Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SICILYWAR (Culture Heritage in Danger: Archaeology and Communities in Sicily during the Second World War (1940–45))
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2019-10-01 do 2021-09-30
The main scope of SICILYWAR, an innovative, multidisciplinary project, is to assess the impact of World War 2 (1940-45) on the rich cultural heritage of the island with a major focus on antiquities, archaeological sites and museums which the conflict put at serious risk. First, the project seeks to understand how local authorities dealt with casual archaeological discoveries occurred within military operations or construction of defensive structures. Second, SICILYWAR pursues to reconstruct contexts and social networks involving the national and military authorities, archaeologists and local communities, acting and ‘clashing’ in a state of war and emergency. Third, the project aims to contextualise Sicilian archaeology in the wider European stage, identifying ‘common strategies’ actualised by other states to protect antiquities. The interdisciplinary perspectives and research methods combine a variety of sources at the intersection of archaeology, history, military, social and museum studies. On the whole, research objectives have been achieved: we have now a better understanding on social networks in Sicily’s war context, the role of authorities acting in a state of war and a more detail set information on protection of antiquities to be compared with other European contexts.
In the early stages of the project, we have collected all available and published data on the research themes which were utilised to provide much information on the historical framework and current debate on cultural heritage protection in war contexts. Then, research has been carried out extensively at major archives in Italy (especially in Palermo and Rome) and accessing to online sources (the USA NARA online record catalogue). All records have been traced, copied and arranged in a substantial documentary collection organised by sites and subjects which flow into an open-access, forthcoming book. Documents, pictures and maps tracked down and examined amount to approximately 1,600 units.
The satisfying and promising results obtained by the investigation in archives and data collection confirm that Sicilian archaeological sites, ancient monuments and museums were put at serious risk by military operations. As envisaged at the beginning of the project, research has mainly focused on vital case studies arranged by sites: Agrigento, Cefalù, Palermo and Selinunte. They include a variety of key contexts, as archaeological areas, museums, urban/countryside military construction sites and refuges for fine art objects. It has been demonstrated that the majority of damages, mostly caused by Allied bombing, occurred at urban sites and museums (e.g. in Palermo). Luckily, the most of archaeological collections remained undamaged and intact after having been transferred in safe shelters (like those in Bivona and San Martino delle Scale). The role of local and regional authorities, supervised by the higher Ministry of National Education, was crucial to safeguard and defend cultural heritage. On the whole, it can be inferred that the plans actualised to protect antiquities and museum in Sicily were successful although they had some limitations due to the lack of available funds provided by the national institutions (or limited by the strict war economy). Archival records demonstrate how the relationship between civilian and military authorities was often problematic. The necessity to protect antiquities frequently clashed with the impelling need to defend Italy against the enemy attacks: some sites (as Agrigento) were therefore militarised and the interference of the army was evident.
A major 2-day international conference, Antiquities, Sites and Museums Under Threat: Cultural Heritage and Communities in a State of War (1939-45), has been ‘virtually’ organised in October 2021 at Ghent University due to COVID-19 (that also caused made all research process particularly complex). The conference involved 15 international speakers presenting the cutting-edge research on antiquities at risk in war context and discussing about the most recent perspective in the field.
SICILYWAR has been disseminated to a major website. Dissemination has been carried out at international venues as follows: NIOD (Amsterdam, 03/2020), CAMWS (Birmingham, AL, 05/2020), EAA (Budapest, 08/2020), Accordia Lectures (London, 03/2021), MSA Annual Conference (05/2021) and WHA (Salt Lake City, UT, 07/2021).
Project’s publication outputs include: a) a book: Codename SICILYWAR: Archaeology, Museums and Social Networks Under Threat in Sicily during World War 2 (forthcoming, Archaeopress, open-access); it includes all records traced in archives; b) an edited volume arising from the conference organised in Ghent; c) a theoretical contribution on the ‘4-level’ system in Sicily (EAA Budapest 2020 conference proceedings); d) a peer-reviewed paper on the protection of cultural heritage in Cefalù in the 1940s.
The satisfying and promising results obtained by the investigation in archives and data collection confirm that Sicilian archaeological sites, ancient monuments and museums were put at serious risk by military operations. As envisaged at the beginning of the project, research has mainly focused on vital case studies arranged by sites: Agrigento, Cefalù, Palermo and Selinunte. They include a variety of key contexts, as archaeological areas, museums, urban/countryside military construction sites and refuges for fine art objects. It has been demonstrated that the majority of damages, mostly caused by Allied bombing, occurred at urban sites and museums (e.g. in Palermo). Luckily, the most of archaeological collections remained undamaged and intact after having been transferred in safe shelters (like those in Bivona and San Martino delle Scale). The role of local and regional authorities, supervised by the higher Ministry of National Education, was crucial to safeguard and defend cultural heritage. On the whole, it can be inferred that the plans actualised to protect antiquities and museum in Sicily were successful although they had some limitations due to the lack of available funds provided by the national institutions (or limited by the strict war economy). Archival records demonstrate how the relationship between civilian and military authorities was often problematic. The necessity to protect antiquities frequently clashed with the impelling need to defend Italy against the enemy attacks: some sites (as Agrigento) were therefore militarised and the interference of the army was evident.
A major 2-day international conference, Antiquities, Sites and Museums Under Threat: Cultural Heritage and Communities in a State of War (1939-45), has been ‘virtually’ organised in October 2021 at Ghent University due to COVID-19 (that also caused made all research process particularly complex). The conference involved 15 international speakers presenting the cutting-edge research on antiquities at risk in war context and discussing about the most recent perspective in the field.
SICILYWAR has been disseminated to a major website. Dissemination has been carried out at international venues as follows: NIOD (Amsterdam, 03/2020), CAMWS (Birmingham, AL, 05/2020), EAA (Budapest, 08/2020), Accordia Lectures (London, 03/2021), MSA Annual Conference (05/2021) and WHA (Salt Lake City, UT, 07/2021).
Project’s publication outputs include: a) a book: Codename SICILYWAR: Archaeology, Museums and Social Networks Under Threat in Sicily during World War 2 (forthcoming, Archaeopress, open-access); it includes all records traced in archives; b) an edited volume arising from the conference organised in Ghent; c) a theoretical contribution on the ‘4-level’ system in Sicily (EAA Budapest 2020 conference proceedings); d) a peer-reviewed paper on the protection of cultural heritage in Cefalù in the 1940s.
Past scholarship on cultural heritage studies in war context has previously neglected to assess the main research aims and themes. SICILYWAR has therefore shaped a first-rate, essential case study and model to assess other ‘regional’ or ‘state’ context. It can be profitably used methodologically to carry out complementary projects not only in Italy but also in all Europe. The innovative ‘4-level’ system of social networks analysis which consider the state, regional, local and supernational dimension (including the Allied AMGOT) is fully novel and can be certainly considered a milestone in current scholarship. The study of social networks within the problematic war context generates new research perspectives. The ‘4-level’ system has been fully delineated in a contribution published in the EAA 2020 Budapest conference proceedings.
Other implications of the project can flow into a wide range of potential activities/potentialities originated by the final results. As a stand-along research, it has a great potential for the public interest, especially for those who are interested in World War 2 studies. Materials and data analysis may be profitably used to make dissemination materials including historical documentary on the war, bombing, cultural heritage at risk and Sicilian antiquities. Public bodies may show interest in SICILYWAR, a record of vital episodes on Sicilian centres hit by the conflict, especially in Italy and Sicily where some events will be launched to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the event. This certainly links the project to other past events, like Palermo sotto le bombe (2015), an exhibition held in Palermo for the past war tenth-anniversary. Research can be also utilised by public schools (in Sicily, Italy and beyond) to prepare activities on World War 2 for middle-school or high-school students.
According to a wider perspective, SICILYWAR can be considered an essential case study offering a variety of data on the protection of antiquities at risk which is strictly connected to the current international situation. The impact of war on cultural heritage in warzones (e.g. Afghanistan, Iraqi, Libya, Syria etc.) is an actual, impelling real issue and generated devastating effect on a local scale. Therefore, SICILYWAR offer valuable information on how to protect antiquities identifying past solutions (like the installment of protective devices or the construction of shelters for fine art objects) which can be successfully re-adapt and use in current contexts.
Other implications of the project can flow into a wide range of potential activities/potentialities originated by the final results. As a stand-along research, it has a great potential for the public interest, especially for those who are interested in World War 2 studies. Materials and data analysis may be profitably used to make dissemination materials including historical documentary on the war, bombing, cultural heritage at risk and Sicilian antiquities. Public bodies may show interest in SICILYWAR, a record of vital episodes on Sicilian centres hit by the conflict, especially in Italy and Sicily where some events will be launched to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the event. This certainly links the project to other past events, like Palermo sotto le bombe (2015), an exhibition held in Palermo for the past war tenth-anniversary. Research can be also utilised by public schools (in Sicily, Italy and beyond) to prepare activities on World War 2 for middle-school or high-school students.
According to a wider perspective, SICILYWAR can be considered an essential case study offering a variety of data on the protection of antiquities at risk which is strictly connected to the current international situation. The impact of war on cultural heritage in warzones (e.g. Afghanistan, Iraqi, Libya, Syria etc.) is an actual, impelling real issue and generated devastating effect on a local scale. Therefore, SICILYWAR offer valuable information on how to protect antiquities identifying past solutions (like the installment of protective devices or the construction of shelters for fine art objects) which can be successfully re-adapt and use in current contexts.