Of the pillars on which the study of archaeology depends is practical application, which is an integral part of the curriculum of scientific theory that acquired by the students during their course of academic study and this would give them confidence to go into the field without trepidation or hesitation. With no doubt there is a serial and smooth scientific approach to an excavation project; when they begin archaeological excavations in the field, and with various other archaeological remains, Therefore, the processing phase for the archaeological remains is considered a consequences  cycle in this chain and connecting factor essential in this scientific programme, as there is archaeological remains that can not wait after abrupt environmental change that happens to them, and here begin the initial conservation and maintenance to ensure safety of the delicate archaeological remains till they reach to the laboratory where they will be subjected to extensive and effective treatment and a plan is established to restore what has been scientifically revealed at the site of fixed antiquities. This is ideally what the Department of archaeology at the University of Garyounis had set since it had started placing the first building stone in constructing a scientific methodology. Less than ten years of the life of the department had passed and the foundations of the archaeological laboratory is fully laid and a place on the ground floor of Southern Building of the College of Arts had been set as a permanent lab location.

 The laboratory occupies an area of 10.70 x 14.20 sq. meters, It has been equipped with marble tables integrated in it a system for supplying pure water and a sewerage system; with laboratories’ storage places for storing what needed of flasks and test tubes and other laboratory equipment, in addition the availability of many of the mechanical and special section for chemical acids that to be used on a small scale in the process.

It is often found during the students’ training excavation sessions taking place in the archaeological city of Tochera clay plates which are almost complete but they are broken into pieces picked, these plates would be brought to the laboratory and treated  to remove the salt then the collected pieces would be glued in place and the missing parts would be compensated with gypsum to have a complete piece that can be used in the educational process, in addition to annexing the other  processed findings which are good to show in the temporary exhibitions hoping in the near future to form the nucleus of the university museum.

 With respect to the metal findings, the processing is confined to the familiar pieces, especially the bronze and silver coins, which are rare, In both cases, priority will be given to manual and mechanical cleaning methods, of course, this depends on the structural situation of the coin, it is only in urgent and exceptional cases that cleaning using chemical acids is used.

Some practical studies are conducted in the laboratory which are performed by a number of students of fourth year who have chosen a graduation project of objects and findings that are found during the training excavation sessions, For example by working on some samples with other pottery by performing an analytical study of the architecture through microscopic examination and chemical analysis, followed by the study of models and formats that require drawing, photography, where there is a part dedicated to the completion of this kind of work with what is required.

There is a process of analyzing floor’s tiles and walls’ entourages which comprises a new source of craftsmanship and technical information also the geology of the location as well as archaeological evidence on the economic and social situation. Chemical analysis of all types of tiles is done after the optical observation through which the student acquires how to archive what he/she observes of color disparity and the difference in the composition of the rock sample and the possibility of identifying more of a cultural (restoration later or addition) that was witnessed, through the sectional inspection. After the decomposition of the sample using hydrochloric acid it is then dried and then passed through a series of sieves which are placed over each other in a gradual manner from top to bottom. Then collect all that has been captured separately and weighed and named along with the sieve number then enter this data in the computer to produce line charts for comparsion.

The laboratory contains special room for audiovisual presentations which is utilized for the lectures that require slide show or the use of Data show. It has been named after the martyr Awad Asaadawiha President of Libyan Antiquities Authority, who was killed in the Libyan plane shot down by the Zionists in the 21 / 2 / 1973. This hall was opened on the Memorial day of International Day of archaeological sites on 18 / 4 / 2004, by Dr. Farag Mahmoud Alerashdi as a tribute of the Section and Secretary for Dr Alerashdi in the occasion of his near retirement.

The laboratory needs a lot of material in terms of equipment and tools to make it perform its task in the best possible way, In addition to the training of the employees so that it can performs the function, which it was built for.

It is worth noting that the laboratory is run by professionals who graduated from the department starting with Hameda Aouhidh in the first half of the 1980s, and then a gentlemen. Ahmed Mustafa, a Abuzian. And Saleh Rajab Alagab since 1986 until the nineties and is currently managed by Mr A. Ahmad Saad Miloud and Mabrouk Amari.