Archeologists in Eritrea target unfunded ‘rescue excavations’
MENDEFERA, Eritrea, Dec 5 (AFP) — In Eritrea, archeology is a race against the clock, to prevent numerous new constructions and their bulldozers from destroying the rich cultural heritage of the Horn of Africa nation.
“It is estimated that there are 40,000 potential archeological sites in Eritrea’s land area of 125,000 square kilometres (almost 48,300 square miles),” National Museum director Lebsekal Yosief said.
“But due to lack of funds, there is currently only work going on at around 20 sites,” said Lebsekal, who is also an archeology professor at Asmara University.
He said that because of their low budgets, archeologists in Eritrea give priority to the sites threatened by imminent constructions, with the operations being dubbed “rescue excavations”.
“The capital, Asmara, is growing and before the land is distributed, we work on the sites where new houses are being built, especially for the diaspora. Many roads are also currently being constructed in Eritrea, so we work in those areas too,” Lebsekal stressed.
His teams also go where the authorities are about to build water reservoirs, as once the water is there, excavations are impossible to carry out.
“We also excavate the areas where deminers work, as they sometimes find interesting objects,” Lebsekal said.
A large part of Eritrea is mined, essentially as a consequence of its two wars against neighbouring Ethiopia from 1961 to 1991 and from 1998 to 2000.
In Mendefera, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Asmara, a rescue excavation is currently taking place after workers constructing a wall discovered an ancient graveyard.
“It dates from two centuries BC,” stressed Dr Federica Crivellaro, an Italian anthropologist from La Sapienza University in Rome, who is working here with a team composed of Eritrean and Italian archeologists.
The excavations have led not only to the discovery of several skeletons, but also pottery, necklaces and bronze bracelets.
“The objects found in the graves are ritual gifts,” team member Yemane Samuel said.
“Some of the skeletons, which are very fragile, were unfortunately broken by the workers’ bulldozers,” Yemane said.
Archeologists at the site work under intense heat, holding drawing boards, copying details they have observed from different strata they had uncovered, where in some areas, bones were visible and in others only bits of pottery.
Southern Debub region governor Kahsai Ghebrehiwet would like to transform the Mendefera site into an open-air museum.
“The awareness of the people to our cultural heritage is very important. Archeology in Eritrea has still to be developed, as the country has so many sites,” Crivellaro said, pointing out: “An extensive survey should be carried out as soon as possible, but for that we need funds.”
She said Eritrea has already proved it possesses archeological treasures, especially in 1995 after the discovery of a hominide’s skull which was one million years old.”
“Unfortunately, archeology is expensive. We need professionals, tools, time, organisation and patience” she added.
“The main problem with archeology in Eritrea is lack of funds,” Lebeskal insisted, but quickly added that there was a glimmer of hope.
“Before 1997, I was the only Eritrean archeologist, but there have been courses at Asmara University, and now we are 70,” he said enthusiastically