The ACOR Video Lecture Series provides accessible discussions of new research into the past and present of Jordan and the broader Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean worlds. This video was adapted from the September 2018 public lecture delivered at ACOR by Mr. Franco Sciorilli, a professional conservationist with a focus on mosaic restoration who has worked in Jordan for over 30 years.
About the Lecture:
This lecture was delivered as part of A Memorial Evening for Father Michele Piccirillo (1944–2008), which was convened to honor an Italian archaeologist and conservationist who dedicated much of his life’s work to preserving, restoring, and recording the mosaics of Jordan, on the tenth anniversary of his death. The speaker, Mr. Franco Sciorilli, worked alongside Father Piccirillo on many projects throughout the years. On September 19, 2018, he delivered a presentation on some of the work they conducted together, as well as some of the projects Mr. Sciorilli has worked on following Father Piccirillo’s passing. The presentation contains over one hundred photographs of some of the most stunning mosaics of Jordan and surrounding areas, as Mr. Sciorilli’s voice-over explains their significance and the efforts undertaken to restore and protect these works of art.
Elsewhere on our blog, you can find the adapted text of another presentation given that evening, reflections on Father Michele Piccirillo’s life written and delivered by Father Rosario Pieri, Dean of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum.
About the Lecturer:
Mr. Franco Sciorilli studied at Sapienza University of Rome. He is an Italian restorer who came to Jordan in 1994 to work with Father Piccirillo as part of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum mission. Their efforts concentrated on Mt. Nebo and the Madaba region but included mosaic restoration projects elsewhere, including Alexandria in Egypt, Hisham’s Palace in Jericho as well as in Syria. His presentation will focus on the 30 year legacy of mosaic restoration work undertaken by Father Piccirillo. In May 2016, Franco was awarded the Onorificenza dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Knight of Italian Star) for his efforts in cultural heritage preservation.
