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The Mosaic Laboratory in Jericho. An enormous cultural patrimony to rediscover and safeguard. The beauty of the beginnings of things, giving back to everyone the mosaics of the oldest epochs. We think …More
The Mosaic Laboratory in Jericho.

An enormous cultural patrimony to rediscover and safeguard. The beauty of the beginnings of things, giving back to everyone the mosaics of the oldest epochs. We think of, for example, in Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity, of Jericho, with one of the most ancient human settlements in the world, of the mosaic pavements of the byzantine churches, the villa of Herod the Great, of Hebron with the Sanctuary of Abraham and the Oak of Mamre or of the ancient city of Nablus. Or of Sebastia with its immense patrimony. For this, the mosaic laboratory of Jericho works at full speed. To guide the staff are the art historian Carla Benelli, together with the architect Osama Hamdan, in a task entrusted to them by Father Michele Piccirillo, which is not confined to conservation alone.

CARLA BENELLI, Art Historian: “The idea of Father Michele was always that in addition to the work of restoration it would be fundamental to work for the formation of the local population, of the young men and women, in such a way that they would be able to become, themselves, active in the conservation of their patrimony. In Jericho, we started this course of formation at the end of the 90’s, in 1999, which went ahead for 3 years with the restoration of the mosaics of the palace of Nisham, and at the end of the project, the group of young people founded an association, the Mosaic Center of Jericho, where we are now. We have this laboratory where the guys and girls work, and not only in restoration—at this moment , we will have to get started soon with the restoration the mosaics of Capernaum, of the house of Peter, we are awaiting permission, but we hope to be able to do it quickly—but they also make copies of ancient mosaics. The group is composed of about ten people. The director, Osama, is a restoration architect who has special experience in conservation. I, as an art historian, try to give historical help, from historical knowledge of the mosaics with which we are working, and, then, there are 8 young people, both male and female, who are occupied with restoration and the production of new mosaics. You have to remember that some of the young people are archeologists and therefore already have theoretical knowledge, while others are more artisans, young people, that is, who have learned the craft here in this laboratory”.

Projects, competitions, works to be carried out. Osama tells us the latest news.

OSAMA HAMDAM, Architect: “We are preparing a project to prepare an exhibition of the copies of the mosaics of the Holy land. This project is financed by the European Union. That which the guys are doing is a copy from the Church of the Nativity of the Constantinian period. It is a floor mosaic. Next month we will work on a copy of the mosaic which is on the wall, from the Crusader period”.

The undertaking, that of conserving works of art, difficult, in a difficult land, to be carried out every day, step by step, piece by piece. Just like a mosaic.