Paris show highlights treasures from Gaza’s past

Geneva and Paris museums save historic items from war

One aspect of Gaza that is rarely mentioned is its deep links with the history of the Mediterranean. Since prehistoric times, Gaza has been hosted ports, towns and religious buildings that reflect the extraordinary diversity of the region. Before being home to refugees and now a battlefield, the area was a goldmine of archaeological treasures.

Many of these sites are now perilously at risk. This makes the collection unveiled by the Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA) in Paris especially poignant. The institute has brought together artefacts of extraordinary value—relics that, against the odds of history, have survived and now shed light on the region’s rich, multifaceted past.

Since 2007, Geneva’s Musée d’art et d’histoire has been acting as a sanctuary for nearly 529 archaeological treasures belonging to the Palestinian National Authority. Spanning the Bronze Age to the Ottoman period, these amphorae, mosaics, figurines, and funerary stelae form a unique trove that has, regrettably, never returned home to Gaza. In light of the current war, this collection has now become an invaluable reference.

Gaza: a site coveted for its strategic position

The current exhibition, produced with the support of Geneva and the Palestinian National Authority, features 130 choice pieces from Franco-Palestinian excavations, including the spectacular Abu Baraqeh mosaic, as well as artefacts from the private collection of Jawdat Khoudery—shown publicly in France for the first time.

This display reveals to the public a captivating, often overlooked history: that of Gaza’s uninterrupted significance as a prosperous oasis, a vital hub for traders, and a site coveted for its strategic position. Sadly, UNESCO now confirms widespread destruction: as of March 2025, 94 sites of cultural and historical interest have been damaged or destroyed.

A dedicated space in the exhibition maps this devastation, complemented by early twentieth-century photographs and recent archaeological updates, highlighting the grave challenges faced by heritage in war-torn Gaza.

Exhibition organized by the Arab World Institute in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Palestine and the Museum of Art and History of Geneva is open until November 2, 2025.

Institut du monde arabe

1, rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard
Place Mohammed V
75236 Paris Cedex 05

(Michael Leahy. Source: La Libre Belgique et al. Photo: Rahimabaid  licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license