Regional Archaeological Project "Land of Ninive" (LoNAP)
Research
Regional Archaeological Project "Land of Ninive" (LoNAP)
Funders: University of Udine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Fondazione Friuli, Aliph Foundation, Gerda Henkel Stiftung, Ministry of University and Scientific Research, AICS (Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development), Lab GIS of University Roma Tre, ArcheoCrowd, 3DTarget and 3Dflow
Scientific Director: Prof. Daniele Morandi Bonacossi
Research Unit: Prof. Daniele Morandi Bonacossi, Prof. Marco Iamoni, Dr. Francesca Simi, Dr. Alberto Savioli
Website: Land of Niniveh Archaeological Project
The Land of Niniveh Archaeological Project (LoNAP) is a multi- and interdisciplinary project carried out by the Department of Humanistic Studies and Cultural Heritage of the University of Udine since 2012 in the Governatorate of Duhok (Iraqi Kurdistan). The project was developed with the aim of investigating the formation and transformation of a still unexplored archaeological landscape in Upper Mesopotamia.
LoNAP intends to study a large portion of the Kurdish territory (the area covers ca. 3000 km2) throught the use of various investigation techniques (photo interpretation and remote sensing, intensive and extensive surface collections, geoarchaeological surveys, sampling for soil analysis, arcaheological excavations).
In 10 years of work, the team of DIUM was able to identifiy, document and analyse over 1140 archaeological sites. This allowed the reconstruction of settlement and exploitation patterns within the territory over a very long period, from Prehistory to the Ottoman times.
However, in addition to the territorial surveys, LoNAP was also dedicated to the protection of an endangered cultural heritage – first of all through a cooperation project with the Directorate General of Antiquities of Duhok (supported by the AICS – Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development), with the purpose of educating local archaeologists and of drawing up a detailed project for the creation of an Archeaeological and Environmental Park which will protect and promote a monumental archaeological complex, unparalleled in the whole Iraq. The hydraulic system of Sennacherib with its monuments (the Jerwan aqueduct and the channels) and the great rock reliefs of Maltai, Faideh, Shiru Maliktha and Khinis are indeed the focus of the team activity, which, since 2012, is working on their conservation, promotion and musealisation.
