Letters from Fornello and the European cinema houses.
This past summer we continued towards the goal of preserving the 3rd-century site of Fornello, rebuilding its walls, searching for its stairs and stories to bring more light to the history of the site. In 2017 we began excavating for the hopes o finding the foundation of an above ground church mentioned in historical texts. Our archaeological investigations that year came up with little but we persevered this past summer with our dig at a lower level. Under the permissions from the Department of the Antiquities, during our excavation this past summer of 2018, we unearthed three burials from the medieval period. In the short 12 days, 14 participants were able to open up the entryway passage to the underground rupestrian cave Byzantine frescoed church readying it for construction of a support column, carved water drainage spouts for the 1700′ stone shepherds house, continued careful cleaning and study of the three layers of Frescoes dating from the 12th to the 14th century, and finally a door was hung on one of the smaller cave entrances. The small cave will have shelves installed to be available for local shepherds for laying the cheese. The skeletal remains were catalogued and given to the Gravina museum to be studied, and the soil collections surrounding the bowel area are being stored for future study to determine the diet and bacteria present during the period of their burial.
This summer 2019 Fornello preservation project workshop we welcome two students from the Canadian School of Restoration Arts- WILLOWBANK who were awarded scholarships. The funding for the Willowbank students to participate in our Fornello program was donated by an anonymous generous patron.
This is the third year we have partnered with Willowbank to reach shared goals of sustainable preservation and conservation of cultural heritage.
“Willowbank’s ecological approach represents a powerful response to today’s environmental and social challenges. Willowbank infuses the traditional methods of heritage conservation with a sense of obligation to recognize the interconnection of our built, natural and cultural resources. At Willowbank, we believe that places are richer for their diversity and we embrace this complexity. We believe heritage plays a pivotal role in creating a sustainable future.” from Willowbank”.
This summer 2019 the Fornello project will focus on stone wall building techniques, preparation for an architectural column, installing protective measures for the cave church entrance, archaeological excavations, and talks on sustainable conservation, and in conversation with at-risk shepherding communities and their practices.
Shepherds in the Cave – the documentary
The Canada Council for the Arts supported the documentary film by Director Anthony Grieco continued to show throughout the year at various film festivals.
The documentary won the International Jury Prize ‘Premio ArcheoVisiva’ in Sicily at the Rassegna del Documentario e della Comunicazione Archeologica Festival, and started 2019 as the audience favourite at the Florence at the ‘Firenze Archeofilm’ festival.
Fornello Sustainable Preservation Project
August 7th- 18th, 2019
Fieldwork, study, research and hands-on cultural landscape conservation and restoration.
