South Lebanon, a core region of the Phoenician motherland, has not yet been sufficiently investigated by archaeology.

The German-Lebanese excavation project at Tell el-Burak aims at an archaeological in-depth investigation of a coast-town in its Phoenician (Iron Age) and pre-Phoenician (Bronze Age) periods in order to gain new insights into the history of the Levantine coast.

At all times the Levant has been an influential mediator in the cultural exchange between Orient and Occident. By tracing the historical development of the connections between Europe and the Orient, the German-Lebanese joint project contributes to a better understanding of the reciprocal exchange of culture – a process of central importance to either region.