Cultural heritage is a symbol of the historical, aesthetic and economic value of local culture that can be identified, recognized and expressed through it. A sustainable development policy has to place the cultural perspective at the core of the territorial growth strategy, integrated with environmental aspects, local culture and socio-economic development requirements. The project “ARCHAEOMAP” is intended as a study occasion to make the public opinion aware as concerns Mediterranean Sea multi-cultural dimension. Its objective is to develop balanced, interrelated policies with an integrated coastal zone management focus.

What is Archaeomap?

ARCHAEOMAP - Archaeological Management Policies is a project born within the Sixth Framework Programme, Area 3.6 “The protection of cultural heritage and associated conservation Strategies”, which overall objective is to contribute to the development of scientific-technological policies and instruments for sustainable coastal zone protection, in particular for coastal archaeological sites preservation and promotion.
Coastal ecosystems have an important economic value for local populations depending from terrestrial and marine resources. Nevertheless, the constantly expanding number of people living in coastal zones and the permanent pressure tourism places coastal zones are subjected to, lead to the constant degradation of natural resources linked with social conflicts and environmental degradation.
ARCHAEOMAP coastal and underwater pilot sites will be essential in order to improve the aspects of monitoring activities and of integrated coastal zone management.

Project duration

From 1-11-2007 to 31-10-2009

The state of the art

The state of the art concerning knowledge, safeguard and valorisation of underwater and coastal archaeological sites in the Mediterranean Sea is really various depending on the coastal countries. Spain, France and Italy are standing at adequate standards in the field of research and conservation, but they seem to be at a very beginning level as regards valorisation of sites, in particular underwater ones. But, since 2001, in Sicily Region, a Special Office has been working to increase the value of cultural heritage. Greece and Turkey are in an optimal situation in terms of the safeguard of heritage and are almost at an adequate level of research.
Other coastal Mediterranean countries, such as Malta, near-Eastern and Northern Africa countries still lack in research and in underwater sites management. On the other hand, their coastal sites improvement and management may be considered sufficiently advanced.

Project objectives

• The general, long term objective of the project is to educate international experts, professionals and consultants in preserving and promoting bio-cultural diversity, considering that local knowledge, traditions, natural and cultural (tangible/intangible) heritage are crucial aspects of sustainable development.

Specific, short term objectives are:
• To promote a sustainability assessment methodology of environmental impact based on sustainability indicators.
• To develop advanced guidelines on environmental sustainability for underwater and coastal archaeological sites of the Mediterranean basin.
• To transfer and share scientific and technical information and translate knowledge into social applications and policies at the local, national and international levels.
• To encourage trans-boundary and serial nominations of ARCHAEOMAP pilots sites for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as an innovative example of sustainable development in Mediterranean area.

Expected results

The ARCHAEOMAP project, will operate in order to obtain good practices and new strategies for sites management and protection against deterioration and pressures of mass tourism. To do this, it will set up both a methodology for good management practices and science policies for the sustainable management of coastal and underwater archaeological sites. The Archaeomap International Committee will act as a “trait d’union” among the fields of research, politics and advanced training at the national and international levels.
ARCHAEOMAP will take advantage both for European and for non-European partners. For the European one, the project results will be useful to improve multi-disciplinary approach. On the other hand the non-European partners will have an opportunity to adapt themselves to a management, conservation and enhancement system for sharing archaeological heritage.
Finally ARCHAEOMAP project could provide useful information for the ongoing and the updating of “Culture” framework programme and of the Structural Funds. Indirectly, this will also contribute to address the Water Framework Directive and complementary measures related to cultural heritage and the EC’s CAFE initiative (Clean Air for Europe).

How will Archaeomap develop?

Implementation plan develops into six work packages co-ordination activities related:
• WP 1: Definition of project staff, planning of activities, initial and end meeting of International Committee (Palermo)
• WP 2: Intermediate meetings of International Committee for sustainable development of
Mediterranean basin (Barcelona and Alexandria) and International Forum in Paris with an “Educational Atelier”
•WP 3: Results elaboration, preparation of editorial publishing and distance teaching module
•WP 4: Diffusion, dissemination and transferability of results
•WP 5: Technical and scientific coordination
•WP 6: Recommendations and guidelines
and into two work packages consortium management activities related:
•WP 7: Planning , internal and overall coordination activities, communication, networking ,
monitoring activities and internal assessment of activities
•WP 8: Management of the activities in relation to the European Commission.