Timbuktu's renowned manuscripts, salvaged from militant control, are back in their hometown after 13 years of residence in Mali's capital.
In a significant move, the Malian military government has started returning historic manuscripts of Timbuktu, which were taken out of the city when it was occupied by al-Qaida-linked militants more than a decade ago. These priceless medieval Islamic manuscripts, designated by UNESCO as part of the World Cultural Heritage, cover various subjects including Islamic theology, astronomy, medicine, mathematics, history, and geography.
The manuscripts, which number over 27,000, were removed from Timbuktu during the 2012 occupation by militants who destroyed over 4,000 manuscripts and several heritage sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list. However, the majority of the 13th-century manuscripts were saved by the devotion of the Timbuktu library's Malian custodians. They transported these treasures covertly out of the city using rice sacks, donkey carts, motorcycles, boats, and vehicles.
The repatriation of these documents is significant because they represent the civilization, spiritual, and intellectual heritage of the people of Timbuktu and hold immense historical value as records of Islamic and African scholarship over centuries. Returning them to Timbuktu allows local authorities to better protect these treasures from the humidity of Bamako and situate them in their rightful cultural context.
The first batch of the returned manuscripts was brought to Timbuktu by plane from the capital of Bamako. The shipment consisted of over 200 crates and weighed approximately 5.5 tons. The return is happening in batches, indicating a prolonged and careful process to reinstall them safely.
Bilal Mahamane Traoré, a local official, described the return as the "first stage." The security situation in Mali remains precarious and has worsened in recent months, with militants continuing to attack the city's surroundings, including as recently as last month. Although Timbuktu is back under government control, the city's security remains uncertain.
The manuscripts returned from Bamako are crucial to the local people as they "reflect our civilization and spiritual and intellectual heritage." Bourema Kansaye, the Malian Minister of Higher Education, called the manuscripts a "legacy that bears witness to the intellectual greatness and crossroads of civilization" of the city of Timbuktu. The return of the manuscripts marks the first stage in the process of returning them to Timbuktu, with future plans likely focusing on maintaining the manuscripts in Timbuktu’s arid environment, safeguarding them from past threats like destruction by militants and environmental damage, and ensuring they remain accessible for research and cultural identity.
The manuscripts are a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Mali and Songhai empires in West Africa. The return of these treasures is a significant step towards preserving and celebrating this heritage for future generations.
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