We received
and gladly publish the article of the eminents Professors
Roberto Buongarzone and Stefano De Angeli - University of Tuscia
– who make researches on Draining Water Channels (qanat) in
Farafra Oasis, promoting archeological survey in the area linked
to our Egyptian-Italian Environmental Cooperation Programme.
The archaeological survey of Farafra Oasis, as a better
understanding of man’s secular labour to subtract productive
areas to the desert.
In range of the research project Draining Water Channels (qanat)
in Antiquity (DWCA), granted by the Italian Ministry of
Environment and by the University of Tuscia of
Viterbo (Italy), and mainly aimed in studying the introduction
and diffusion of this water technique in Egypt and,
subsequently, in North Africa (Libya, Tunisia and Algeria) in
ancient time, University of Tuscia is promoting archaeological
survey in Farafra oasis, in order to go on to an exhaustive
reconnaissance of attestations related to qanat in the
oasis.
It’s well-known that Bahariya and el-Kharga
(object of archaeological analysis made up by IFAO team and
Czech research missions),
are the oasis where the widest material presences of ancient
qanat (starting from Persian period) are attested. However,
the oasis of Farafra, as a result of our research, has returned
numerous traces of ancient qanat, till now completely
unknown.
Using GIS technology, the general purpose of the research is to
get to a complete plan of these attestations, of those ones that
we’ve identified by means of satellite imagery, as well as other
ones observables during the field work.
Preliminary investigations, based on satellite images and on
Soviet cartography (1.100000, 1972), enabled us to recognize
several qanats in Farafra oasis, in the territory of Ayn
Gillaw and Qasr el Farafra. Here a number of qanat, in
relationship with the near oasis, has been recognized, in
connection with ancient ceramic findings.
The detailed purposes of the research are:
-
charting all the identified qanats;
-
analysing qanats and their surrounding areas, in order
to investigate the relations existing between hydraulic
structures and geomorphologic-topographic aspects, and to
comprehend the forms of ancient and recent anthropization in
the whole area;
-
identifying the draining part of each channel, coinciding with
the first part that penetrates into hydrogeological levels;
-
identifying the adductive part, that gets to the point of
water distribution in agricultural areas;
-
analysing the traces – if there are – of field divisions, for
a better understanding of the ancient irrigation system.
This type of research will allow to get a complete map of the
hydraulic systems in this small area, a necessary step to
understand the development of the oasis and of its human
community, in order to get a wider picture of man’s secular
labour to subtract productive areas to the desert.
Starting from the site cited (Ayn Gillaw and Qasr el Farafra),
the survey will focus its attention on some specific areas -
considered extremely relevant - following up the research based
on satellite images - conducting a census of all manawars,
mapping them with symbols and making a catalogue, underlining in
case their relations with bordering ancient settlements.
In
particular in the area of Ayn Gillaw, 5 km south of Qasr el-Farafra,
we can observe a greater concentration of those which we might
define "micro-systems" of single independent oases, not large,
served by individual qanat.
In at least two cases the satellite images allow to highlight an
oasis with a single qanat. Close to the oasis, traces of
a small rural settlement seem visible.
This approach, even if preliminary, will represent the point of
departure for a following elaboration of a final archaeological
and environmental map, that will become an essential instrument
to define the shape of the peopling of the oasis in ancient to
modern time and to identify elements of fracture, persistence or
expansion in a perspective of long duration.
The knowledge of these water systems is therefore an essential
prerequisite for their full value as important historical and
cultural assets of desert areas in North Africa and particularly
in the Egyptian Western Sahara.
This enhancement will encourage a more conscious conservation
activity of those water bodies that are threatened by
ever-widening expansion of the cultivated areas in the Oasis of
Farafra, as a result of massive and uncontrolled exploitation of
"fossil waters" (a resource for several decades yet available,
but destined to run out soon as a non-renewable). This
phenomenon is gradually changing the ancient landscape of the
oasis, characterized for centuries by the visible presence of
wells connected to qanat and numerous small oases
connected to them.
Meanwhile a better knowledge of these water systems will allow
their full evaluation as a valid economic resource in the
context of possible projects of reuse of these ancient
techniques, especially taking into account the fact that the
traditional knowledge in the field of water management, and more
specifically, the testimonies of traditional water bodies and
their innovative use or reuse, are now considered by
international organizations (UNESCO, UNCCD, etc.) as a key
factor for development.
Prof. Roberto Buongarzone
Prof. Stefano De Angeli
 
Workshop
“LIFP – Lessons Learned and Future Perspectives”
Rome, 3rd July 2009
Monday 28th
April 2008
"Sham
El Nessim Day"
Egypt Spring Festival
 Since the Age
of Pharaoh’s Egyptians celebrate the starting of spring season; this day
is called “Sham El Nessim “ . It falls immediately
on the first Monday following the
Coptic Easter.
In this day Wadi El- Rayan
Protected Area receives a huge numbers of Egyptian visitors to enjoy the
clear weather and great landscape view.
 They
gather in the visitor’s area swimming in the lake and enjoying
“Waterfalls area”.
 Wadi El-Rayan
administration took all the necessary measures for this day in order to
protect the area from any violation and ensure safety to the visitors.
The Protected Area Rangers and the Police Force made a great effort in
defining the visiting borders with guiding signs and organizing the huge
number of visitors.
January 21st- 31st
Solid Waste Management in
El Minya:
Mission of Italian Experts
A
technical mission was carried out between January 21st- 31st by the
Italian Engineers Marco Falcetta and Alberto Biondini. Its objectives
were the execution, in conjunction with the national team, of
preliminary joint field surveys, the definition of key attributes for
the characterisation of both dumpsites and each waste collection point
in the main city of each Markaz.
The mission was also aimed to finalize
the detailed assessment of Solid Waste Management practices in Minya
Governorate and to elaborate the related ToRs for the deployment of both
International and National Technical Assistance. A visit was also
conducted to the composting plants of Zawet Sultan and Mallawi
23th January 2006
NCS Workshop on Management effectiveness
A
workshop on management effectiveness for the Protected Areas
Management was held in Cairo on the 22nd and 23rd
January 2006 organized, facilitated and funded
jointly by the
Capacity Building and Institutional Support to
Nature Conservation Sector and the Biodiversity Assessment and
Monitoring projects. Both projects, belonging to the Nature Conservation
Sector (NCS) of the EEAA, are financed by the Italian Cooperation and
the Italian Debt Swap funds.
Purpose of Workshop
The purpose of the workshop was to enable NCS staff to undertake a rapid
assessment of the overall management effectiveness of Egypt’s system of
protected areas, through the application of the specific assessment
tools that have been developed for this purpose, the Rapid Assessment
and Prioritization of Protected Area Management (RAPPAM) Methodology.
It
was the first time that Egypt’s protected areas has been evaluated on a
systematic and consistent manner allowing the NCS to a better understand
and an improved dealing with the important management issues at a system
level.
The workshop was very successful and well attended with 78 participants
registering for the first day and 65 registering on the second day (some
NCS HQ staff were not required on the second day). All the protected
areas in Egypt were represented with the exception of the Nile Islands!
The participants were enthusiastic about the process as it allowed them
to address and debate many common issues in a systematic manner.
Preliminary results of the analysis of the some of the responses to the
RAPPAM questionnaire were presented in the final session of the
workshop. Though very preliminary these immediate results gave the
participants an opportunity to appreciate the value and the implications
of the exercise.
The analysis of the
responses will be completed this week and a detailed report of the
workshop will be prepared – including the presentations. The exercise
was a rapid assessment for the protected area system as a whole and the
next step will be a detailed assessment of the management effectiveness
of individual protected areas.
It is
anticipated that the ME assessments will lead to:
-
Improve the public awareness
- Add
to the knowledge base of the Protected Areas
-
Improve the conservation effectiveness
-
Improve decision support on a system wide and individual PA basis
- Raise
political understanding and support and improve the profile of NCS
-
Strengthen partnerships for participation:
-
Increase the institutional culture for evaluation
17th January 2006
Solid Waste Management in
El Minya
The second workshop, of
a series of nine to be conducted, was successfully held in Minya on
January 17th, 2006. All nine Chairmen of the Markazes took
part to the event, which was chaired by H.E The Governor, General
Fouad Saad El-din. Personnel of the nine established satellite offices
participated also in the workshop, along with prominent Officials from
the Governorate and the Italian Coordinator of the Program Coordination
Unit of the EIECP. Local press, radio and television covered the event.
The main objective of
the workshop was to present the current situation of solid waste
management practices in the Governorate, as analyzed from
a comprehensive survey coordinated by the project. The exercise aimed to
better understand the problems and identify viable solutions.
Presentations on project concept design and plans
facilitated the discussions, which were open minded, various, and
constructive.
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