AIA SITE PRESERVATION PLEDGE DRIVE

Saving Archaeological Sites in Ireland

Each year hundreds of irreplaceable archaeological sites are destroyed by unrestrained development, looting, the vagaries of war, and environmental changes. With the help of gala attendees, we are able to preserve these sites for the future.

During the Gala, guests had the special opportunity to support the AIA’s efforts to preserve Irish cultural heritage—a portion of the proceeds from the Gala auction will be used to directly support archaeological sites in Ireland, including sites like:

1. The Blackfriary at Trim in County Meath

The Black or Dominican Friary at Trim was founded by Geoffrey de Geneville, Lord of Trim, in 1263. The friary was of considerable importance and was the location for an important meeting of Irish bishops which took place in 1291. Today the Friary’s remains lie buried under a 5 acre green field and is bounded by council houses and local businesses. The derelict site is viewed as a problem rather than a resource, and has come under significant developmental pressure in recent years.

An academic research program started at the friary in 2010 aims to rectify this situation. The aim of the program is to excavate and publish the archaeological site, provide university accredited field experience to students, and provide non-professional enthusiasts with an on-site excavation adventure. The initiative is a community based project, and has the wide support of local people, including local businesses, the town council, schools etc. One of the key aims of the project is to integrate archaeological investigation within the community so that members will identify with the site, and by doing so will recognize and avail of its amenity potential, and take ownership of and ensure its preservation for generations to come.

Financial support for the site will be used in a number of ways:

To enhance the research program and include specialist and post-graduate studies that would otherwise fall outside the budgetary scope of such a project
To enact a state of the art conservation program to allow for the best preservation and display of the surviving walls of the friary and associated buildings
To facilitate community involvement including:

- hosting schools competitions and supporting schools outreach
working with community groups (such as the Tidy Towns Committee) to ensure that when our work is completed a community based stewardship programme will be in place for the site
- designing and implementing walkways, signage and storyboards
- designing and erecting ‘legacy wall’ with names of participants and contributors
- developing the overall site as an amenity for the town and tourist attraction (incorporating allotments, a playground, a dig-it-kids camp, a market place etc)
- engaging with local colleges to document the work of the school / local community over time, so the story of the renewal of this site becomes part of its history

Archaeological investigations at the site will continue in 2011. The Irish Archaeological Field School (IAFS) is listed on the AIA website.

2. The Dominican Priory at Tulsk, County Roscommon

The Dominican Priory at Tulsk is located within an existing local cemetery. The Priory is a Recorded Monument (Record of Monuments and Places [RMP] RO022-114006-) and a Protected Structure (Protected Structure 02200083) but the standing remains of the priory, including the nave south wall, the south transept walls, a short easterly section of the north nave wall, an inserted wall which formed part of a tower house, and a low section of the west nave wall are in ruinous condition and unused. The graveyard at Tulsk Priory is active as a burial ground, and is well-tended.

Support for the site would allow for:

Cutting back and removal of ivy and other vegetative growth from the structure (ivy has recently being trimmed).
Stabilization/pinning of existing walls.
Relaying/rebedding of existing masonry

Conservation work and maintenance of the priory would draw much needed attention to this significant site and allow the community to utilize the economic potential of the archaeological remains in a sustainable and responsible manner.

Proceeds raised at the Gala will fund AIA programs, including the AIA Site Preservation Grant Program. The AIA supports projects that combine innovative preservation techniques with community involvement and outreach to create sustainable preservation. Currently, the AIA supports twelve projects on five continents. Our most recent grants were given to projects in Kenya, Israel, and Mexico. Please support this critical mission to save our irreplaceable cultural heritage.

Sponsorship

To learn more about future corporate sponsorship opportunities with AIA events, please contact Jennifer Klahn at 617-353-8709.

Site Preservation Pledge Drive

You can continue the momentum from Tuesday night. Learn how you can support our Site Preservation pledge drive.

Support Site Preservation

Underwater Photo Credit: S. Wachsmann. Courtesy Institute of Nautical Archaeology

Currently Funded Sites

Paynes Creek, Belize (May 2010)

Paynes Creek is the site of the only known wooden structures from the Classic Maya period (AD 250-900). The grant funds the protection of the submerged wooden structures to make information about them available to area residents and tourists.

Project Director: Heather McKillop

Umm el-Jimal, Jordan (May 2010)

Umm el-Jimal, a site with evidence for Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic occupation in northeastern Jordan, received a grant to fund a three-part project that includes the creation of a digital museum, the establishment of an educational curriculum to be adopted by the Jordanian national schools, and complementary web-based materials that will include an online oral-history archive with information about the site’s twentieth century history and modern reoccupation

Project Director: Bert de Vries

Gault, USA (April 2010)

Continuously occupied by humans for 14,000 years, the Gault Site in central Texas is regarded as one of the premier archaeological sites for helping us to understand the arrival of native peoples to the Americas. The site, however, is threatened by looting and vandalism. The grant supports the Gault School of Archaeological Research’s exceptional public outreach and education programs that reach thousands of people annually to inform them about the archaeological and historical significance of Gault and the importance of site preservation.

Project Director: D. Clark Wernecke

Kissonerga, Cyprus (December 2009)

An award from the AIA was used in Kissonerga, Cyprus, to create physical and virtual 3-D models of architectural components and artifacts associated with a prehistoric roundhouse. Funds were also used to film the construction of a replica of the roundhouse. A long-term goal of this project is to raise the profile of prehistoric archaeological sites in Cyprus like those at Kissonerga and make them a more tangible component of the island’s prehistoric narrative.

Project Director: Lindy Crewe

Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia (December 2009)

With grant funding, Heritage Watch, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Southeast Asia’s cultural heritage, provides community development and educational programming for local residents and encourage their participation in promoting and preserving the 12th century temple site of Banteay Chhmar.

Project Director: Dougald O’Reilly

Easter Island, Chile (2008)

The Easter Island (Rapa Nui) National Park is the world’s largest archaeological sculpture garden and a World Heritage Site famous for its nearly one thousand giant head sculptures, known as moai. The awarded Easter Island Statue Project is being used for the maintenance and cleaning of the ancient monoliths as well as excavation, documentation and conservation of the site. The Easter Island Statue Project was the first project to receive a permit directly from the indigenous population of Rapa Nui.

Project Director: Jo Anne Van Tilburg

Assos, Turkey (2007)

In Assos, Turkey, where Aristotle lived from 346-344 BC, the AIA is funding the preservation of the 2,500-year-old Temple of Athena. The AIA grant was awarded for the survey and restoration of the ancient site. The funding will also be used for the creation of replicas of the temple reliefs to be displayed at the site. The original reliefs are currently housed in the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul. The project’s main goals are to preserve the temple’s original remains and to make this important archaeological site more intelligible for visitors.

Project Director: Nurettin Arslan

San Jose de Moro, Peru

The AIA’s Site Preservation Program financially supports the Sustainable Preservation Initiative (SPI). SPI awarded its first grant for artisanal and touristic development around the Moche cemetery site of San José de Moro, on the north coast of Peru . The Moro development plan includes a crafts workshop, store and exhibition area.

Project Director: Luis Jaime Castillo

Archaeological Institute of America