Editorial

Head of Achilles; detail from the Achilles Mosaic, Kourion.
“Lessons learned: Reflecting on the theory and
practice of mosaic conservation”.
A total of 45 papers, 25 posters and three video
films were presented, reflecting on theory, practice
and decision-making processes related to
mosaic conservation. The papers also addressed
how these processes have changed over the
last 30 years, and what has been learned on
issues such as training, sheltering, reburial, treatments,
lifting and relaying, documentation,
maintenance, presentation and site management.
The conference had nearly 300 participants
from 30 different countries, the largest since
the founding of the ICCM. A significant number
of participants came from Arab-speaking
countries, including Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria,
Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine
and Turkey.
Two papers dealt with Cypriot issues. The first,
by Demetrios Michaelides, Professor of Classical
Archaeology at the University of Cyprus,
in collaboration with the archaeologist Niki
Savvides gave a historical overview of the
shelters constructed since the 1930s over the
Annex of Eustolios at Kourion, and discussed
the effectiveness of the current shelters, in terms
of conservation, interpretation and presentation.
As they have stated in their paper, their
intention was not to criticize the authorities
responsible for the shelters, but to warn of the
negative consequences which might result in
irreversible damages to the archaeological remains
in case of unplanned interventions without a
long-term perspective.
The site of Kourion is one of the most important
archaeological sites of Cyprus. Most of the
monuments one sees today on the acropolis
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