Archaeological research at Adulis: the Eritrean-Italian joint project 2011-2015

The Eritrean-Italian Archaeological Project in the ancient town of Adulis started in 2011 in collaboration with the Local Authorities, under the direction and coordination of the National Museum of Eritrea, the Museum of Massawa and the Research Center on Eastern Desert (Ce.R.D.O.)., and in collaboration with the Università degli studi “L’Orientale” of Naples, the Politecnico of Milan, the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan. The project aims at the rediscovery, study and valorisation of the archaeological remains of the town, also with the intent to create the first archaeological park in sub-Saharan Africa, for the touristic development of the region. The wide research themes inherent to an area that in antiquity represented a crucial point within the net of cultural contacts and exchanges between Mediterranean, Africa and Orient, the complex issues regarding the site conservation and fruition, represent an important opportunity to improve the interdisciplinary contributions of the traditional research areas of the different Universities involved and of the Eritrean team of archaeologists, in a perspective of public archaeology. In the conference the results of the first five fieldworks, concerning different excavation areas of the ancient Adulis, will be presented. Sector 1, Sector 3 and Sector 5, investigated by the Università degli Studi “L’Orientale”of Naples, with evidences related to the domestic settlement from the 1st- 2nd to the early 7th century AD. The religious buildings in Sector 2 and Sector 4: the church in the central northern sector of the town – the so called ‘Altar of the Sun’ – and the church located at its eastern border, the excavation of which is entrusted to the Catholic University of Milan. The operations of conservation and programmed maintenance, conducted by the Politecnico of Milan, which represent an important part of the project.