Satellite Images Reveal Lost City In Libyan Desert

text size A A A
November 8, 2011

Evidence of the ancient civilization of Garamantes has been buried in the Libyan desert for 1,400 years. Now satellite images and field exploration are giving insight into the pre-Islamic culture.

Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. The revolution in Libya could offer a new start to a long-buried civilization there. Its pre-Islamic culture had been neglected under Moammar Gadhafi. Now, archaeologists aim to explore deserts sites they've mostly seen through satellite imagery. A British archaeologist says these ancient fortified settlements boast irrigation systems and written language. It's, quote, "like coming to England and discovering all the medieval castles." It's MORNING EDITION.

Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.

 

More History

Podcast + RSS Feeds

Podcast RSS

  • History
     
  • Morning Edition
     
 
 
 

Comments

Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.

 

NPR thanks our sponsors

Become an NPR Sponsor