VITAE

SUSTAINABLE VALORISATION OF THE ERITREAN HERITAGE ADULIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE PROJECT

 

 

Funded by: Italian Agency for Cooperation, Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Target countries: Eritrea
Period: Ongoing

 

VITAE “SUSTAINABLE VALORISATION OF THE ERITREAN HERITAGE ADULIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE PROJECT”, promoted and financed by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS) and from the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), has officially started. The specific objective of the project is to highlight the value of the impact of long-term archaeological research and to make it a driver for sustainable development at local level, using the Eritrean Adulis archaeological site as testing ground.

The two pillars of the research are:

  • from the archaeological point of view: using an interdisciplinary approach with the prevalent use of non-invasive techniques such as photogrammetry and geomatics;
  • from the point of view of the in-situ operations: designing an archaeological experimental site where the proteciton of cultural heritage is directly bound to the protection of the environment by means of the adoption of renewable energy technologies and sustainable management of water and mobility resources.

By achieving its specific objective, the project action will contribute to the the design of new strategies for sustainable development in the field of promotion of cultural heritage. leading to the generation of new socio-economic value. The action will shape itself from the comprehension of the potential of past civilizations to identify solutions to nowadays problems. It will also suggest feasible alternative solutions for territorial planning, improving life conditions for people and preserving the planet and its resorces.

Main activities and expected results:

  1. Comprehension and analysis of territorial context
  2. The sustainable archaeological natural park of Adulis
  3. The archaeological site: knowledge and preservation
  4. Empowerment, capacity-building and good-practices

The project is multi- and inter-disciplinary and it involves partners coming from different Departments of Politecnico di Milano, such as the Architecture and Urban Studies Department (prof. Susanna Bortolotto, arch. Nelly Cattaneo, in collaboration with prof. Serena Massa from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan), the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department (prof. Alberto Guadagnini and prof. Matteo Colombo), the Energy Department (prof. Fabio Inzoli, prof. Emanuela Colombo and prof. Riccardo Mereu) and the Mechanical Engineering Department (prof. Marco Bocciolone, prof. Emanuele Zappa and prof. Simone Cinquemani).

The project is coordinate by DMEC and has a value of 2.3 M€, of which 1,97 M€ directly financed by AICS.