As part of a joint initiative spearheaded by the Directorate of Culture and Arts and the Directorate of Religious Affairs and Endowments in Annaba, a fresh inventory of manuscripts and rare early prints has just concluded at the Salah Bey Mosque located in the old city. This operation forms part of a broader restoration and safeguard campaign targeting manuscript heritage, the provincial cultural directorate announced in an official release.
Conducted on July 23, the operation cataloged 141 early printed works and one historical manuscript preserved inside the Salah Bey Mosque. This follows a previous assessment at the Sidi Abou Marouane Echarif Mosque, where 97 manuscripts were identified, bringing the recorded collection across these two iconic religious landmarks in the medina to nearly 240 historical documents. The inventory campaign will soon expand to the Sidi Khelif Lodge to complete the surveying of manuscript collections across the old quarter.
This project builds directly upon initial inventory efforts conducted between August 5 and August 7, 2025, at the Salah Bey Mosque, the Abou Marouane Mosque, and the Sidi Khelif Lodge. Officials from culture and religious affairs, specialists from the Barakat Slimane Main Public Library, and researchers from the Hippone Archaeological Museum and site participated in the operation, reflecting a multidisciplinary strategy aimed at preserving regional written memory.
Beyond cataloging, this initiative fulfills a core scientific conservation purpose. Ancient manuscripts represent irreplaceable primary sources for studying the religious, intellectual, and social history of Algeria. This rich heritage encompasses works spanning jurisprudence, theology, grammar, medicine, astronomy, literature, and mathematics, illustrating the historic role played by mosques and traditional lodges in knowledge transmission over centuries.
A National Strategy to Value Written History
The cultural directorate highlighted that these collections embody a civilizational and human heritage of exceptional value. Conducting a rigorous inventory represents an essential preliminary step prior to restoration, digitization, or scientific cataloging, while simultaneously shielding these fragile documents from degradation, loss, or illicit trafficking.
Necessary technical assets and specialized personnel were deployed until the completion of this phase, conducted under the direct supervision of the provincial director of culture.
This campaign carries distinct significance for the region. The old medina, designated a protected historical sector, houses several major monuments, including the Sidi Abou Marouane Mosque—erected in 1033 during the Zirid era and classified as a national cultural asset—and the Salah Bey Mosque, constructed during the Ottoman period. These structures serve not only as places of worship but also store ancient libraries preserving centuries of intellectual and spiritual activity across eastern Algeria.
On a broader scale, this local operation aligns with a national drive led by the Ministry of Culture and Arts to safeguard manuscript heritage.
Over recent months, multiple initiatives have been launched to expand inventory efforts, restoration, digitization, and scholarly research into Algerian manuscripts. During a recent International Colloquium on Manuscript Heritage held in Algiers, specialists emphasized the urgency of institutionalizing inventory protocols, training specialized personnel, and improving preservation conditions across both public and private collections.