UNDER THE SHELTER:PROBLEMS IN PRESENTING
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES TO THE PUBLIC.
Nino Sulfaro
UniversitàdegliStudidiMessina,DICIEAMA, ninosulfaro@hotmail.com
ABSTRACT
Sheltering or enclosing a site within a new structure is often considered an advantageous measure in
preserving archaeological remains and making them accessible to the public. But what happens under the
shelter?Whatarethebestmeasurestopresentanarchaeologicalsitetothepublic?
The experiences gained by the author at the site of Hierapolis of Phrygia (Turkey) are a starting point from
which to examine the wide range of problems encountered in presenting archaeological remains and
excavated areas, such as communicating survey data or managing multi-period evidence. In the light of these
issues, the paper aims at proposing reflections on the effectiveness of some current approaches, by reference
to recent international examples. In particular, the author outlines how the physical appearance of sites is
crucial to visitor involvement with archaeology. For this reason, in some cases, the use of Information and
Communication Technology has been a fundamental aid, having grown rapidly in the last decade,
particularlyinvirtualreconstruction.
However, in spite of this intangible approach, in cases where quantity and dimensions of fragments removed
from stratigraphic excavation are significant, partial anastylosis still seems to be the more followed practice.
In other cases, some presentation techniques propose reversible reconstructions with the aim to create an
evocativerepresentationofancientbuildingvolumes..
Key-words: anastylosis,archaeology,communication,conservation,presentation