All Italian archaeological missions operating in Turkey introduced themselves to the Turkish public in a symposium held at the Istanbul Italian Cultural Center between 17-18 November, for the thirteenth time this year.
The Italian archaeological missions operating in Turkey for decades have been working with scientific rigor in harmony and in close cooperation with Turkish academic institutions to develop the vast archaeological heritage found in Anatolia.
At the symposium held under the auspices of the Italian Embassy in Ankara and introduced by Ambassador Giorgio Marrapodi together with Rahmi Asal, Director of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, all the heads of the Italian archaeological missions operating in Turkey, some of which have been working in the regions for twenty years, took turns taking the floor.
Even in remote areas of Turkey, the Italian archaeological missions, strengthened by an economic incentive related to the local social fabric, continue to develop at every opportunity as a development directive in bilateral relations, thanks to the support of the Italian Embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), Italian cultural promotion activities. It has been a key reference point for many years.
In his speech, Ambassador Marrapodi emphasized that “Italy and Turkey continue to work with a focus on acting together to promote mutual prosperity and peace, and they are united by deep ties at the level of civil societies that feed this bilateral relationship”. “Our bilateral dialogue, which is the broad legacy of not only material but also ideas that characterizes the two countries, should be the basis for deepening in all aspects,” Ambassador Marrapodi noted.
"Today, Italian archaeologists, together with their Turkish colleagues, study and analyze the main periods of human history, from the prehistoric to the classical period to the Byzantine period, and all these findings are featured in the most prestigious international journals," said Salvatore Schirmo, Director of the Istanbul Italian Cultural Center.
In their presentations, archaeologists described the main results of scientific research that emerged in their study area during the summer season. These are the findings that emerge from the work of researchers sent from Italy, as an excellent example of cultural cooperation that is renewed every year and thanks to the deep knowledge of their Turkish colleagues on soil and archaeological techniques.
Italy is among the countries that contribute the most to the development of archaeological excavations in Turkey, thanks to the cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey and fruitful agreements with local authorities. Among the most important Italian archaeological missions in Anatolia financed by MAECI, we cannot pass without mentioning Malatya-Arslantepe, Gaziantep-Karkamış, Yozgat-Uşaklı Höyük, Niğde-Kınık Höyük, Mersin-Yumuktepe, Kayseri-Kültepe and Mersin-Elaiussa.
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