Dr. Patricia Antaki, Archaeologist and Director of the Department of Archaeology and Museology at the University of Balamand (UOB), and Dr. Michael Davie, Geographer, Professor Emeritus, and Teacher-Researcher at the Center for Research and Creation at ALBA, participated in the talk “Into the Depths: Tracing the Origins of Beirut Port” on February 13 at the Hkeeli Exhibition in Beit Beirut. The discussion also featured Dr. Naseem Raad, Maritime Archaeologist and Program Director for the Marine Sciences and Culture Minor at the American University of Beirut.

Throughout the discussion, the speakers highlighted that the port is far more than a simple infrastructure; it has long stood as a witness to centuries of movement, trade, rupture, and continuity, reflecting the many transformations that have shaped the city over time.

Drawing on geography, archaeology, and historical research, the speakers traced the story of the harbor from the Bronze Age through the Ottoman period and into the 19th century, showing how the harbor developed alongside the city itself before the construction of the ancient port.

The talk provided a space for meaningful exchange between scholars and attendees, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary research in understanding Beirut’s past and its connection to the present.

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