Five archaeological discoveries compete for 2021 International Archaeological Discovery Award
The Paestum Archaeological Exchange has revealed the five major archaeological finds of 2021 that are contenders for the eighth International Archaeological Discovery Award. The announcement of the winner will take place on October 28, 2022, during the XXIV Mediterranean Archaeological Tourism Exchange, scheduled from October 27 to 30. The competing discoveries are: the slave room located in the Villa of Civita Giuliana at Pompeii; the city established by Amenhotep III in Luxor, Egypt; an urban Buddhist temple in Pakistan; a mosaic illustrating scenes from the Iliad in the UK; and a rock sanctuary at Karahantepe, Turkey. Ugo Picarelli presented the finalists. The Egyptian city, uncovered by Zahi Hawass's team, is noted as the largest ever found in Egypt, alongside other significant artifacts and structures that shed light on ancient civilizations.
Key facts
- Five archaeological discoveries compete for the eighth International Archaeological Discovery Award.
- The award is dedicated to Khaled al-Asaad, an archaeologist killed for defending Palmyra.
- Winner announced October 28, 2022, at the XXIV Mediterranean Archaeological Tourism Exchange in Paestum.
- A Special Award will be given to the discovery with the most Facebook likes from July to September.
- The Egyptian city at Luxor was discovered by Zahi Hawass's team near Amenhotep III's palace.
- The slave room at Pompeii contains three wooden beds and personal objects, preserved by the 79 AD eruption.
- The Buddhist temple in Barikot, Pakistan, dates to the 2nd century BC or earlier.
- The Karahantepe sanctuary in Turkey has a 23-meter-diameter chamber with phallic pillars.
- The Roman mosaic in the UK is the first in England with Iliad scenes.
- The mosaic was found by Jim Irvine in 2020 and excavated by the University of Leicester.
Entities
Artists
- Zahi Hawass
- Luca Maria Olivieri
- Necmi Karul
- John Thomas
- David Neal
- Jim Irvine
- Ugo Picarelli
- Khaled al-Asaad
Institutions
- Paestum Archaeological Exchange
- Mediterranean Archaeological Tourism Exchange
- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
- Parco Archeologico di Pompei
- ISMEO
- Italian Mission in Pakistan
- Ca' Foscari University of Venice
- University of Istanbul
- University of Leicester
- Leicestershire County Council
- Historic England
- Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England
- School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester
Locations
- Paestum
- Italy
- Civita Giuliana
- Pompeii
- Luxor
- Egypt
- Barikot
- Swat Valley
- Pakistan
- Karahantepe
- Kargalı
- Tek Tek Mountains National Park
- Turkey
- Göbeklitepe
- East Midlands
- United Kingdom
- Tebe
- Nile
- Şanlıurfa
- Vajrasthana