IRAQ AND SYRIA. ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE BETWEEN RISKS AND PERSPECTIVES - Florence (Italy), Palagio dei Capitani di Parte Guelfa 16-17 December 2016
The Archaeology of the Ancient Near East is no longer the colonial archeology of the beginning -i.e. the great discoveries of the 19th century (Layard, Botta) - when Western archaeologists saw Mesopotamia as a mine of treasures to enrich the collections of the great European and American museums.
Moreover, It isn't even the archeology of early 20th century, that of Sir L. Woolley and T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) in Carchemish or Baron Von Oppenheim at Tell Halaf, or that of people like Gertrude Bell or Agatha Christie.
Today's Archaeology of the Ancient Near East is a modern discipline and archaeologists working in the region are true cultural mediators between the cultures of the past and those of the present, and between the Western culture and that of the countries that host them.
The Italian "Oriental' archaeologists are no exception, indeed they represent -with their cooperation and sharing programs, with their public archaeology projects- an international vanguard. A scientific community that can provide a great contribution in the field of research as is in the field of prevention, conservation and enhancement of the archaeological and cultural heritage in the contexts currently affected by war, such as Iraq and Syria.
In consideration of all this, scholars of this field -actively involved or potentially interested in projects of excavations and research in Iraq and Syria- will meet in Florence on December 16 and 17, to discuss about archaeological heritage including its risks and prospects. An event that has already received the appreciation and the support of the UNESCO National Commission and that promises to be of considerable interest also for the general public.
Moreover, It isn't even the archeology of early 20th century, that of Sir L. Woolley and T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) in Carchemish or Baron Von Oppenheim at Tell Halaf, or that of people like Gertrude Bell or Agatha Christie.
Today's Archaeology of the Ancient Near East is a modern discipline and archaeologists working in the region are true cultural mediators between the cultures of the past and those of the present, and between the Western culture and that of the countries that host them.
The Italian "Oriental' archaeologists are no exception, indeed they represent -with their cooperation and sharing programs, with their public archaeology projects- an international vanguard. A scientific community that can provide a great contribution in the field of research as is in the field of prevention, conservation and enhancement of the archaeological and cultural heritage in the contexts currently affected by war, such as Iraq and Syria.
In consideration of all this, scholars of this field -actively involved or potentially interested in projects of excavations and research in Iraq and Syria- will meet in Florence on December 16 and 17, to discuss about archaeological heritage including its risks and prospects. An event that has already received the appreciation and the support of the UNESCO National Commission and that promises to be of considerable interest also for the general public.
#United4Heritage