User:Fc173/sandbox

The British Institute for Libyan and Northern African Studies, or BILNAS (formerly the Society for Libyan Studies ), is a British academic body and charitable organisation sponsored by the British Academy. Its aims are to encourage and co-ordinate scholarship on Libya and Northern Africa and foster links between British and North African scholars in a wide range of fields including archaeology, history, geography, the natural sciences and linguistics.

BILNAS hosts a programme of public lectures, seminars and other events in London and online on Libyan and northern African culture and heritage.

History

BILNAS was established in 1969 to support long-term archaeological projects in Libya and their subsequent publication. Projects supported include excavations and surveys at Sidi Khrebish (Berenice), Cyrene, Lepcis Magna and the Fezzan.

Recent projects have included a survey in the pre-desert valleys of Tripolitania, Islamic excavations at Barca (El Merj) and Medinet Sultan , and the publication of excavations conducted at Sabratha and Lepcis Magna in the 1950s.

In 2022, the organisation changed its name from the Society for Libyan Studies to the British Institute of Libyan and Northern African Studies to reflect a broadening of the organisation’s geographical remit.

Publications

Libyan Studies

Libyan Studies (0263-7189 (Print), 2052-6148 (Online)) is the annual journal of record of the British Institute for Libyan and Northern African Studies, appearing in November each year. Contributions cover archaeology, ancient and Islamic history, geology, geography and social sciences. It is currently published by Cambridge University Press.

Other publications

BILNAS also produces academic monographs based on research in and around Libya, as well as more popular books designed to appeal to a wider audience with a more general interest in Libya and North Africa.

Archive and Heritage Gazetteer

The BILNAS archive is held at the School of Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Leicester. The archive is a rich resource of Libyan archaeology and heritage and includes collections of rare books, manuscripts, documents, photographs and drawings, including much material from before 1969.

The Heritage Gazetteer of Libya is an online database recording the many variant place names of locations in Libya, with a URI provided for each location. This gazetteer is designed to be interoperable with other specialist gazetteers.

Library

The BILNAS library is held at SOAS and comprises books on Libyan and North African subjects.

See also

•	British Institute at Ankara

•	British Institute in Eastern Africa

•	British Institute of Persian Studies

•	British School at Athens

•	British School at Rome

•	British Institute for the Study of Iraq

•	Council for British Research in the Levant

References