Timbuktu
A legendary treasure is apparently lost.
Timbuktu has been a centre of scholarship and learning for centuries, but according to Reuters (6:01am EST) Islamist fighters fleeing French and Malian troops, have set fire to the Ahmed Baba Institute, where some 30,000 manuscripts were housed.
Such a loss seems unthinkable.
As the largest publicly accessible collection, the Ahmed Baba Institute plays a major role in the preservation of the rich heritage of a city famed for its commerce and learning. It can only be hoped that smaller libraries and private collections have escaped such wanton destruction.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/28/mali-timbuktu-library-ancient-manuscripts
Today there is reason for hope:
2013/01/28/mali-timbuktu-locals-saved-some-of-their-citys-ancient-manuscripts-from-islamists/
Timbuktu has been a centre of scholarship and learning for centuries, but according to Reuters (6:01am EST) Islamist fighters fleeing French and Malian troops, have set fire to the Ahmed Baba Institute, where some 30,000 manuscripts were housed.
Such a loss seems unthinkable.
As the largest publicly accessible collection, the Ahmed Baba Institute plays a major role in the preservation of the rich heritage of a city famed for its commerce and learning. It can only be hoped that smaller libraries and private collections have escaped such wanton destruction.
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| A selection of manuscripts from a small family library includes a text with astrology diagrams (center). Timbuktu's libraries contain over 100,000 manuscripts, and experts believe many thousands remain undiscovered. |
Today there is reason for hope:
2013/01/28/mali-timbuktu-locals-saved-some-of-their-citys-ancient-manuscripts-from-islamists/
http://www.tombouctoumanuscripts.org/blog/entry/timbuktu_update/
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