Training activities for staff of the Butrint Archaeological Park

In agreement with the archaeologists of the Butrint Archaeological Park, numerous training activities for the Park's maintenance staff were conducted during the excavation campaigns. Thanks to the involvement of experts from the University of Bologna and the Institute of Archaeology in Tirana, the Park's operators are trained in the use of environmentally sustainable and reversible methodologies for the consolidation and restoration of the ancient structures in the Park.

The stages of consolidation activities first involve a thorough cleaning of the wall crests and the application of a biocide to limit the growth of plant pests. After this, protective sheeting was applied. On top of these sheets, so-called 'sacrificial surfaces' are made, which serve to protect the underlying structures. For the creation of the 'sacrificial surfaces', a mixture of lime mortar and river gravel without soluble salts and sand is used. 

The skills acquired by operators are first tested on structures found during the archaeological excavations carried out by the Butrint Project on the Acropolis, and later applied in the rest of the Archaeological Park.