Gharyan

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Gharyan (Arabic: غريان‎) is a toun in northwastren Libie an the caipital o Al Jabal al Gharbi Destrict. Prior tae 2007 it wis the admeenistrative seat o the Gharyan Destrict. Gharyan is ane o the lairgest touns in the Nafusa Muntains, an aurie populatit bi maistly Arabized Berbers.

History[eedit | eedit soorce]

Auld toun durin 1940s

Gharyan wis on the tred routes baith sooth tae Fezzan an ower the Nafusa Muntains. Bi 1884 the Ottomans haed established a mayor an toun cooncil in Gharyan.[1]

It wis considered the centre o Libie resistance against the Italian invasion in the early 20t century. Mony famous Libie figurs durin the Italian invasion wur frae Gharyan sic as Asharif Alghyriany.

2011 Ceevil War[eedit | eedit soorce]

In 2011 the toun became involved in the naitionwide anti-Gaddafi uprisin. Initially successfu, on 2 Mairch govrenment forces reteuk it.[2]

In Aprile rebels succeedit in occupyin several nearbi touns an establishin a seicont territory in Wastren Libie besides Misrata that is nae langer unner the control o the Gaddafi forces, but in late Juin the rebels haed still failed tae tak Gharyan.[3] On 13 August 2011, the rebel forces in Libie initiatit a new battle for control o the ceety an wur in control athin twa days.[4]

Lady o Gharyan[eedit | eedit soorce]

Juist wast o Gharyan, thare is a primitive road tae the richt, which provides a bumpy trip tae a derelict umwhile Italian barracks, a relic o Warld War II.

Thare is a crumblin biggin at the camp. Paintit on the bricks o ane o the waws inside the biggin is an enormous (c.4m bi 10m) representation o a nakit wumman, lyin on her side, American pin-up style [5]. The upper torso o the wumman is shapit as an inaccurate representation o the North African coast, an the salient pynts o her anatomy are merked wi names o North African touns.

The "Lady o Garian" wis drawn bi Clifford Saber,[6] a volunteer American ambulance driver wi the Breetish 8t Airmy. Saber creatit the mural tae help boost the morale o his fellae servicemen, feenishin on 2 Mairch 1943, while his unit wis hoosed for a few days at the barracks in Gharyan.

Transport[eedit | eedit soorce]

In the 1920s the Italians biggit a 90 kilometres (56 mi) lang railwey atween Tripoli an a veelage near Gharyan that wis destroyed bi the Breetish durin Warld War II.[7]

Economy[eedit | eedit soorce]

Grain an figs are grown for local consumption, wi olives an saffron[1] for baith local uise an export. Gharyan is an aw well-kent for its ceramics industry.

See an aw[eedit | eedit soorce]

Notes[eedit | eedit soorce]

  1. a b Anderson, Lisa (1984). "Nineteenth-Century Reform in Ottoman Libya". International Journal of Middle East Studies (16(3)): 325–348, 331.
  2. "Battle rages over Libyan oil port". Al Jazeera. 3 Mairch 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  3. Kirkpatrick, David D. (25 Juin 2011). "Western Libya Earns a Taste of Freedom as Rebels Loosen Qaddafi's Grip". The New York Times. Rogeban, Libya. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  4. "Libya rebels take Garyan, south of Tripoli-witness". Reuters. 18 August 2011. Archived frae the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  5. "(picture)". Archived frae the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  6. Clifford Saber's history and portfolio is at "Sketchbook of a Desert Rat" Archived 2010-12-19 at the Wayback Machine, American Field Service
  7. "Le ferrovie nell'Africa italiana: aspetti economici, sociali e strategici (in Italian)" (PDF). Archived frae the original (PDF) on 22 Julie 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2011.

Freemit airtins[eedit | eedit soorce]

Media relatit tae Gharyan at Wikimedia Commons Template:Jabal al Gharbi