Say Athena, and you think archaeology, Europe, cultural heritage and more. Say ATHENA Project, the situation becomes more mysterious, but you quickly learn it is linked to culture, ancient theaters, communication and flow of cooperation and ideas between European and Arab countries across the Mediterranean.
Named as the ATHENA Project of Ancient Theaters Enhancement for New Actualities, this is a prodigious Euro-Med Heritage IV initiative funded by the European Commission and supervised by its Regional Monitoring and Support Unit (RMSU). The aim is to enthuse cultural interaction across the Mediterranean countries involved in ancient theaters development and their relationship with civil society institutions and communities.
“We are taking a pro-active approach and providing technical support to the projects underway, and encouraging the sharing of information between the different partners including through the organization of conferences, seminars and workshops on both sides of the Mediterranean,” says Christiane Dabdoub Nasser, RMSU Team Leader in Brussels, the home of the European Community.
Five countries are taking part in the program that is at an advanced stage today, going through conceptualization and formulation phases and is now entering steps of development through its different archaeological sites.
Jordan, Italy, Tunisia, Algeria, and Spain are taking part where their ministries, academic institutions and research and scientific centers have identified ancient theater sites in their respective countries for work actions.
The stakeholders include the Department of Antiquities of Jordan, Institut aux Etudes Litteraires et de Sciences Humaines de Tunis of the University of Tunis, LaboBatiDansl’Environment—University of Science and Technology, HouariBoumediene, Algeria, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia—Instituto de Restauracion del Patrimonio in Spain and Dipartimento di Rilievo, and disegnodell’Ambiente e dell’Architettura (RADAAR) of the Sapienza Universita di Roma.
They are working on the sites identified as: In Petra and Jarash Theaters (Jordan), Syracuse Theater (Italy), Carthage Theater (Tunisia), Cherchell Theater (Algeria) and Merida Theaters (Spain).
The ATHENA Project is strongly cooperative. Each of the institutions are responsible through what are termed as six work packages. Work Package 1 which involves setting up the common scientific and cultural frame is led by the Tunisian partner.
Work Package 2 is simply called knowledge and it is the Italian partner responsible for that and includes methods and actions, resource documentation and classification.
Work Package 3 involves outlining a sustainability strategy, priorities and compatibility led by the Department of Antiquities of Jordan and includes the collecting of data of previous Work Packages, designing the overall picture of possible interventions to enhance the potentials of sites across the ATHENA region.
Work Package 4 seeks to set up a management plan for ancient theater enhancement to create a model management plan for the rest of the countries led by the Spanish partner.
Work Package 5 is related to dissemination of information and capacity building and involves communication and visibility including public relations activity, media, online, graphic layout, publications, workshops and conferences. It is being developed to give extra awareness about the project, its phases of development and importance for ancient theaters. The Italian partner supported by Jordan is also responsible for this Work Package.
The final Work Package 6, Project Management and Quality Control, is under the supervision of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan which involves monitoring and guidance related to ATHENA’s technical tasks and deliverables. These are the tangible actions of the final Project.
It’s a tight step-by-step methodology, fostering a new philosophy going at the heart of sustainability of situating the role of ancient theaters within their surroundings and urban-cultural contexts and creating back-and-forth linkages with local communities.
Experts say a delicate balance must be created between making sure these sites exist within the urban-cultural environs and the need to maintain their preservation, restoration and integrity of the original structures.
“This is the first time an Arab country is leading a project within the Euromed initiatives,” says Acting Director-General of the Department of Antiquities Faris Al Hamoud. “It throws a positive light on the technical cadres in the Kingdom, especially those related to archaeology,” he adds.
Much knowledge collection and diffusion about heritage and restoration occurred since the project began in 2009. The Mediterranean partners have become involved in a mesh of working activities through Brussels but most importantly between themselves, discussing best methods, exchanging ideas, developing themes about ancient theaters across the consortium.
“Ample networking and the spread of information is being done with our partners through the present communication and telephony systems through the internet,” says Project Manager Nizar Adarabeh, who manages ATHENA from his office in the Department of Antiquities in Amman.
“I am in daily contact with our partners in Brussels, Rome, Spain and others if need be, to touch base on the different work activities, and the sharing of information about best methods for the good of the projects,” he adds.
The fruits are beginning to bear. Jordan has already received a top-of-the-art 3D Laser Scanner and started working by surveying the sites under study, and creating top imagery photographs for documentation.
An Italian team especially flew to the sites in Jordan in March 2011 and trained local cadres on the C10 scanners to allow them to make optimal use out of the precision imagery graphics of ancient theaters.
It was a field training with two top surveyors in the Department of Antiquities instructed on the best use of the scanner by surveying the Petra and Jarash Theaters.
As a result a training course was devised that will be used to train other Jordanian cadres and other members taking part in the ATHENA consortium.
Carlo Bianchini from the Sapienza Universita di Roma says: “The two Jordanian surveyors are travelling to Italy in March 2012 to continue the second stage of the training on data processing and how to produce best results and outcomes.”
But this is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of regional cooperation as tangible evidence is already being felt through for instance, the management plan that is being created by the Spanish partner. “The Plan will at first be tested as a pilot project on Jarash, before it can serve as a model for the rest of the ATHENA countries,” says Maria-Terasa Domenech from the Universidad Politecnica de Valencia.
Everyone working on the ATHENA project is upbeat about the archaeological dimensions in the restoration process. Greater work is expected to be done in 2012 relating to the implementations of the project in the region and boost cooperation between the countries of the Mediterranean.
Dr. Marwan Asmar is an Amman-based journalist specializing in Middle Eastern affairs.
