Rooted in History, Committed to Preservation

At the coastal promontories of Ras al-Qalaat, Deir al-Natour, and Ras el-Mlelih in Anfeh, traditional salt production continues as a rare form of living heritage where landscape, knowledge, and community remain inseparable. Carved directly into the limestone, the salt pans form a carefully calibrated system that channels seawater through successive basins, relying solely on sun, wind, and time, a technique refined over centuries and transmitted through generations of artisanal practice. The figure of the worker harvesting salt today reflects not only a gesture of labor, but the continuity of an ancient relationship between people and their environment, rooted in a history that stretches back to Phoenician times and beyond. This fragile equilibrium, where natural processes, cultural practices, and historical layers converge, persists despite growing pressures, making Anfeh one of the last active centers of artisanal salt production in the region. Recognizing its outstanding cultural and landscape value, this site has been inscribed on Anfeh Salt Pans, affirming its significance as a heritage system still in motion.