Saving Cultural Heritage - Sauvetage du Patrimoine Culturel

This multilingual catalogue was published for the exhibition in Hildesheim on the conservation of cultural heritage in the Mediterranean area, during EXPO 2000 For the first time, the aspect of saving World Cultural Heritage was presented within the framework of this exhibition, which focused on examples of conservation measures, taken from all of the Mediterranean countries. The projects showed exemplary solutions and opened up new perspectives on future international cooperation prospects, centering around the conservation of cultural properties. Germany, the host, began the exhibition with its project in the central room, presenting splendid stained glass from the Johanniskirche (St. John's Church) in Saalfeld. The Mediterranean countries' presentations ranged from the Paleolithic rock engravings of Côa in Portugal to the Tunisian palace of Baron d'Erlanger in Sidi Bou Saïd, which was erected in the early 20th century. Notable monuments such as the famous „Hypogeum“ in Malta, the Dead Sea Scrolls from Qumran in Israel and the frescoes of Assisi, damaged by an earthquake, were presented as examples of current conservation techniques. The methods were illustrated both by precious originals and by valuable replicas. The most extraordinary lime mortar statues of Ain Ghazal in Jordan, dating from the seventh millennium BC, constituted the culminating point of the exhibition.