20100527
all africa

Tunis — The Tunisian-French team who are in charge of excavations and researches on the archeological Ammaedara-Haidra site, in the Governorate of Kasserine, were recently awarded the World Archeology Prize by the Simone and Cino Del Duca Foundation's Committee, a charitable foundation based in Paris, France.

Presented on the proposal of the jury chaired by the chairman of the "Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres" Professor Pierre Sylvain Filliorat, this prize is a recognition to a fifteen- year effort which helped conduct studies on a number of monuments on this site including Byzantine churches, thermal baths , roads, pagan and Christian epigraphs, Roman and Moslem ceramics, mosaics, and sculptures.

The excavations were published in two books published by the Rome-based French Institute knowing that a third one is currently in press. The annual excavations on this site have enabled the training of students as well as young Tunisian and French researchers in the archeology sector.

This prize also rewards Tunisia's efforts in archeological research sector and in shedding light on the country's sites, including Ammaedara's which is part of an important presidential project aimed to preserve and enhance it. The Simone and Cino Del Duca aims at fostering scientific research and contribute to the preservation and improvement of cultural heritage in France and abroad.

Originally named Ammaedara, Haïdra located in western Tunisia, is one of the oldest Roman cities in Africa. There are many ruins in the city, some of which include mausoleums, Byzantine fortresses, underground baths, and a church.