Shrines are a place for communication between grandparents and grandchildren among Libyans
The ancient Libyans in Libya respected belonging and origins, and parents and grandparents were respected during their lives and after their death. Belonging and grandparents were a fundamental pillar firmly established in the ancient Libyan culture. The ancient Libyans established shrines to their ancestors to be a place of communication between deceased grandparents and their children who are still alive. It was faith in life. The afterlife and resurrection are at the core of ancient Libyan beliefs. The fish was a symbol of the soul’s crossing of the world, just as the rose was a symbol of resurrection. It was erected for Marcus N. Asif and his wife, Mercia Metlish, residents of the Libyan Qarza region. In the fourth century AD, their sons, Marsich and Fidel, erected a huge shrine for them and wrote it as a dedication to their beloved parents. Also, a shrine was erected for me, Merchus Chollam, his wife, and Faren Yechisin, by their sons, Nimir and Magorasen, a shrine worth 45,000 fuls. This was a huge sum at that time, in addition to food for the workers and craftsmen. At the end of the inscription was written a very touching phrase, from the core of sanctification and respect for identity and belonging, which is as follows:
((May our children and grandchildren visit this shrine in good health)) Tualas also built a luxurious shrine at her expense for her father Nasif in the same period. The sanctification also included a ritual for me to celebrate my fathers and grandfathers and glorify them throughout the generations. Celebrations were held for my deceased fathers and grandfathers, which took place in one of these. Celebrations of sacrificing 51 bulls and 38 heads of sheep. These ceremonies were regularly practiced among the Libyan tribes and clans.
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