Islamic Tourism Tombs from antiquity are waiting to  be discovered under old houses in Apollonia and a modern hotel has been built on part of the Western Necropolis, Professor Andre Laronde from Sorbonne University in Paris, told the Society for Libyan  Studies today.

Professor  Laronde  described  the excavations of the French Mission in Apollonia near to Al-Bayda, 115 miles north-east of Benghazi and  12 miles north of Cyrene.

Established in the 7th century BC, Apollonia was the port of Cyrene, for more than a millennium.  It was founded by Greek colonists and became a significant commercial centre in the southern Mediterranean.  It remained autonomous  from  Cyrene during the Roman period, and even surpassed it as the major city of the region in the 6th century AD. The theatre is sited in a particularly picturesque location by the sea. Other buildings include the Eastern, Central and Western Basilicas and the Byzantine Palace.

Profesor Laronde pointed out that  in the 2^nd century BC there were two harbours in Apollonia linked by two channels.  Much of the town is now under water.

Tombs from the 4^th century BC  have been preserved by the Libyan Department of Antiquity and 400 pieces of pottery  from the tombs are being restored  by an Italian working in Paris.  They include pottery with decorations of the  goddess Eros searching for a lover and the goddess Athena victorious over her enemies.

In the 2^nd century BC  a wall protected the town from the sea and from rebellions in Cyrene Mosaics from the 2^nd century BC have also been discovered in Apollonia along with bronze coins and small statues made from marble and terracotta.

Excavations have also been carried out at Erythron Latrun  a small village 38 kms east of Apollonia.  The site was abandoned after two basilicas were discovered by an American researcher in 1960.

The French team built a 360 metre wall to protect the site  and the Libyan Department of Antiquities has established a good relationship with the local tribes to ensure Erythron is respected.

Some of the granaries are now under the sea.  In ancient times the  sea level was five to six meters lower than today.

The Society for Libyan Studies, which organized the lecture,  promotes and co-ordinates the activities of scholars working on the archaeology, history, linguistics and natural history of Libya. It publishes a journal, detailed reports on its field projects, and a popular series of travel books. It also runs a regular lecture series in London on a wide range of topics relating to Libyan culture and heritage, which are open to the public.

The Society is supported by the British Academy, oil companies operating in Libya, its book sales and its members. Since its foundation in 1969 the Society has sponsored many differing projects in Libya within the subject areas of archaeology, education, geography, geology, history and Islamic law. Hitherto it has concentrated on supporting long-term archaeological projects and their subsequent publication, including excavations and surveys at Euesperides (Benghazi), Sidi Khrebish (Berenice), Cyrene, Lepcis Magna and in the Fezzan, but recent projects have included a multi-disciplinary 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.