*Google Translation
Rome, July 31 ( Askanews ) - Asmara is "a" jewel that deserves to be recognized UNESCO world heritage site and Adulis, the port of the ancient kingdom of Axum, can be considered the African Pompeii. And 'the enthusiastic architect Susanna Bortolotto, the Polytechnic of Milan, when he speaks of his work in Eritrea, where it has just returned after attending the international conference on Eritrean studies. For years Bortolotto is engaged alongside colleagues Alfredo Castiglioni, Catherine Giostra, Serena Massa and Andrea Manzo (Research Centre on the eastern desert, the Catholic University of Milan and Orientale of Naples) in the mission to bring to light Adulis, the ancient city on Red Sea, where East, Africa and the Mediterranean in the early centuries after Christ, and then make an archaeological park; but equally for years is also exploring the Eritrean capital, "something wonderful, unique." Bortolotto is just one of many Italian scholars who last week gathered in Asmara to present their work at the conference organized by the Eritrean government in collaboration with the local office of the UN development Programme (UNDP). An occasion that offered the same Italian universities of "networking", because "often do not know the work of our colleagues," says Bortolotto to askanews. In fact it is from 2011 that the Italian researchers are engaged in the mission of Adulis, and "our studies ranging from archaeological excavation, to the safety of the buildings, but also to the virtual account with 3D models of sites. And the Polytechnic was called to develop a project for the archaeological park, which would be the first sub-Saharan Africa, "said the scholar. in his presentation at the Asmara conference, Professor Castiglioni explained that the research Centre on the eastern desert has started operate at Adulis "at the invitation of the Eritrean government, with the aim of enhancing the cultural heritage of Eritrea to support the tourism and economic development of the country", one of the poorest in the world, also offering "training opportunities to young archaeologists, restorers and technicians Eritreans "and" studying traditional farming techniques and irrigation in semi-arid areas, in order to increase knowledge of sustainable solutions for the future ". In fact, he explained Bortolotti, "Adulis is a sort of river island which lies at the confluence of three rivers, torrents, with water that arrives with the summer rains and Axumite who had already figured out how to regulate the water, thanks to dams. They had the dams, as in Marib to the Queen of Sheba (Yemen) and Qohaito, in Eritrea, with Saphira dam ".
Rome, July 31 ( Askanews ) - Asmara is "a" jewel that deserves to be recognized UNESCO world heritage site and Adulis, the port of the ancient kingdom of Axum, can be considered the African Pompeii. And 'the enthusiastic architect Susanna Bortolotto, the Polytechnic of Milan, when he speaks of his work in Eritrea, where it has just returned after attending the international conference on Eritrean studies. For years Bortolotto is engaged alongside colleagues Alfredo Castiglioni, Catherine Giostra, Serena Massa and Andrea Manzo (Research Centre on the eastern desert, the Catholic University of Milan and Orientale of Naples) in the mission to bring to light Adulis, the ancient city on Red Sea, where East, Africa and the Mediterranean in the early centuries after Christ, and then make an archaeological park; but equally for years is also exploring the Eritrean capital, "something wonderful, unique." Bortolotto is just one of many Italian scholars who last week gathered in Asmara to present their work at the conference organized by the Eritrean government in collaboration with the local office of the UN development Programme (UNDP). An occasion that offered the same Italian universities of "networking", because "often do not know the work of our colleagues," says Bortolotto to askanews. In fact it is from 2011 that the Italian researchers are engaged in the mission of Adulis, and "our studies ranging from archaeological excavation, to the safety of the buildings, but also to the virtual account with 3D models of sites. And the Polytechnic was called to develop a project for the archaeological park, which would be the first sub-Saharan Africa, "said the scholar. in his presentation at the Asmara conference, Professor Castiglioni explained that the research Centre on the eastern desert has started operate at Adulis "at the invitation of the Eritrean government, with the aim of enhancing the cultural heritage of Eritrea to support the tourism and economic development of the country", one of the poorest in the world, also offering "training opportunities to young archaeologists, restorers and technicians Eritreans "and" studying traditional farming techniques and irrigation in semi-arid areas, in order to increase knowledge of sustainable solutions for the future ". In fact, he explained Bortolotti, "Adulis is a sort of river island which lies at the confluence of three rivers, torrents, with water that arrives with the summer rains and Axumite who had already figured out how to regulate the water, thanks to dams. They had the dams, as in Marib to the Queen of Sheba (Yemen) and Qohaito, in Eritrea, with Saphira dam ".
For Italians scholars Adulis can be considered a sort of African Pompeii, because it had been buried for centuries before being brought to light, and why were unearthed artifacts and buildings of great wealth, to witness the splendor of the period between the first and the seventh century AD. "The remains date back to the second century BC and the city disappeared in the seventh century AD to a number of factors: the arrival of the Arabs, the low maintenance of dams, which at a particular time of the full meant that they have not kept and that the silt and lands came down with the water have buried the city, perhaps on the occasion of a flood, and perhaps even for an earthquake because it is a seismic zone - explained the architect of the Polytechnic - the site it was found pottery with gold coins, as if they were abundant following a quick getaway, indicating, as at Pompeii, a state emergency ". But they were also found golden crosses, statues Gupta (India), gold coins, silver and copper, because the Axumite minted coins, and spectacular buildings. There are two churches on which we are doing excavations and we are back-dating to the fourth century BC. "In short," we are making interesting discoveries. "
At the moment the mission is funded by the Eritrean government, the Research Centre on the eastern desert, the universities, the ministry Italian Foreign, and by the Italian Piccini. Bortolotto not deny it would take more funding, recognizing the "crucial" role played by private sponsors, as well as the Italian Embassy who is doing his best to "networking among researchers and companies and find more sponsors. "also in view of a possible involvement of the Italian scholars in Asmara, which with its modernist architectural heritage and futuristic the Italian colonial period has been an official candidate to become a UNESCO world heritage site on 1 February. with its rationalist Cinema , the futuristic service stations, villas and cafes remained intact, "Asmara is a gem." If it is true that it needs maintenance, "the inaction can be read in a positive way, because it meant, for example, that windows were not replaced with metal ones, that the buildings were not painted with vinyl colors. And then there are no tall buildings over two floors. great merit of the Eritreans. " In short, for the architect Bortolotto" Asmara is unique and I would hope that in the summer of 2017, the international community recognizes it as a UNESCO site because he deserves it. "It 's true that often be recognized site Unesco can be "a boomerang, because there's the 5-star hotels, international agencies and often the experts local jobs are overwhelmed with this logic, but I think that the Eritreans would be able to handle the situation."
At the moment the mission is funded by the Eritrean government, the Research Centre on the eastern desert, the universities, the ministry Italian Foreign, and by the Italian Piccini. Bortolotto not deny it would take more funding, recognizing the "crucial" role played by private sponsors, as well as the Italian Embassy who is doing his best to "networking among researchers and companies and find more sponsors. "also in view of a possible involvement of the Italian scholars in Asmara, which with its modernist architectural heritage and futuristic the Italian colonial period has been an official candidate to become a UNESCO world heritage site on 1 February. with its rationalist Cinema , the futuristic service stations, villas and cafes remained intact, "Asmara is a gem." If it is true that it needs maintenance, "the inaction can be read in a positive way, because it meant, for example, that windows were not replaced with metal ones, that the buildings were not painted with vinyl colors. And then there are no tall buildings over two floors. great merit of the Eritreans. " In short, for the architect Bortolotto" Asmara is unique and I would hope that in the summer of 2017, the international community recognizes it as a UNESCO site because he deserves it. "It 's true that often be recognized site Unesco can be "a boomerang, because there's the 5-star hotels, international agencies and often the experts local jobs are overwhelmed with this logic, but I think that the Eritreans would be able to handle the situation."