" Load Rifles" and weapons of all ages and silver and old currencies
May not be the only enjoys collecting antiques and antiquities in Lebanon, but it is certain that Salim Araji one of BarElias citizens in Beqaa. He is the only one who possesses weapons of all ages and collectibles rare and distinctive. thanks to the wisdom and acumen to obtain them in a variety of ways
If you get in his home ,the museum ,you will be surprised for what you will have seen .
A hobby since childhood
Since he was a small child, loves the collection of works of art for his homeland and culture and heritage. Salim Araji, son of the town of Barr Elias Beqaa, born in 1954, retired from the service of General security after serving 27 years. volunteered to serve chooses to which he has devoted most of the times.
His house that composed of two floors full of artifacts of great antiquity arranged in glass closets through all walls in the house .
It seems that the lover of history did not
save
the walls of his house and the internal corridors, for the rare
antiquities which provoked astonishment senior interested in the acquisition,
after he spent about 45 years to enrich his group.
What is the secret behind this good?
What good is it prefers them to job opportunities offered and rejected?
Will deserves all time? We asked him many questions.
Araji is why these desires amateur to early adolescence, and to the atmosphere of the house where he grew up. Trying to restore the image that took place then, they were the artifacts decorate the walls of the house , "It is true that most of the family and its history, and some of the agricultural tools that simulate that stage, but it formed the basis of my relationship with the acquisition of artifacts and antiques, True to prevent them from extinction and to honor the history of the family and the region. "
He continues : "later turned this relationship to love and love supported self-examination produced experience attests to both treat this field."
Rifles and pistols of all ages
The
first thing that draws attention
old
guns
which counts more than hundred gun without counting the
historical
machinery
pistols,
Salim
says : "I am proud that I have formed a group representing the
stages of invention and mechanism
gun
that goes back in history to the year 1310. that phase known as
general name "load gun"
,when
he was preparing to launch a gun
,
one needs ten minutes, There is a second
stage
guns known as the " Sawwan
stage"
" and the third era rifle, which was used in the operation "Kapson" . Hence
gun
mechanism evolved to where it is now.
And he did not stop at the acquisition of the former types of tools that soldiers use every stage, He was careful and long rebounds after three decades, to obtain the tools and pieces such as old military hats (Arab, French, English, etc.) in addition to the swords, spears and buffeted and iron spears and shields and arc Vire "Rajideh", used old.
The swords, coins and rare pieces
To the above group, the rest of the old hunting rifles in groups coordinated rooms in the house along with all the tools attached to a rifle, we find pots of absorption of gunpowder and shotguns and cartridges kits and water" Matra",
and other tools.
It is not away from it, has come dozens of old pistols, known as the "Altbingh" some dating to the 1800s.
Salim did not limit his interest in military tools only ,but he went beyond to the historical antiques including ancient writings with the inscription showed very old historical stage, It also acquires rare collection of silver (Nhasiat and ivory tools) and the currencies of Islamic, Roman and Ottoman civilizations and other precedent, The impressive range of old stamps back to the stage of the 1960s.
It welcomed to the shelves of wooden tools were used beginning of the last century in agricultural work (almangel, Hashoush, Tamaz, Khaf, ...) and nearby, has come primitive mills for the manufacture of coffee for grinding hal . Proud he is with this wide and rare group in His Museum of the old "masbaha" and watches and lighters, rings, pens, and "galion" ,animal skins and Alenrajel made of crystal old, jellyfish and kerosine old Kchbyat to return to the 35 years of handiwork, dinner tags Cafe gold plated water about a hundred years old,
The group Longsheng pottery, and a helmet
of
an israili soldier arrested by Islamic resistance in south Lebanon.
The determination and will
Difficult to count more plans Museum Araji was devoted ample space for mortars and Kaph Almahadlh which were used in the settlement of territorial rooftops, embalmed and birds.
he continues to increase the various groups, and says : "I have devoted my life to this hobby and for the love of history of my country and my region. certainly, I shall follow the rest of my life to maintain and strengthen it has gathered deficiencies, this imaginary now. "
Asked how he was able to reach a large number of holdings in spite of the modest financial means, said : "I have everything ,I have, money in the process, and in a timely manner, belongs to this hobby, will not spare in the future, and that is what was rumored since i was young."
Araji
rejects any talk of the sale , he says :
"I
was
Visited
by
hundreds of interested foreigners, and failed to
convince me sell any.
In fact, some
paid
much
and
I
refused, Many of the ministers and deputies, tried to
but
no
way.
I'm
so
"stingy" for that.
"
This insistence on retaining archaeological offset by a desire to establish a museum in his hometown in Barr Elias. It is considered that this project is vital to the town and the region. It is proposed to take care of the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the clubs and associations in the town and its municipal council in getting the project to set up a special museum for a lifetime, be accessible to the general public, is not sold any pieces. Araji : "I do not want to bequeath anything from museums to my children. I have not sought any of the material gains. Petit is open to all without any condition or restriction. I am ready to donate a plot of land for the construction of the museum in the case of adoption idea. "
Museum salim Araji in Barr Elias deserves praise and appreciation because it reflects the history of his hometown and his legacy, giving an example of what it should be dealing with the history and monuments.
Click here to watch the images of the exhibition