Gharyan
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.
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History[edit]
Gharyan wis on the trade 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 center o Libie resistance against the Italian invasion in the early 20t century. Mony famous Libie figurs durin the Italian invasion wur frae Gharyan such as Asharif Alghyriany.
2011 Ceevil War[edit]
- Main airticle: Libie ceevil war
In 2011 the toun became involved in the naitionwide anti-Gaddafi uprisin. Initially successful, 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 take 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[edit]
Juist wast o Gharyan, there is a primitive road tae the richt, which provides a bumpy trip to a derelict umwhile Italian barracks, a relic o World War II.
There is a crumblin biggin at the camp. Paintit on the bricks o ane o the waws inside the biggin is an enormous (c.4m by 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 points o her anatomy are marked 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 fellow servicemen, feenishin on 2 Mairch 1943, while his unit was hoosed for a few days at the barracks in Gharyan.
Transport[edit]
In the 1920s the Italians built a 90 kilometres (56 mi) lang railway atween Tripoli an a veelage near Gharyan that wis destroyed bi the Breetish durin Warld War II.[7]
Economy[edit]
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[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Anderson, Lisa (1984). "Nineteenth-Century Reform in Ottoman Libya". International Journal of Middle East Studies (16(3)): 325-348, 331.
- ↑ "Battle rages over Libyan oil port", Al Jazeera, 3 March 2011. Retrieved on 16 October 2011..
- ↑ Kirkpatrick, David D.. "Western Libya Earns a Taste of Freedom as Rebels Loosen Qaddafi’s Grip", The New York Times, 25 June 2011. Retrieved on 16 October 2011..
- ↑ "Libya rebels take Garyan, south of Tripoli-witness", 18 August 2011. Retrieved on 16 October 2011..
- ↑ (picture)
- ↑ Clifford Saber's history and portfolio is at "Sketchbook of a Desert Rat", American Field Service
- ↑ Le ferrovie nell'Africa italiana: aspetti economici, sociali e strategici (in Italian)
Freemit airtins[edit]
Media relatit tae Gharyan at Wikimedia Commons Template:Jabal al Gharbi
