Publication Date:
2021-05-19
Description:
Alexandria lies on the Mediterranean coast at
the western edge of the Nile Delta. It was
founded in 331 BC and over the next three centuries
became a centre of trade and scholarship.
Three major archaeological sites from different
eras remain: the 15th century Qait Bey Citadel,
the submerged remains of Ptolemaic Royal Quarters
and underwater ruins of the ancient lighthouse,
the Pharos.
An international workshop on Submarine
Archaeology and Coastal Management (known as
‘SARCOM’) was held in Alexandria in April 1997,
organized by the University of Alexandria, the
Supreme Council of Antiquities and the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization. The workshop followed a series of
recent archaeological discoveries in Alexandria’s
Eastern Harbour and a controversial project
designed to protect the Qait Bey Citadel, which
had inadvertently placed large concrete blocks
over part of the ancient Pharos Lighthouse site.
The aim of the workshop was to find a way of preserving
Alexandria’s past while allowing the modern
city to develop. Workshop sessions covered a
wide range of topics ranging from Alexandria’s
historical background to remote sensing to pollution.
The workshop declaration included ways in
which the Citadel might be stabilized without
endangering the nearby Pharos site, and how
Alexandria’s archaeological sites might be made
into an on-land and underwater museum.
The ideas and recommendations resulting
from the workshop have been followed-up by further
studies into the protection of the Qait Bey
Citadel, the feasibility of establishing an underwater
archaeological museum, and ways to control
the marine pollution and manage wastewater
in the Eastern Harbour. A second workshop was
held in 1999. The Supreme Council of Antiquities
appointed a Consultative Committee for Planning
and Follow-up, which in turn created a task
team that led these activities.
Proposed future activities include the establishment
of a university chair in submarine
archaeology and integrated coastal management,
inscription of Alexandria’s archaeological sites on
the World Heritage List, and the preparation of a
comprehensive project document. The need for
an integrated coastal management programme
which will provide for sustainable modern development
as well as preserving the archaeological
patrimony is of utmost importance.
Description:
Published
Keywords:
Earth history
Repository Name:
AquaDocs
Type:
Book
,
Non-Refereed
Format:
1253445 bytes
Format:
application/pdf
Permalink