Activities of the Italian archaeological mission in Iraqi Kurdistan: a preliminary report

The Italian Archaeological Mission in Iraqi Kurdistan (MAIKI) of Sapienza University of Rome aims to study thehistorical, linguistic and cultural development of the Kurdish region. MAIKI activities are focused on the study of the archaeological stratigraphy of the Erbil Citadel and the Sasanian monument of Paikuli and its surroundings. The present article introduces the MAIKI research projects in these sites, themethodologies, themain problems and thepreliminary results obtained so far. Regarding the Erbil Citadel, MAIKI is involved, together with the High Commission for the Erbil Citadel (HCECR), in the study of the archaeological stratigraphy of the Erbil Citadel through the analysis of recent geophysical surveys and the study of the archaeological materials from the excavations carried out by the HCECR. Concerning Paikuli, the study of the site and its bilingual inscription has been flanked by the compilation of a new archaeological map of the surroundings of the Sasanian monument along the highway that links the cities of Darbandikhan and Chamchamal. Moreover, new ethnographic research aimed at studying the religious heritage of the region and a topographic study of the surveyed area have been launched. The analysis of aerial and satellite imagery, the field-walk campaigns and the study of the collected archaeological finds have provided us with significant data for the understanding of the history of the landscape and the settlements in the area. These researches will hopefully play a major role in enhancing the efforts to safeguard and protect the Cultural Heritage of the areas.