Mosaic Conservation Course (MCC) 2017 is a project born from a collaboration with the Jordan Department of Antiquities, the Libya Department of Antiquities, and the Institut National du Patrimoine of Tunisia (INP). It is part of MOSAIKON, an international initiative aiming to strengthen local capacity for the conservation and management of mosaics in the Mediterranean region. The institutions that take part in the project are the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), the Getty Foundation, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics (ICCM).
MCC 2017 was part of the specialization phase of the MCC program oriented to Jordan, Libya, and Tunisia. Four permanent employees of the Jordanian Department of Antiquities, three of the Libyan Department of Antiquities and three of the Institute National du Patrimoine of Tunisia participated to MCC 2017.
Thousands of square meters of mosaic fragments re-layed on reinforced concrete in danger of being lost, spread all over the participating countries as well of exposed and never maintained in-situ mosaics represent the major challenge for the daily professional life of the MCC participants. MCC 2017 was designed to consolidate their professional profile, to enlarge their technical skills in order to acquire the capabilities to carry out conservation interventions on mosaics presenting high levels of technical difficulties.
The course was structured in two modules of three weeks plus one week and ran between the April 3rd to May 21st 2017.
The course took place at CCA’s headquarters in Belmonte in Sabina, Rieti. It was based on a combination of theoretical lessons, practical work in the laboratories and field work. The curriculum was integrated by workshops held by specialists and group discussions.
Fragments of a Roman mosaic relayed on reinforced concrete coming from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, were chosen for the laboratory activities in order to expose participants to highly difficult operations, new procedures of conservation using new tools.
Field work was carried out on a mosaic never maintained, not protected by a roof, since the time of the archaeological excavation, in the Roman Villa of Caesar and Massenzio in San Cesareo, Rome.
See more on MOSAIKON initiative: 
on the Getty Foundation website
on the GCI website
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