c)(4)).
Determinations
Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 2602(a), the government of the Lebanese
Republic (Lebanon), a State Party to the Convention, requested on
January 23, 2024, that import restrictions be imposed on certain
archaeological and ethnological material, the pillage of which
jeopardizes the cultural heritage of Lebanon. The CPIA authorizes the
President (or designee) to apply import restrictions on an emergency
basis if the President determines that an emergency condition applies
with respect to any archaeological or ethnological material of any
requesting State Party (19 U.S.C. 2603).
On November 4, 2024, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Educational and Cultural Affairs, United States Department of State,
after consultation with and recommendation by the Cultural Property
Advisory Committee, made the determinations necessary under the CPIA
for the emergency imposition of import restrictions on categories of
archaeological material and ethnological material of the cultural
heritage of Lebanon. The Designated List below sets forth the
categories of material to which the import restrictions apply. Thus,
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is amending Sec. 12.104g(b)
of title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations (19 CFR 12.104g(b))
accordingly.
Importation of covered material from Lebanon will be restricted
until January 23, 2029, unless the conditions set forth in 19 U.S.C.
2606 and 19 CFR 12.104c are met.
Designated List of Archaeological and Ethnological Material of Lebanon
The Designated List includes, but is not limited to, categories of
objects described below.
Archaeological material in the Designated List ranges in date from
the Paleolithic period (approximately 700,000 years ago) through 1774
C.E. Ethnological material in the Designated List includes:
architectural elements;
[[Page 20385]]
religious, ritual, and funerary objects; traditional garments and
headdresses; weapons and armor; and manuscripts and handwritten
documents, all dating from 1600 through 1918 C.E.; as well as early
printed books dating from 1600 through 1850 C.E.
The designated list set forth is representative only. Any dates and
dimensions are approximate.
Categories of Archaeological and Ethnological Material
I. Archaeological Material
A. Stone
B. Metal
C. Ceramic, Terracotta, Unfired Clay, and Faience
D. Bone, Ivory, Shell, and Other Organic Material
E. Wood
F. Glass
G. Plaster and Stucco
H. Textile
I. Leather, Parchment, Papyrus, and Paper
J. Human and Hominin Remains
II. Ethnological Material
A. Architectural Elements
B. Religious, Ritual, and Funerary Objects
C. Traditional Garments and Headdresses
D. Weapons and Armor
E. Manuscripts, Handwritten Documents, and Early Printed Books
Approximate simplified chronology:
Paleolithic Period: c. 700,000-12,000 years ago
Neolithic Period: c. 10,000-5300 B.C.E.
Chalcolithic Period: c. 5300-3600 B.C.E.
Bronze Age: c. 3600-1200 B.C.E.
Early Bronze Age: c. 3600-2000 B.C.E.
Middle Bronze Age: c. 2000-1600 B.C.E.
Late Bronze Age: c. 1600-1200 B.C.E.
Iron Age (Phoenician kingdoms; Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, and
Achaemenid Persian Empires): c. 1200-332 B.C.E.
Hellenistic Period (Ptolemaic and Seleucid Empires): 332 B.C.E.-64
B.C.E.
Roman Period: 64 B.C.E.-395 C.E.
Byzantine Period: 395-635 C.E.
Early Medieval Period (Rashidun, Umayyad, Abbasid, and Fatimid
Caliphates; Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and County of Tripoli;
Ayyubid Sultanate): 635-1250 C.E.
Late Medieval Period (Mamluk Sultanate): 1250-1516 C.E.
Ottoman Period (Emirate of Mount Lebanon): 1516-1918 C.E.
I. Archaeological Material
Archaeological material covered by the import restrictions includes
material from Lebanon ranging in date from approximately 700,000 years
ago to 1774 C.E. Archaeological material covered by the import
restrictions includes, but is not limited to, the following categories
and types.
A. Stone
1. Architectural Elements--In basalt, limestone, marble, sandstone,
granite, and other stones. This category includes, but is not limited
to: blocks from walls, floors, and ceilings; acroteria, antefixes,
architraves, arches, columns, capitals, bases, lintels, jambs, friezes,
merlons, metopes, pediments, pilasters, podia, stairs, tribunes, and
tympana; doors, door frames, oculi, and window fittings; oil and wine
presses; and caryatids, altars, prayer niches (mihrab), screens,
wellheads, and fountains. Includes sculptures and inscriptions in
various scripts and languages--such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, pseudo-
hieroglyphs or the Byblos script, cuneiform, Phoenician, Greek, Latin,
and Arabic--that may have been part of a building or feature. Styles
may show Egyptian, Greek, Roman, or other regional influence in
different periods. Approximate date: 1500 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
2. Non-Architectural Monuments--In basalt, limestone, marble,
sandstone, granite, and other stones. Types include, but are not
limited to: standing stones, stelae, betyls, cippi, herms, naiskoi
(miniature shrines), obelisks, and thrones. Includes bases. May be of a
mortuary, votive, commemorative, or other character. May be plain or
show incised, relief-carved, or painted images or inscriptions in
various scripts in languages, such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, pseudo-
hieroglyphs or the Byblos script, cuneiform, Phoenician, Greek, Latin,
and Arabic. In different periods, figures, motifs, and symbols may show
influence from Egypt, Greece, Rome, Byzantium, and other regions.
Heights range from 20 cm to 3 m. Approximate date: 2000 B.C.E. to 1774
C.E.
3. Rock Art and Inscriptions--This category consists of human-made
markings carved or painted on rock surfaces. Types include, but are not
limited to: petroglyphs (carved into the rock surface), pictographs
(painted); rock inscriptions; and commemorative stelae and monuments
with relief or incised figures and/or inscriptions carved into rock
surfaces, sometimes in a frame imitating architectural forms.
Inscriptions may be in various scripts and languages, such as Egyptian
hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the Byblos script, cuneiform, Latin,
Greek, or Arabic. Approximate date: 1300 B.C.E. to the 1774 C.E.
4. Mosaics--This category consists of compositions of small pieces
of colored stone (tesserae) set into floors, walls, and ceilings to
create patterns such as geometric motifs and bands; mythological,
religious, or other scenes and figures; floral, vegetal, or animal
motifs; and inscriptions in various scripts and languages, especially
Greek. Mosaics may also be made in the opus sectile technique of
composing patterns and designs through the inlay of flat pieces of
stone (especially marble) cut into shapes. Includes tesserae and mosaic
tiles disassociated from their original composition and stone inlays
used or intended for use in compositions of other materials.
Approximate date: 800 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
5. Burial Containers--Types include, but are not limited to:
sarcophagi, coffins, ossuaries, caskets, reliquaries, and urns in
marble, limestone, basalt, sandstone, or other stones. Includes
cenotaphs (empty burial containers). Made in forms such as simple
boxes, architectural forms with gabled lids, and anthropomorphic shapes
with relief-carved faces and other features. May be plain or decorated
with relief sculptures of human and animal figures, mythological
scenes, monograms, floral and geometric motifs, or architectural
ornaments. In different periods, sculpted features may show Egyptian,
Cypriot, Greek, or Roman influence. May be inscribed in various scripts
and languages, such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the
Byblos script, cuneiform, Phoenician, Greek, Latin, or Arabic. May be
painted or preserve traces of paint. Approximate date: 3100 B.C.E. to
1774 C.E.
6. Sculpture--This category consists of representations of humans,
deities, animals, mythological figures (such as sphinxes), groups of
such figures, or parts of figures carved in the round in limestone,
marble, basalt, sandstone, steatite, and other stones. Types include,
but are not limited to: statues, busts, idols, statuettes, and
figurines. Includes bases and plinths. Styles may be schematic or
stylized, as in the case of ``pebble idols'' or ``violin-shaped''
figurines, or may be more naturalistic. In different periods, styles
and attributes may show Egyptian, Cypriot, Greek, Roman, or other
regional influence. May be inscribed in various scripts and languages,
such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the Byblos script,
cuneiform, Phoenician, Greek, Latin, and Arabic. May be painted or show
traces of paint or gilding. Large-scale statues and busts may be life-
sized or over life-sized, with heights ranging from 1 to 3 m.
[[Page 20386]]
Statuettes, figurines, and idols are smaller than life-sized, with
heights ranging from 5 cm to 1 m. Approximate date: 8800 B.C.E. to 1774
C.E.
7. Furniture and Furniture Fittings--In limestone, basalt, marble,
sandstone, and other stones. Types include, but are not limited to:
tables, thrones, beds, and fittings for furniture, such as finials and
feet. A distinctive type is thrones typically carved from marble or
limestone and flanked by winged sphinxes or braziers, sometimes with a
standing stone or betyl on the seat. Approximate date: 600 B.C.E. to
1774 C.E.
8. Vessels--This category consists of containers carved in
alabaster, calcite, marble, steatite, rock crystal, basalt, limestone,
diorite, obsidian, serpentine, travertine, and other stones. Forms
include, but are not limited to: alabastra, amphorae, bottles, bowls,
boxes, censers, cups, goblets, flasks, incense burners, jars, jugs,
lamps, libation spoons, pyxides, and urns, or may take the shape of a
human or animal, or part of a human or animal. Includes vessel lids.
May be carved in high or low relief, engraved, or incised with
geometric, vegetal, or floral motifs, figures, or scenes. May be
inscribed in various scripts and languages, such as Egyptian
hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the Byblos script, cuneiform,
Phoenician, Greek, Latin, or Arabic. May be imported from Egypt or
other regions. May be embellished with precious metals. Approximate
date: 8200 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
9. Tools, Implements, and Weapons--In flint or chert, obsidian,
limestone, basalt, and other stones. Types of chipped stone tools
include, but are not limited to: adzes, awls, arrowheads, axes,
bifaces, blades and bladelets, borers, burins, chisels, choppers,
cores, daggers, flakes, hooks, javelins, knives, microliths, pebble
tools, picks, points, scrapers, sickles, and triangles. Paleolithic
chipped stone tools belong to the broader Acheulian, Levallois,
Mousterian, and Aurignacian industries; more specific regional styles
include, but are not limited to: Yabroudian, Emiran/Emireh, Ahmarian,
Antelian, Kebaran, and Natufian. Neolithic styles include, but are not
limited to: El Khiam points, Amuq points, Byblos points, Heavy
Neolithic, Shepherd Neolithic or Gigantolithic, and Qaraounian.
Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age types include, but are not limited
to, Canaanean blades. Ground stone types include, but are not limited
to: anchors, axes, adzes, grinders, mortars, pestles, rubbers,
millstones, whetstones, hammers, palettes, molds, mace heads, sling
stones, potter's wheels, loom weights, weights, and spindle whorls.
Approximate date: 700,000 years ago to 1774 C.E.
10. Seals--This category consists of small devices, at least one
side of which is engraved with a design for stamping or rolling, made
of agate, amethyst, carnelian, chalcedony, hematite, jasper, limestone,
onyx, quartz, rock crystal, steatite, or other stones. Types include,
but are not limited to: stamp seals, cylinder seals, scarabs,
scaraboids, signets, intaglios, and gems. May be pierced for suspension
or set into a ring. May show designs such as geometric motifs and
patterns; human figures such as kings, queens, and heroes; Canaanite,
Egyptian, Phoenician, Mesopotamian, Greek, Roman, or other deities;
Christian religious figures; animals; mythological creatures; plants
such as the papyrus or sacred tree; and symbols such as the ankh,
winged sun disk, or cross. Motifs and figures may be individual or
combined into scenes such as veneration, combat, or procession. May be
imported or locally made. May be inscribed in various scripts and
languages such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the
Byblos script, cuneiform, Phoenician, Greek, Latin, Syriac, or Arabic.
May have metal caps or foil coverings. Dimensions range from 1 to 10
cm. Approximate date: 8700 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
11. Tablets and Ostraca--This category consists of small-scale
plaques and chips of stone used as surfaces for writing or drawing. May
be incised, painted, or written in ink. Inscriptions may be in various
languages and scripts, such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs
or the Byblos script, cuneiform, Phoenician, Greek, Latin, or Arabic
scripts. Approximate date: 2500 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
12. Jewelry and Ornaments--This category consists of personal
ornaments made of or decorated with stones such as agate, amethyst,
calcite, carnelian, crystal, hematite, jasper, lapis lazuli, limestone,
obsidian, quartz, schist, and steatite. Types include, but are not
limited to: amulets, appliques, beads, pendants, cameos, earrings,
finger rings, bracelets, anklets, pins, and hair ornaments. May be
engraved or cut as gems or cameos. Approximate date: 8700 B.C.E. to
1774 C.E.
B. Metal
1. Sculpture--This category consists of representations of humans,
deities, animals, mythological creatures, groups of such figures, body
parts of such figures, or miniature objects. May be cast or otherwise
formed in the round or as a relief plaque. Types include, but are not
limited to: statues, busts, statuettes, figurines, plaques, amulets,
and ex-votos. Large-scale statues close to or larger than life-sized
are typically made in bronze or other copper alloys, while small-scale
statuettes, figurines, plaques, or amulets (height ranging from ca. 5
to 50 cm) may be made in copper, bronze, or other copper alloys;
silver; gold; electrum; iron; or lead. Styles may be schematic,
stylized, or more naturalistic. May be embellished with attachments or
foil in other metals, especially silver and gold, or inlaid with other
materials. Some distinctive statuette types of the Bronze and Iron Ages
are standing or striding male or female figures, with arms at their
sides or raised in a smiting posture, and sometimes carrying weapons,
and seated male figures, sometimes with one hand raised; these figures
may wear a conical hat, sometimes with horns, or Egyptian style atef-
crowns or Hathoric crowns. In different periods, statuettes or
figurines may depict Egyptian, Greek, or Roman deities or show
Egyptian, Greek, or Roman influence. May be free-standing or inserted
into a base. Approximate date: 2000 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
2. Reliefs, Appliqu[eacute]s, Sheets, and Plaques--In copper,
bronze, or other copper alloys; gold; silver; electrum; iron; and lead.
Types include, but are not limited to: plaques, appliqu[eacute]s,
roundels, burial masks, mask elements, leaves, and amuletic
inscriptions. May be worked in relief (repouss[eacute]), impressed,
engraved, or cast. May show designs such as geometric, floral, or
vegetal motifs and figures or scenes of humans, deities, animals, and
mythological creatures. May be inscribed in various scripts and
languages such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the
Byblos script, cuneiform, Phoenician, Greek, Latin, or Arabic.
Approximate date: 1600 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
3. Vessels--Containers in copper, bronze, or other copper alloys;
gold; silver; electrum; iron; and lead. Typical forms include, but are
not limited to: ampoules, bowls, boxes, candelabra, cauldrons, censers,
chalices, chests, ciboria, cups, ewers, goblets, flasks, jars, jugs,
ladles, lamps, monstrances or ostensories, pans, patera, pitchers,
plates, polycandela, pyxides, rhyta, strainers, tabernacles, and trays.
Includes handles. May be plain, decorated in relief, engraved,
enameled, inlaid, or formed into human or animal shapes. May be
inscribed in various scripts and languages, such as Egyptian
hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the Byblos script, cuneiform,
Phoenician, Greek, Latin, or Arabic. A distinctive Iron Age type is a
shallow bowl with
[[Page 20387]]
relief or engraved decoration, often with a central medallion featuring
a rosette, star, or figural scene, and one or more surrounding friezes
with geometric or vegetal motifs or complex figural scenes of humans,
animals, and deities. Approximate date: 5300 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
4. Jewelry and Ornaments--In copper, bronze, and other copper
alloys; gold; silver; electrum; iron; and lead. Types include, but are
not limited to: amulets, amulet cases, anklets, appliques, bangles,
beads, belts, bracelets, buckles, crowns, diadems or headbands,
earrings, fibulae (safety pins), medallions, pectorals, pendants, pins,
rings, roundels, torques, wreaths. Some typical forms of the Bronze and
Iron Ages are sun-discs, lunar crescents, and Egyptian symbols such as
ankhs and cartouches. May be decorated with techniques such as casting,
champlev[eacute], cloisonn[eacute], embossing, engraving, granulation,
and repouss[eacute]. May be inlaid with other materials such as stone,
faience, Egyptian blue (calcium copper silicate), glass, or enamel.
Approximate date: 5300 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
5. Tools and Implements--Primarily in copper, bronze, and other
copper alloys; iron; and lead, though ceremonial examples may be made
in precious metals. Types include, but are not limited to: blades,
hammers, saws, hooks, axes, chisels, scissors, scrapers (strigils),
razors, spatulas, weights, bells, mirrors, chains, forks, spoons,
knives, nails, staffs, scales, sickle blades, locks, keys, ingots,
coin-shaped tesserae or tokens with molded or cast designs, tweezers,
and medical tools. Types such as weights, razors, spatulas, and ingots
may be inscribed in various scripts and languages, such as Egyptian
hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the Byblos script, cuneiform,
Phoenician, Greek, Latin, or Arabic. Approximate date: 5300 B.C.E. to
1774 C.E.
6. Weapons and Armor--Primarily in copper, bronze, and other copper
alloys, as well as iron, though ceremonial examples could be made in
gold, silver, or electrum. Weapon types include, but are not limited
to: daggers, arrowheads, swords, knives, spearheads, javelin heads, axe
heads, swords (including scimitars and sickle swords), sheaths, and
maces. Armor types include, but are not limited to: helmets, shields,
cuirasses, armor scales, horse armor, and chariot decorations.
Ceremonial or votive examples may be inscribed in various scripts and
languages, such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the
Byblos script, cuneiform, Phoenician, Greek, Latin, or Arabic, and may
be decorated with incised or relief geometric, floral, or vegetal
motifs, or human, divine, or animal figures. Some distinctive Bronze
Age types are ``fenestrated'' or ``duckbill'' axe heads with two oval
openings and leaf-shaped daggers with fine longitudinal ribs.
Approximate date: 5300 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
7. Seals and Stamps--This category consists of small devices at
least one side of which is engraved or cast with a design for stamping
or rolling, typically in copper, bronze, or other copper alloys; gold;
silver; electrum; or more rarely in iron or lead. Types include, but
are not limited to: stamp seals, cylinder seals, scarabs and
scaraboids, signet rings, and stamps for pottery or bread. May be
pierced for suspension. For designs, see above under Stone Seals. May
bear inscriptions in various scripts and languages such as Egyptian
hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the Byblos script, cuneiform,
Phoenician, Greek, Latin, Syriac, or Arabic. Dimensions range from 1 to
10 cm. Approximate date: 3600 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
8. Furniture and Fittings--This category consists of types of
furnishings not mentioned above and fittings used in or applied to
furniture or architectural elements. Typically in copper, bronze, or
other copper alloys; iron; or lead. Types include, but are not limited
to: vessel stands, incense stands (thymiateria), braziers, torch
holders, door knockers, other door and window fittings, and sheets and
plates covering parts of furniture or architectural elements of other
materials. May be decorated with geometric, floral, vegetal, or
figurative motifs in relief, in openwork, or in the round. Approximate
date: 3100 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
9. Musical Instruments--Types include, but are not limited to:
various types of horns, flutes, clappers, sistra, cymbals, and metal
parts of other instruments otherwise primarily made of wood or bone.
May be decorated with designs or figures engraved, embossed, or cast in
the round. Approximate date: 3600 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
10. Burial Containers--Sarcophagi or coffins typically of lead and
in rectangular form, with embossed decoration in the form of geometric
and floral bands and images of deities, animals, or mythological
creatures. Includes panels and fragments of such burial containers.
Approximate date: 100 to 400 C.E.
11. Religious, Ritual, and Ceremonial Objects--In copper, bronze,
and other copper alloys; gold; silver; electrum; iron; and lead. This
category includes object types not mentioned above that were primarily
used for religious, ritual, or ceremonial purpose. Types include, but
are not limited to: standards, crosses, crucifixes, icons, croziers,
and Torah pointers. Often engraved or otherwise decorated. Approximate
date: 100 to 1774 C.E.
12. Coins and Other Currency--Coinage has a great variety and long
history in Lebanon that spans the Achaemenid Persian, Hellenistic,
Roman, Byzantine, medieval, and early Ottoman periods. This category
consists of coins in metals such as gold, silver, billon (an alloy),
copper, bronze, brass, and lead that are minted in or found in Lebanon,
as well as other forms of currency, such as metal bullion or ingots and
cut and weighed silver pieces (hacksilber).
a. Iron Age Persian Period--The earliest coinage of Lebanon dates
to the Achaemenid Persian Empire and consists of silver shekels,
fractional denominations thereof, and bronze coins minted in Sidon,
Tyre, and Byblos. Some typical designs include the king standing or
running with a bow, slaying a lion, or processing in a chariot; galley
ships; chariots; walled cities; hippocamps; owls with an Egyptian crook
and flail; dolphins; sphinxes; griffins; vultures; rams; shells; lotus
flowers; Egyptian scepters; warriors; and lions and bulls in combat.
May bear Phoenician inscriptions or monograms. Includes Persian
imperial and Archaic Greek coins that also circulated in Lebanon during
this period. Approximate date: 510 to 332 B.C.E.
b. Hellenistic and Roman Periods--Includes coins in gold, silver,
and bronze on Phoenician, Greek, and Roman weight standards. In this
period, coins were minted in Sidon, Tyre, Byblos, Beirut (Berytus/
Laodicea), Tripoli (Tripolis), Batroun (Botrys), Arqa (Caesarea ad
Libanum), Bhannine (Orthosia), Anjar (Chalcis ad Libanum), and Baalbek
(Heliopolis) in the name of Macedonian, Ptolemaic, Seleucid, and Roman
rulers, or in the name of the cities themselves. The obverse shows
designs such as the bust of the ruler, the god Heracles-Melqart, the
city-goddess Tyche wearing a ``mural'' crown (in the form of a walled
city), or other figures. The reverse shows designs such as various
Hellenic, Roman, or local deities and heroes; temples and symbols of
the divine; or symbols like an eagle, palm tree, galley, ship's prow or
stern, club of Heracles, cornucopia, or legionary insignia.
Inscriptions and monograms may be in Greek, Latin, or Phoenician.
Includes Hellenistic and Roman period coins of other regional mints,
such as Antioch, that circulated in Lebanon.
[[Page 20388]]
Approximate date: 332 B.C.E. to 498 C.E.
c. Byzantine Period--Coins in gold, silver, bronze, copper, and
electrum from regional mints such as Constantinople, Nikomedia,
Alexandria, Carthage, Antioch, Cyzicus, and Thessalonica that
circulated in Lebanon. Byzantine coins typically bore Greek
inscriptions. Some typical designs include a bust or standing figure of
the emperor facing forward on the obverse and Christian symbols and/or
the letters M, K, or I on the reverse. Includes coins issued by the
Vandal mints of North Africa that circulated in Lebanon in the 6th
century C.E. Approximate date: 498 to 635 C.E.
d. Islamic Caliphates--Coins minted during the Umayyad, Abbasid,
Fatimid, Ayyubid, Mamluk, and early Ottoman period including at
Baalbek, Byblos, Tripoli, and Tyre. Coins were minted in gold, silver,
bronze, copper, and lead. The earliest Islamic coins in Lebanon are
imitations of Byzantine coin types (``Arab-Byzantine coins''). In the
Umayyad period and later, coins typically bore Arabic inscriptions on
both sides, and occasionally symbols, animals, or flowers. Includes
coins of Islamic dynasties from other regional mints, such as Damascus,
Cairo, and Istanbul, that circulated in Lebanon. Approximate date: 635
to 1774 C.E.
e. Crusader Period--Coins in gold, silver, billon (an alloy),
bronze, and copper minted at Tyre, Sidon, Beirut, and Tripoli in the
Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and County of Tripoli. Designs often
featured a cross, other Christian symbol, or building in a central
medallion surrounded by a Latin inscription. Other Crusader coin
designs imitated contemporary Islamic coinage with Arabic or pseudo-
Arabic inscriptions. Approximate date: 1095 to 1291 C.E.
C. Ceramic, Terracotta, Unfired Clay, and Faience
1. Architectural Elements--This category consists of fired clay
(terracotta) elements used to decorate or protect buildings. Types
include, but are not limited to: acroteria; antefixes; wall, floor, and
roof tiles; carved and molded bricks; knobs; plaques; plates; and
reliefs. May be plain, painted, and/or glazed, and may be sculpted or
bear molded designs. Painted and glazed tiles with colorful floral
decoration may be imported from Ottoman T[uuml]rkiye. Approximate date:
2000 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
2. Sculpture--This category consists of representations of humans,
deities, animals, mythological creatures, groups of such figures, body
parts of such figures, vehicles, or buildings, molded or sculpted in
the round or in relief in terracotta, unfired clay, or faience
(sintered quartz). Types include, but are not limited to: statues,
statuettes, and figurines; terracotta plaques; masks and protomes; and
models.
a. Statues, Statuettes, and Figurines--Includes large-scale
terracotta statues in the round at near life-size (height over 50 cm),
especially depicting standing male figures; and terracotta, faience,
Egyptian blue, or unfired clay small-scale statuettes or figurines in
the round (height ranging from c. 5 to 50 cm). Styles may be schematic,
stylized, or more naturalistic. May be formed by hand or fully or
partly in a mold. Features may be incised, applied, or painted. In
different periods, statues, statuettes, and figurines may depict
Egyptian, Canaanite, Phoenician, Mesopotamian, Greek, or Roman deities
and figures or show Egyptian, Greek, or Roman influence. Includes molds
used in production. Some distinctive types of the Bronze and Iron Ages
are nude female figurines with pinched or mold-made faces holding their
breasts or with arms outstretched (sometimes called ``Astarte''
figurines); trumpet-base figurines of male and female worshippers
holding animals or children or playing instruments such as cymbals or
flutes; male horse riders; pregnant standing or seated female figures;
bearded male figures wearing a cylindrical polos crown, conical crown,
or Egyptian atef crown with feathers; and seated goddesses with high
cylindrical polos crowns. In the Hellenistic and Roman periods,
figurines are often moldmade in a naturalistic style and sometimes
freestanding; they depict a wide variety of humans and deities,
including many from the Greek and Roman world. Approximate date: 8700
B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
b. Terracotta Plaques--Plaques, typically in terracotta, are
usually made in a mold and have a flat back with a relief image on the
front. Frontal nude female figures holding their breasts (``Astarte''),
with or without an architectural frame, constitute a distinctive type
of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Includes molds for the production of
plaques. Approximate date: 2000 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
c. Masks and Protomes--This category consists of modelled
terracotta representations of the face at life-sized or less than life-
sized. Masks have apertures for the eyes and sometimes also the mouth.
Protomes do not have apertures and may also represent the neck and
upper chest. Modelled faces may be male or female in a naturalistic or
grotesque style. May be incised and/or painted. Includes molds for the
production of masks. Approximate date: 1600 to 200 B.C.E.
d. Models--These are miniature objects in terracotta, including,
but not limited to, chariots, boats, furniture such as chairs and beds,
and buildings such as temples or shrines. May have wheels. May be
painted or embellished with incised, applied, or relief motifs and
figures. Approximate date: 1600 B.C.E. to 395 C.E.
3. Vessels--Ceramic types, forms, and decoration vary over time.
Conventional forms include, but are not limited to: bowls, cooking
pots, cups, jars, jugs, juglets, kraters, lamps, plates, and platters.
Some distinctive characteristics of different periods are described
below.
a. Neolithic and Chalcolithic Period--Vessels are handmade. In
addition to conventional forms in usually simple and globular shapes,
some complex shapes include churns, twin jugs or jars, and tripod
vessels. Jars may be cut for use as a sarcophagus. Surfaces may be
decorated with techniques such as painting, burnishing, stamping,
application of relief ``ropes'' or bands, linear incisions, or combing
in patterns such as chevrons and herringbone. May have simple loop or
ledge handles. May bear stamp seal impressions. Includes Dark Faced
Burnished Ware traditions and Halaf painted style. Some examples show a
red or cream-colored wash, or a red, brown, or black slip. Approximate
date: 10,000 to 3600 B.C.E.
b. Early Bronze Age--Vessels may be handmade or wheelmade. In
addition to conventional forms, some distinctive types are one-handled
cups, globular hole-mouth cooking pots, large ovoid jars with flat
bases and a pattern-combed surface, smaller jars and jugs with pattern
burnishing, one-handled red or black polished jugs, conical cups or
goblets with stump bases, and lamps in the form of a shallow bowl with
four spouts. Surfaces may be decorated with techniques such as combing
and burnishing, sometimes in patterns; red, brown, or black slip;
white, red, or black paint in geometric patterns; or applied decoration
of a stylized ram's head. May bear stamp or cylinder seal impressions
on the handle or shoulder. Approximate date: 3600 to 2000 B.C.E.
c. Middle and Late Bronze Age--Vessels are usually wheelmade. In
addition to conventional forms (including miniature votive vessels in
these forms), some distinctive types are ovoid or conical two-handled
``Canaanite jars''; ovoid jugs with a trefoil or cutaway rim; biconical
jugs, sometimes painted with geometric motifs; lentoid ``pilgrim''
flasks, sometimes painted with concentric
[[Page 20389]]
circles; juglets with a dipper, piriform, or cylindrical shape,
sometimes with a button base or a double handle and sometimes red
slipped with vertical burnish; plates with radial burnish; bowls with a
carinated body; bowls with concentric painted lines; bowls with a
pedestal base; lamps in the form of a shallow bowl with a pinched
spout; globular cooking pots with incised lines on the shoulder; flat-
based, straight-sided cooking pots; jars and kraters with incised
horizontal or wavy lines on the shoulder; and ridged-neck pithoi. Some
special-purpose shapes are cylindrical incense burners with rectangular
cutouts and kernos ring vessels. Surfaces may be decorated with
techniques such as slipping, burnishing, linear incisions or combing
lines, and painting. Tell el Yahudiyah ware consists of juglets with a
gray or black surface, sometimes slipped and burnished, with incised
linear and dot decoration in geometric, animal, or bird motifs.
Levantine Painted Ware showing simple painted designs in red and black
such as horizontal bands, wavy lines, triangles, lozenges, circles, and
spirals in bands is found in shapes such as amphorae, jars, jugs, and
juglets. Includes imported pottery such as Egyptian storage jars (zir);
Minoan painted pottery such as Kamares ware in shapes such as cups,
jugs, and bridge-spouted jars; Mycenaean pottery such as conical rhyta,
skyphoi, kylikes, piriform jars, kraters, stirrup jars, and pyxides,
often painted in geometric or pictorial motifs, such as charioteers and
octopuses; and Middle and Late Cypriot vessels including White Painted
II-VI styles such as Pendant Line and Cross Line styles, White Slip I
and II, such as ``milk bowls,'' Base Ring I and II and White Shaved
styles, and Red Lustrous Wheelmade ware spindle bottles. Includes local
imitations of these imported types. Includes faience vessels, sometimes
glazed and/or painted. Approximate date: 2000 to 1600 B.C.E.
d. Iron Age Phoenician Period--Vessels are usually wheelmade. In
addition to conventional shapes, some special shapes are kernos ring
vessels and animal-shaped askoi. Surfaces may be decorated with
techniques such as slipping, burnishing, linear incisions or combing,
and painting. Some distinctive types are Red Slip ware; ``mushroom-
lip'' juglets with a ridged neck; trefoil-rim juglets with a globular
or biconical body; juglets with bichrome or monochrome painted
decoration of concentric circles or horizontal bands; jugs with a
strainer spout; ``crisp-ware'' transport amphorae or ``torpedo'' jars
with a sharply carinated shoulder; ``palm tree'' jars with a bag-shaped
body and monochrome or bichrome painted geometric designs in friezes
and panels, sometimes with stylized trees; ``pilgrim'' flasks; dipper
juglets; oil bottles; pithoi with thumb impressions around the collar;
painted and unpainted jugs with a loop handle; incense burners with
tripod feet; and cremation urns with two handles, sometimes painted
with horizontal bands. Vessels may be inscribed in Phoenician. Includes
imported pottery such as various productions of the Cypro-Geometric and
Cypro-Archaic traditions (such as White Painted, Bichrome, Black-on-
Red, and Black Slip styles); and Greek Proto-Geometric (such as Euboean
pendant semicircle skyphoi), Geometric, and Attic tablewares (such as
Black-Figure and Red-Figure pottery). Includes local imitations of
these imported types. Approximate date: 1200 to 332 B.C.E.
e. Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Periods--Vessels are usually
wheelmade in fine, semi-fine, and coarse buff, red, and red-brown
wares. In addition to conventional forms, some distinctive types are
transport amphorae (often carrot-shaped), amphoriskoi, basins,
braziers, casseroles, dolia (large storage jars), fishplates, funnels,
lagynoi (oil flasks), lekanai (bowls with horizontal handles),
mortaria, saucer lids, table amphorae, pilgrim flasks (sometimes with
molded decoration on the body), ointment pots, pans, stands, and
unguentaria. Lamps typically take the form of closed vessels with a
central filling hole and one or more nozzles, often decorated with
molded motifs, scenes, or inscriptions in relief. Surfaces may be
decorated with techniques such as relief molding, stamping, slipping,
and painting. Jar handles may be stamped with various symbols or
inscriptions in Phoenician, Greek, or Latin. Includes imported pottery
from Cyprus, the Aegean, Asia Minor, North Syria, Italy, Egypt, Gaza,
North Africa, and elsewhere, such as black-glazed, black-slipped, and
red-slipped tableware, sometimes with stamped, molded, or rouletted
decoration; cooking vessels; lamps; and amphorae. Includes local
imitations of imported wares and forms. Approximate date: 332 B.C.E. to
635 C.E.
f. Medieval and Early Ottoman Period--Vessels may be handmade or
wheelmade. In addition to conventional forms, some distinctive shapes
are transport amphorae, baking dishes, cooking pans, lids, and zirs
(large storage jars). Some special forms are conical sugar molds,
molasses pots, and Ottoman-period tobacco pipes, which are often
stamped or molded with relief designs. Some typical lamp types are
``slipper'' lamps (closed vessels with a central filling hole and
nozzle) with stamped geometric and floral motifs or Arabic inscriptions
in relief, and cup-shaped lamps with a tube in the center. Surfaces may
be decorated with techniques such as reserved slip; slip-painting with
Arabic inscriptions, geometric designs, or floral, vegetal, or bird
motifs; relief molding with Arabic inscriptions or geometric, floral,
or vegetal motifs; and glazing, sometimes with sgraffito (scratched)
designs. Glaze may be monochrome or polychrome in colors such as light
and dark blue, green, white, yellow, and brown. Cooking and baking
vessels are often brown-glazed. Includes imported tableware and
amphorae from Egypt, Syria, Greece, Italy, Spain, and other regions, as
well as porcelain and celadon imported from China. Approximate date:
635 to 1774 C.E.
4. Jewelry and Ornaments--Types in terracotta, frit, and faience
include, but are not limited to, beads and amulets. In the Bronze Age
through the Hellenistic Period, amulets are often moldmade in blue-
green glazed faience and often take the form of typically Egyptian
symbols, deities, or animals. Approximate date: 2000 B.C.E. to 1774
C.E.
5. Tools and Implements--Types in terracotta or unfired clay
include, but are not limited to: game pieces, loom weights, spindle
whorls, stoppers, and other weights. Approximate date: 15,000 years ago
to 1774 C.E.
6. Seals--This category consists of small devices, at least one
side of which is engraved with a design for stamping or rolling, in
faience, frit, or terracotta. Types include, but are not limited to:
stamp seals, cylinder seals, and scarabs. May be pierced for
suspension. Typical designs include geometric motifs and patterns,
humans, deities, animals, mythological creatures, plants or trees, and
symbols. Motifs and figures may be individual or combined into scenes
such as veneration, combat, or procession. May be inscribed in various
scripts and languages. May be imported or locally made. A distinctive
Bronze Age type is faience or frit cylinder seals in the ``Mitannian
Common Style.'' Dimensions range from 1 to 10 cm. Approximate date:
5300 B.C.E. to 395 C.E.
7. Writing, Sealing, and Stamping Materials--Types include, but are
not limited to: tablets made of fired or unfired clay, inscribed in
cuneiform signs in the Akkadian or other Ancient Near Eastern
languages; ostraca consisting of pottery fragments with inscriptions
incised or written in ink; bullae consisting of fired or unfired clay
[[Page 20390]]
pieces bearing seal or signet impressions; and fired clay tesserae with
a stamped impression. Includes clay tablet envelopes. Approximate date:
1600 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
D. Bone, Ivory, Shell, and Other Organic Material
1. Statuettes and Figurines--This category consists of human,
deity, animal, and other figures carved in the round in bone, ivory, or
shell. Includes components, such as faces, of composite statues or
statuettes in mixed materials. May be painted, gilded, or inlaid with
stone, bitumen, colored pastes, or other materials. Figures may show
Egyptian influence. Heights range from c. 5 to 30 cm. Approximate date:
5300 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
2. Jewelry and Ornaments--This category consists of small-scale
adornments in bone, ivory, mother of pearl, and shell. Types include,
but are not limited to: amulets, beads, bracelets, buckles, combs,
pendants, pins, and roundels, as well as bridle and harness trappings
such as crest holders, blinkers, and frontlets. May be decorated with
incised or relief carved figures of humans, deities, or animals or
geometric, floral, and vegetal motifs. In different periods, forms and
styles may show Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, or other regional
influence. May be inscribed in various scripts and languages, such as
Egyptian hieroglyphs, pseudo-hieroglyphs or the Byblos script,
Phoenician, Greek, Latin, or Arabic. Approximate date: 40,000 years ago
to 1774 C.E.
3. Vessels and Containers--This category consists of containers
carved from bone, ivory, marine shell, and eggshell. May be painted,
gilded, or incised or relief carved with various figures and motifs.
Types in bone and ivory include, but are not limited to: pyxides
(boxes) in cylindrical or trapezoidal form, duck-shaped vessels, and
hollow tubes. Ostrich egg vessels may be plain, painted or engraved.
Tridacna shell vessels may have figurative carving and painted or
engraved designs. Approximate date: 5300 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
4. Plaques--This category consists of flat or curved pieces of
bone, ivory, or shell (sometimes mother of pearl) used as decoration or
inlay for architectural elements, furniture, or containers. May be
plain, carved in relief or openwork, or engraved. May be painted,
gilded, or inlaid with materials such as stone, glass, colored paste,
or enamel. In the Bronze and Iron Ages, subject matter includes humans
and deities, sometimes with typically Egyptian attributes; animals such
as lions and ducks; mythological creatures such as sphinxes and
griffins; vegetal and floral motifs such as the lotus, papyrus, volute
tree, and other plants; geometric motifs; and Egyptian symbols such as
the ankh, eye of Horus, or scarab. May be inscribed in various scripts
and languages, such as Egyptian hieroglyphs or imitation hieroglyphs
and Phoenician. Approximate date: 5300 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
5. Furniture--This category consists of elements of furniture such
as tables, chairs, and beds carved from bone or ivory, such as legs, or
backrests. May be shaped in the form of animals or parts of animals,
such as lion's paws. Approximate date: 1200 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
6. Seals--This category consists of small devices, at least one
side of which is engraved with a design for stamping or rolling, carved
in bone or ivory. Types include, but are not limited to: stamp seals,
cylinder seals, and scarabs. May be pierced for suspension. Some
typical designs include geometric motifs and patterns, humans, deities,
animals, mythological creatures, plants or trees, and symbols. Motifs
and figures may be individual or combined into scenes such as
veneration, combat, or procession. May be inscribed in various scripts
and languages. Dimensions range from 1 to 10 cm. Approximate date: 5300
B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
7. Tools, Implements, and Weapon Attachments--Bone, ivory, horn,
and shell were also used to produce and decorate tools, weapons, and
other implements. Types include, but are not limited to: astragali,
awls, blades, buttons, dice, flutes, game pieces, gameboards, harpoons,
hooks, needles, pins, spatulas, scale beams, spindle whorls, styli, and
writing boards; handles of fans, flywhisks, and mirrors; and hilts,
pommels, terminals, and inlays of metal weapons. May be plain, carved
with figures in the round, or engraved or relief carved with geometric,
floral, or vegetal motifs, or human, divine, or animal figures.
Approximate date: 40,000 years ago to 1774 C.E.
E. Wood
1. Architectural Elements--This category consists of parts of
buildings carved from various types of wood. Elements include, but are
not limited to: walls, ceilings, floors, panels, altars, balconies,
cabinets, columns, doors, lintels, iconostases, jambs, altars, vaults,
windows, minbars, prayer niches (mihrab), muqarnas, pillars, screens,
stairs, or pieces of any of these objects. May be engraved, painted,
gilded, inlaid, or otherwise decorated. Approximate date: 10,000 B.C.E.
to 1774 C.E.
2. Furniture--This category consists of wooden furniture such as
chairs, stools, beds, tables, chests, desks, ladders, and lecterns, or
elements thereof. May be engraved, painted, gilded, inlaid, or
otherwise decorated. Approximate date: 1200 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
3. Tools, Implements, and Weapons--Types include, but are not
limited to: kitchen and tableware vessels, writing and painting
equipment, boxes, dice, game boxes and boards, buttons, combs, clasps,
needles, spindles, staffs, beads, musical instruments, bows, arrow and
spear shafts, and axe and adze handles. Approximate date: 8700 B.C.E.
to 1774 C.E.
4. Ships and Other Vehicles--This category includes vehicles or
parts of vehicles such as ships, boats, carts, chariots, and others.
Approximate date: 8700 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
5. Panel Paintings (Icons)--This category consists of wooden panels
painted with images and used as an aid to religious devotion. Painted
images typically include single, frontally depicted, full-length, half-
length, or enthroned figures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, or saints, and
religious scenes with multiple figures shown frontally or in three-
quarters view. Inscriptions and epigraphs are primarily in Greek,
Syriac, or Arabic. Icons range in size from 20 cm to 2 or 3 m.
Approximate date: 300 to 1774 C.E.
6. Burial Containers--This category includes various types of
wooden burial containers such as coffins, caskets, sarcophagi,
ossuaries, and reliquaries. May be plain, painted, gilded, engraved, or
carved. Approximate date: 2000 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
F. Glass
1. Architectural Elements--Types include, but are not limited to:
window glass, inlays, and tesserae from floor and wall mosaics.
Approximate date: 700 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
2. Vessels--This category includes glass containers in forms such
as bowls, cups, flasks, jugs (oinochoe), lamps, and various types of
small perfume, oil, or cosmetic bottles for perfume or oil (alabastra,
amphoriskoi, aryballoi, and unguentaria). Small, core-formed vessels of
opaque, often multicolored glass were produced in the Bronze and Iron
Age and Hellenistic Period. Blown or cast glass vessels date from the
Hellenistic Period onward. Molds were used to create relief patterns,
motifs, scenes, and inscriptions and shapes that imitate animals,
fruits, or human heads. Vessels are found in a variety of colors such
as amber, clear, blue, green, white, purple, and yellow. Approximate
date: 1600 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
[[Page 20391]]
3. Jewelry and Ornaments--Types include, but are not limited to:
beads in various shapes, bracelets, earrings, pendants, and rings. Some
distinctive types of the Iron Age Phoenician period are polychrome face
beads, head pendants, eye beads, and pendants shaped as birds, animals,
or animal heads. Includes inlays for objects in other materials.
Approximate date: 1600 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
4. Seals, Tokens, and Weights--This category consists of small
devices in glass with a design engraved or cast in relief on at least
one side. Types include, but are not limited to: seals, signets,
scarabs, scaraboids, intaglios, gems, tokens, and weights. Approximate
date: 400 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
G. Plaster and Stucco--Types in plaster and stucco include, but are
not limited to vessels and containers, wall paintings, and
architectural decoration.
1. Vessels and Containers--This category includes, but is not
limited to: Neolithic period vessels and containers of lime plaster
known as ``white ware.'' Approximate date: 10,000 to 5300 B.C.E.
2. Wall Paintings--This category consists of paintings or murals
from buildings, rock-cut chapels, and tombs made on plaster in wet and
dry fresco techniques. Typical designs include simple applied color;
bands, borders, and geometric friezes; landscapes and scenes of people
and/or animals in natural or built settings; and religious themes.
Approximate date: 2000 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
3. Architectural Decorations--Plaster or stucco architectural
decoration includes, but is not limited to: columns, friezes,
medallions, ornaments, panels, pilasters, plaques, roundels, and other
wall, ceiling, door, and window decorations. May be carved or molded in
relief with floral, vegetal, geometric, or figurative motifs. May be
painted or gilded. Approximate date: 332 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
H. Textile--This category consists of objects in woven materials
such as linen, wool, cotton, silk, and basketry materials. Types
include, but are not limited to: clothing, shoes, jewelry, and other
items of personal adornment; prayer cloths; shrouds; tent coverings;
domestic textiles; carpets; and hangings. May have patterns woven into
the body of the textile. May be plain or decorated with embroidery,
paint, or embellishments in other materials. Includes fragments.
Approximate date: 3000 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
I. Leather, Parchment, Papyrus, and Paper
1. Leather--Types include, but are not limited to: bags, furniture
parts, masks, shields, sheaths, cases and containers for a variety of
uses, sandals, clothing, manuscripts, and manuscript covers.
Approximate date: 3600 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
2. Parchment, Papyrus, and Paper--This category consists of organic
writing media of different materials, whether found as scrolls, leaves,
books, or fragments thereof. May be plain or bear writing or traces of
writing in various scripts and languages such as Egyptian hieroglyphs,
pseudo-hieroglyphs or the Byblos script, Phoenician, Greek, Latin,
Syriac, Arabic and/or illustrations in ink or paint. Includes vellum.
Approximate date: 2500 B.C.E. to 1774 C.E.
J. Human and Hominin Remains--This category includes skeletal and
other bodily remains from humans or hominins preserved in burials or
other archaeological contexts. May be fossilized. Includes mummified
remains and associated clothing and textiles. Approximate date: 700,000
years ago to 1774 C.E.
II. Ethnological Material
Ethnological material covered by the import restrictions includes
architectural elements; religious, ritual, and funerary objects;
traditional garments and headdresses; weapons and armor; and
manuscripts and handwritten documents, all dating from 1600 through
1918 C.E, as well as early printed books dating from 1600 through 1850
C.E.
A. Architectural Elements--This category consists of architectural
elements and decoration in all materials from religious buildings such
as mosques, madrasas, zawiyas, tekkes, churches, monasteries, convents,
khalwats, synagogues, shrines (maqam), mausolea, and other
architectural tomb facades or monuments; public buildings such as
hammams (baths), khans (inns or caravanserai), souqs (markets), sarays
(palaces), forts, and gates; and private Ottoman-period houses with
protected status. Approximate date: 1600-1918 C.E.
1. Types of architectural elements in stone, plaster, stucco, and
wood include, but are not limited to: blocks; arches, balustrades,
bannisters, cabinets, ceilings, columns, capitals, bases, lintels,
jambs, friezes, pilasters, and stairs; panels, doors, door frames,
oculi, windows, window frames, tracery, and fittings; oil and wine
presses; wellheads; and altars, prayer niches (mihrab), screens,
iconostases, and fountains. May be plain, painted, or gilded. May be
molded, carved in relief, engraved, or inlaid with decorative motifs,
sculptures, and/or inscriptions. Includes sculptures, appliqu[eacute]s,
and plaques that may have been part of a building. Includes mosaics and
opus sectile inlay work on walls, ceilings, floors, and stairs, made
from small pieces (tesserae) or tiles of stone or glass that are
combined to create decorative patterns, motifs, and inscriptions.
2. Metal elements are primarily in copper, bronze, brass, other
copper alloys, and lead, and may include doors, door fixtures, window
frames, tracery, fittings, lathes, finials, chandeliers, screens, and
sheets to protect domes.
3. Glass may be incorporated into either structural or decorative
elements. Includes stained glass window elements and mosaic tesserae or
inlay tiles.
4. Ceramic or terracotta elements include roof and decorative
tiles, whether plain, painted, or glazed; carved, molded, and/or glazed
brick; and appliqu[eacute]s and plaques.
5. Wall and ceiling paintings from buildings, rock-cut chapels, and
tombs may be applied to plaster, wood, or stone. Motifs include simple
applied color; bands, borders, and geometric, floral, or vegetal
friezes; and religious figures and scenes, such as images of Christ,
the Virgin Mary, saints, angels, and Biblical episodes.
B. Religious, Ritual, and Funerary Objects--This category includes
objects for use in Christian, Muslim, or Druze religious services or
rites, or for the equipment of a place of worship, as well as objects
related to funerary rites and burials, in all materials. Approximate
date: 1600-1918 C.E.
1. Religious Objects--This category includes objects in all
materials such as lamps, libation vessels, pitchers, chalices, plates,
patens, diskoi, censers, candelabra, crosses, cross pendants,
crucifixes, croziers, monstrances or ostensories, pilgrim flasks,
tabernacles, boxes and chests, ciboria, liturgical spoons, ampoules,
prayer beads, icons, amulets, staffs, standards, stands, thabilithos or
tablitos (wooden slabs), trays, and liturgical knives or spears. Often
engraved or otherwise decorated.
2. Furniture--This category includes objects primarily in stone or
wood, including altars, tables, doors, pedestals, platforms, pulpits,
fonts, screens, iconostases, thrones, minbars, lecterns, desks, and
other types of furniture used for religious purposes.
3. Textiles and Garments--Generally in linen, silk, and wool. This
category consists of textiles (and fragments thereof) for use in
religious contexts, including, but not limited to: tapestries,
hangings, curtains, prayer rugs and carpets, shrine covers, altar
cloths and linens; and garments, headdresses, and accessories worn for
religious purposes, such as robes, liturgical vestments of every type,
mitres, kaftans, turbans,
[[Page 20392]]
hats, and talismanic shirts. Commonly decorated with embroidered
designs including religious, floral, and geometric motifs.
4. Panel Paintings (Icons)--Icons are important in Maronite,
Melkite, Greek, Syriac, and other Christian religious traditions of
Lebanon. Icons are typically painted in tempera on wood in bright
colors with gold ground or extensive use of gold and may be set in
frames of various materials. They may also be painted or engraved on
other materials such as metal or stone. Painted images include single,
frontally depicted, full-length, half-length, or enthroned figures of
Christ, the Virgin Mary, or saints, and religious scenes with multiple
figures shown frontally or in three-quarters view. Images may be single
or divided into multiple parts. Inscriptions and epigraphs are
primarily in Greek, Syriac, or Arabic. Icons range in size from 20 cm
to 2 or 3 m.
5. Musical Instruments--This category includes instruments used in
religious ceremonies such as naqus, bells, tonewood, and cymbals.
6. Burial Containers--This category includes types such as
sarcophagi, caskets, coffins, ossuaries, urns, and reliquaries, in
stone (usually marble or limestone), metal, and wood. Includes
cenotaphs (empty burial containers). May have associated sculpture in
relief or in the round. May be plain or show figural, geometric, or
floral motifs, or inscriptions in various languages and scripts, all of
which can either be painted or carved in relief. Includes reliquary
contents.
7. Tombstones, Memorial Stelae, Monuments, and Other Memorials--
This category includes types such as markers, monuments, and memorials
in stone, wood, or other materials that commemorate the dead and/or
mark the location of a burial. Includes stelae, slabs, and monuments
that may be plain, painted, carved in relief or in the round, or
engraved with symbols and motifs and/or inscriptions primarily in
Arabic, French, and Hebrew. These may also have associated sculpture in
relief or in the round.
8. Burial Goods--This category includes objects in all materials
that accompanied burials, such as shrouds; body adornment such as
clothing, jewelry, and accessories; and other personal effects.
C. Traditional Garments and Headdresses--This category consists of
Ottoman-period handmade garments and headdresses in silk, cotton,
linen, velvet, wool, felt, brocade, leather, and other materials.
Approximate date: 1600-1918 C.E.
1. Traditional Garments--Types of traditional handmade garments
include, but are not limited to, pants, robes, jackets, vests, coats,
shirts, aprons, and belts (sometimes with buckles or other components
in metals). Types also include footwear such as kabkab (wooden clogs,
sometimes painted or inlaid with mother of pearl), boots, and slippers.
May be embroidered or embellished with braid.
2. Traditional Headdresses--Traditional headdresses include, but
are not limited to, felt caps such as the labbadeh and tarboush (or
fez); various types of veils and scarves; and the high cone-shaped
tantour, usually made of metal (often silver), and sometimes engraved
or gilded.
D. Weapons and Armor--This category consists of weapons and armor
that were made or embellished by hand. Approximate date: 1600-1918 C.E.
1. Weapons--This category is primarily made in metals such as iron
and steel, often in combination with other materials. Types include,
but are not limited to, arrows and quivers; daggers, swords, axes, and
other blades, with or without sheaths; spears, javelins, and lances.
May be inlaid with gemstones, semi-precious stones, mother of pearl, or
other materials; embellished with silver or gold; or engraved or chased
with floral or geometric motifs. Grips or hilts may be made of metal,
wood, ivory, bone, horn, or semi-precious stones, or may be bound with
leather. Also includes firearms that were handmade or embellished by
hand with inlays in various materials or engraved and chased metal
components.
2. Armor--This category is primarily made in metals such as iron
and steel and leather, but may include components in other materials.
Types include, but are not limited to, helmets, body armor, shields,
and horse armor. Body armor may consist of small metal scales,
originally sewn to a backing of textile or leather.
E. Manuscripts, Handwritten Documents, and Early Printed Books--
This category consists of texts in ink, paint, and gold on various
media, including, but not limited to, parchment, vellum, paper, and
leather. Includes scrolls, single leaves, books, and portions of books,
as well as boxes for books or scrolls made of wood or other organic
materials, and covers made of leather, textile, or metal, which may be
inlaid with stones and other materials.
1. Manuscripts and Handwritten Documents--These are handwritten
texts on parchment, vellum, paper, and leather, together with their
bindings. Texts may be written in various scripts and languages, such
as Arabic, Syriac, Latin, Greek, and Garshuni. Topics include, but are
not limited to, religion (including scriptures, theology, liturgy, and
other topics), sciences, history, literature, philosophy, and grammar.
Manuscripts may have monochrome, bichrome, polychrome, and/or gold
handmade decorations, illustrations, and/or illuminations. Approximate
date: 1600-1918 C.E.
2. Early Printed Books--This category consists of books and
portions of books of limited circulation made in the earliest presses
in Lebanon, as well as associated type. Presses include those of St.
Anthony of Qozhayya and the al-Zakher press of St. John the Baptist el-
Choueir. Topics are primarily religious. Primarily printed in Arabic,
Syriac, or Garshuni script in black and red ink. Approximate date:
1600-1850 C.E.
Bibliography
Centre culturel du Panth[eacute]on. 1996. Icones du Liban: 16
september 1996-20 october 1996. Paris: Paris-mus[eacute]es.
Doumet-Serhal, Claude, Anne-Marie Ma[iuml]la-Afeiche, Far[egrave]s
el-Dahdah, and Anne Rabate, eds. 1998. Stones and Creed: 100
Artefacts from Lebanon's Antiquity. Beirut: Directorate General of
Antiquities.
El Zaatari, Sireen. 2018. The Central Levantine Corridor: The
Paleolithic of Lebanon. Quaternary International 466A: 33-47.
Immerzeel, M. 2009. Identity Puzzles: Medieval Christian Art in
Syria and Lebanon. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 184. Leuven:
Peeters.
Institut du monde Arabe. 1998. Liban, l'autre rive. Exposition
pr[eacute]sent[eacute]e [agrave] l'Institut du monde Arabe du 27
october 1998 au 2 mai 1999. Paris: Beaux Arts Magazine.
L[oacute]pez-Ruiz, Carolina, and Brian R. Doak, eds. 2019. The
Oxford Handbook of the Phoenician and Punic Mediterranean. New York:
Oxford University Press.
Moscati, Sabatino, ed. 1999. The Phoenicians. New York: Rizzoli.
National Museum of Antiquities (The Netherlands) and Directorate
General of Antiquities (Lebanon). 2024. Byblos: A Legacy Unearthed.
Leiden: Sidestone Press.
Steiner, Margreet, and Ann E. Killebrew, eds. 2014. The Oxford
Handbook of the Archaeology of the Levant: c. 8000-332 BCE. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Inapplicability of Notice and Delayed Effective Date
This regulation involves a foreign affairs function of the United
States and is, therefore, being made without notice or public procedure
under 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1). For the same reason, a delayed effective date
is not required under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
[[Page 20393]]
Executive Order 12866
Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review) directs
agencies to assess the costs and benefits of available regulatory
alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory
approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety effects, distributive impacts,
and equity). CBP has determined that this document is not a regulation
or rule subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12866 because it
pertains to a foreign affairs function of the United States, as
described above, and therefore is specifically exempted by section
3(d)(2) of Executive Order 12866.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), as amended
by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996,
requires an agency to prepare and make available to the public a
regulatory flexibility analysis that describes the effect of a proposed
rule on small entities (i.e., small businesses, small organizations,
and small governmental jurisdictions) when the agency is required to
publish a general notice of proposed rulemaking for a rule. Since a
general notice of proposed rulemaking is not necessary for this rule,
CBP is not required to prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for
this rule.
Signing Authority
In accordance with Treasury Order 100-20, the Secretary of the
Treasury delegated to the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority
related to the customs revenue functions vested in the Secretary of the
Treasury as set forth in 6 U.S.C. 212 and 215, subject to certain
exceptions. This regulation is being issued in accordance with DHS
Directive 07010.3, Revision 03.2, which delegates to the Commissioner
of CBP the authority to prescribe and approve regulations related to
cultural property import restrictions.
Pete Flores, Acting Commissioner, having reviewed and approved this
document, has delegated the authority to electronically sign this
document to the Director (or Acting Director, if applicable) of the
Regulations and Disclosure Law Division of CBP, for purposes of
publication in the Federal Register.
List of Subjects in 19 CFR Part 12
Cultural property, Customs duties and inspection, Imports,
Prohibited merchandise, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Amendments to the CBP Regulations
For the reasons set forth above, part 12 of title 19 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (19 CFR part 12) is amended as set forth below:
PART 12--SPECIAL CLASSES OF MERCHANDISE
0
1. The general authority citation for part 12 and the specific
authority citation for Sec. 12.104g continue to read as follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 19 U.S.C. 66, 1202 (General Note 3(i),
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)), 1624.
* * * * *
Sections 12.104 through 12.104i also issued under 19 U.S.C.
2612;
* * * * *
0
2. In Sec. 12.104g, the table in paragraph (b) is amended by adding
Lebanon to the list in alphabetical order to read as follows:
Sec. 12.104g Specific items or categories designated by agreements
or emergency actions.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
State party Cultural property Decision No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
Lebanon............... Archaeological CBP Dec. 25-05.
material of Lebanon
ranging in date from
approximately the
Paleolithic period
(approximately
700,000 years ago)
through 1774 C.E.,
and ethnological
material of Lebanon
ranging in date from
approximately 1600
C.E. to 1918 C.E.
* * * * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert F. Altneu,
Director, Regulations & Disclosure Law Division, Regulations & Rulings,
Office of Trade U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
[FR Doc. 2025-08615 Filed 5-13-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P
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