Amb. Armellin celebrates 70 years of Italian archaeology in Pakistan

(ANSA) - ROMA, 24 FEB - Ambassador Armellin opened the segment of the prestigious Lahore Literary Festival entitled 'The Golden Road through Swat: 70 Years of Italian Archeological Presence in Pakistan'. The panel, which hosted the archaeologist and expert on the ancient civilisations of Pakistan, Luca Maria Olivieri, the director of the Museums of the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkwa, Abdul Samad, and the cultural heritage expert, Arch. Candida Maria Vassallo, offered the large audience in the hall a glimpse of the achievements of the Italian archaeological missions in Pakistan, which began in 1955 with the opening of a permanent archaeological mission in Swat by Giuseppe Tucci, and which continues to this day, with an important excavation at the Barikot site. Successes include the restoration of the colossal Buddha statue in Jahanabad, defaced by the Taliban in 2007, and the restoration of the Swat Museum, which was hit by an explosion in 2008.
    The archaeological mission in Swat also has an important social return: each excavation becomes an opportunity to learn new techniques for the local staff, with positive repercussions in terms of employment and social benefits. The possibility of creating a manual on excavations in Urdu in the future can only further increase the success and integration of one of the most successful Italian experiences in this country.