After a 2-year break, the research and excavation project which had been launched in 2010 in Anfeh Al Koura –North Lebanon, was reactivated through the cooperative efforts of the Department of Archaeology and Museums at the University of Balamand (UOB) and the Museum of Archeology at the American University of Beirut (AUB) in order to uncover the great archaeological wealth of Anfeh.

The excavation efforts began in July with the support of Anfeh’s Municipality, under the auspices of the Directorate General of Antiquities, and with the help of a team of archaeologists and workers. Although excavation operations were short-lived, they unveiled remarkable historical ruins that proved the coastal town to be a goldmine of the past.

Among the remarkable archaeological monuments that were studied and examined in Anfeh; two oil presses from the Byzantine and the Crusader periods were found, alongside the powerful wall of the Crusader fortress from the 12th and 13th centuries. A mysterious and vaulted staircase that was completely blocked by earth layers was also discovered, in addition to 200 stone spheres from the medieval period, suggesting that the fortress had been subjected to fierce bombardments in the past.

These archaeological discoveries will surely help researchers discover and bring to light new and exciting historical and cultural findings that the town still hides.

The team consisted of: Dr. Patricia Antaki, Dr. Nadine Panayot, Rita Kalindjian, Alain Feghali, Aimee Bou Rizk, Rhea Dagher. ​