American University to begin restoration of mausoleum in Turkmenistan
Representatives of the National Administration of Turkmenistan for the Protection, Study and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Monuments and the State Museum of the Country held a meeting with colleagues from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
During the negotiations, the parties discussed the implementation of the project awarded a grant under the program "Ambassador's Fund for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage" (AFCP).
The preservation of the mausoleum of Hudaynazar-ovliya, dating back to the XII century, will be the key task of specialists from the University of Texas at San Antonio, consisting of Professor William Dupont, Dr. Angela Lombardi and Sarah Rodriguez-Jimeno.
In their speeches, they noted the importance of Turkmenistan's heritage, in particular the inclusion of "Ancient Merv" in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
According to Professor William Dupont, in order to preserve the mausoleum, restoration work and monitoring of the condition of the structure will be carried out, as well as measures to strengthen the foundation, replace damaged stones will be considered.
— We have already visited the historical and cultural park, which is located near Bayramaly. During the two-day visit, we got acquainted with the staff of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve "Ancient Merv", who are qualified specialists in their field," Professor William Dupont told ORIENT correspondent. - The object itself is an amazing place. Our main task will be the preservation of raw bricks. This is a time-consuming job that requires deep expertise, which will be handled by a special group.
In addition, experts intend to establish humidity and temperature control systems to prevent further destruction of the historical site.
During the visit to the State Museum of Turkmenistan, representatives of the University of Texas at San Antonio held a presentation introducing the excavations previously carried out by a team of its specialists in various historical and cultural parks of the world. At the end of the event, the sides exchanged views on further cooperation.
A large delegation is expected to arrive in May to continue work on the preservation of the mausoleum of Hudaynazar-ovliya.
The Ambassador's Fund for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage is a grant program established by the State Department at the request of the American Congress, which since 2001 has supported more than 1,000 projects for the preservation of cultural heritage in more than 130 countries around the world. The grant for the preservation of the mausoleum of Hudaynazar-ovliya was the 29th awarded to Turkmenistan.
Artur PETROSYANTS
