Saving Mosaics in Museums of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean
A specialized course for museum professionals in the region

Dates: 10 - 28 October 2010 

Place: Damascus, Syria

Course partners

• ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property)
• Getty Foundation
• General Directorate for Antiquities and Museums, Syria

MOSAIKON partners

• ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property)
• ICCM International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics
• GCI Getty Conservation Institute
• Getty Foundation

Background
While mosaics are naturally part of archaeological sites, over the last 100 years, many have been lifted and moved into archaeological depots, museum storage and displays. Such collections are not fully inventoried, lack of proper documentation and suffer ongoing deterioration processes which could lead to their loss. Furthermore, lack of adequate or sufficient storage furniture and poor storage management limit access to the collections. In museum displays or outdoor exhibits, lifted mosaics are also at threat, due to inappropriate re-mounting, building deterioration, weathering agents and visitors’ impact.

Why and how mosaics became part of a museum collection? What is their vulnerability? How to create the best conditions for their preservation? How to improve their presentation to the visitors and engage the community in the preservation effort? This course will offer an opportunity to discuss these issues and to gain knowledge and skills in the conservation and management of these important cultural resources.  

Objectives
At the end of the course participants will be able to develop and implement a plan of action to improve the conservation and presentation of the mosaic collections in their museums. They will form an active professional network to exchange ideas and advice and to contribute in the long term to the safeguard of the mosaics in the region.

Methodology
The course is an intensive programme combining presentations, group work, case studies and study visits. Time will be allocated for independent consultation with the course team members to develop plans of actions for the specific museums.

Participants
The course is open to 22 professionals from Eastern and Southern Mediterranean, who among their responsibilities, are in charge of the day-to-day management of mosaic collections in museum exhibitions, storage or archaeological depots. They are curators, conservators, collections managers, archaeologists, art historians, architects, and site managers in charge of site museums. The course will also interest educators and professionals who may be involved in teaching collection management and preventive conservation of mosaics.

Lecturers
Senior staff from MOSAIKON partner institutions and associated professionals.

Working language
The course is fully bilingual: Arabic and English. A good knowledge of either one or the other language is essential for the benefit of the individual participant and for the course as a whole.

Travel, accommodation and living expenses
Participants will be responsible for their round trip travel costs to Damascus. Accommodation and meals will be offered by the course organizers. ICCROM may be able to offer a limited number of travel grants to selected candidates who have been unable to secure funding.

Applications
Please use the application form available on the ICCROM web site. Applications should be endorsed by the relevant ministry (Ministry of Culture or Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities) in the candidate’s home country. The completed forms should be sent to the following address:

ICCROM - Collections Unit
Via di San Michele 13
00153 Rome
Italy
Email: mosaikon2010 (at) iccrom . org

Important: Together with the application form, each candidate must submit a brief statement (500 words) on the mosaic collections they are responsible for, as well as on their interest and experience with mosaics and museums.

Application deadline: 13 June 2010