Archeologia
Lake Turkana Archaeological project
Press Conference
A Press Conference was held at the Italian Cultural Institute, Sunday 24th January at 12 noon, regarding the on-going realization of the Lake Turkana Archaeological project.
The Press Conference was held by:
Archaeologist, Savino di Lernia – University of Rome “La Sapienza”
Archaeologist, Emmanuel Ndiema – Senior Research Scientist – National Museums of Kenya – Department of Earth Sciences
Lorenzo Rizzini – Expert on the Region
Vincenzo Nucci – RAI – Italian National Television, Sub-Sahara African Bureau Chief
The conference was well attended and present were the main newspapers in the country.
H. E. the Ambassador of Italy to Kenya, Mauro Massoni, was present for the occasion.
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IIC NAIROBI
PRESS RELEASE
On January 16
Savino Di Lernia, Italian Archaeologist of the “La Sapienza” University of Rome, and
Emmanuel Ndiema, Head of Archaeology l Department of Earth Sciences, National Museums of Kenya
together with
Vincenzo Nucci, Italian national Television/RAI representative, and
Lorenzo Rizzini, expert of Kenyan natural heritage
will start a journey through places of archaeological and natural interest in the Turkana Region, in order to verify the possibility to realize the Project “Lake Turkana Rock Art”, detailed below.
The Italian Cultural Institute in Nairobi is grateful to the National Museum of Kenya for collaboration
Coming back will be on January 23.
They will present the first results of their journey during a Press Conference to be held on January, 12am at the Italian Cultural Institute – Westlands, Woodvale Close 1, Grenadier Tower 5th floor, 600606 Nairobi – tel. 0736202071 – iicnairobi@esteri.i – Italian Buffet
We will be happy to have you with us- RSVP
Francesca Chiesa
Cultural Attache’ – Embassy of Italy
Director – Italian Cultural Institute
Tel: +254 020 5101056
Mobile: +254 (0) 708134934
Skype francesca.chiesa5
Website: www.iicnairobi.esteri.it
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IstitutoItalianodiCultura
Lake Turkana Rock Art
Preserving rock art and enhancing sustainable tourism in the Lake Turkana region
Kenya hosts a unique archaeological, historical, and cultural heritage. This incredible richness and diversity is well represented in the region of Lake Turkana, home of extraordinary natural and cultural treasures, recognized by UNESCO since 1997, and expanded in 2001.
This outstanding region of the Kenyan Rift valley is world-known for several aspects – e.g., cove of our ancestors’ fossils, heaven for migratory birds and refuge of a rich wild fauna. Yet its rock art and associated archaeology is still to be fully understood. The monumentality of burial sites with stone pillars and the enigmatic power of rock carvings – to name but a couple of extraordinary evidence – make this region a potential top-destination for a non-elitist cultural tourism, capable of involving the local communities and promoting a new awareness on the cultural heritage of the region.
In order to preserve the local rock art and promote a sustainable cultural tourism in the region, we present here a first draft of a Project, to be funded by the Kenya Government and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based on a 3-years chrono-programme.
The Project “Lake Turkana Rock Art” will be articulated in a three-steps timing: 1) Knowledge; 2) Preservation & Fruition; and 3) Dissemination & Promotion.
Phase 1) “Knowledge” (year 1) will first consist of a 6-months period of desktop study of the available information on the region, combined with remote sensing analysis of the major landscape features.. This GIS database will be used in the next 6-months, when technical missions will be carried out in the field by project members and other partners. The survey and recording activities will then produce a new set of data and provide a better knowledge of the state of preservation of rock art contexts.
The next step (year 2), “Preservation & Fruition”, will focus on rock art sites. The fieldwork will consist in a series of recording and monitoring of the sites through up-to-date digital technologies to be carried out during three technical missions (over a 1-year period), involving international experts and renowned institutions. Project members will also seek the support of UNESCO and ICCROM. Final aim of this phase is to create a network of selected itineraries in order to favour a sustainable tourist use of rock art sites.
The final step (year 3), “Dissemination & Promotion” will be directed towards a campaign of sensitisation within the local population on the theme of rock art preservation and fruition. Conferences, workshops, training of local personnel, guided visits to the main sites with schoolchildren, will be articulated over a period of 12 months. The activity, carried out with other partners will end with an international event desirably hosted in the National Desert Museum of Loiyangalani.
In sum, there is an extraordinary opportunity to increase our knowledge of the recent archaeology of Lake Turkana and to promote its cultural tourist use. Exploiting the richness of its Holocene archaeological evidence and attractive rock art according to the most up-dated methodologies can also favour the involvement of the community, the employment of local people, and eventually to contribute to mitigate poverty.
Map of Lake Turkana, NW Kenya: the circle indicates the site of Loiyangalami, where the Italian Cooperation realized the Desert Museum.