| Visit the Mosaic center and shop: See the traditional Palestinian mosaic work while made on site, learn about the story of the place from one of the managers and pick up a souvenir from the shop’s collection.
The Mosaic Centre in Jericho was established in 2000 as part of the “Requalification and Valorisation of the Tourist and Archaeological Resources of Qasr Hisham” project, funded by the Italian Cooperation and administered by the Italian NGO Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS), in cooperation with the Palestinian Department of Antiquities (Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities), under the scientific supervision of Prof. Michele Piccirillo of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum. The main objective was to train specialized personnel in all aspects of mosaic production, with particular attention to ancient mosaics conservation. The project conducted activities of training for a group of students in mosaic production, conservation and preservation; developing new applications in mosaic art and craftsmanship; on-the-job training on the Bath Hall mosaic of Hisham’s Palace. The course schedule was focused on conservation of ancient mosaics, a composition of new mosaics and copies from ancient mosaics. The training process, which lasted three years, ended at the end of 2003. Since then, some of the trainees have established the Mosaic Centre Jericho, as a branch of the Committee for the Promotion of Tourism in the Governorate of Jericho, where to put in practice their skill as conservators and mosaicists. They are now able to realize copies of ancient and new artifacts. The Mosaic Centre is not only a handcraft laboratory, which produces and sell new mosaics in Palestine and abroad but also a cultural promotion and training center. Throughout its projects, the Mosaic Centre aims at raising awareness among people about Palestinian cultural heritage and fostering the participation of local communities in the protection and promotion of Palestinian cultural and natural resources. The mosaic production is carried out with traditional methods and equipment, originated from Roman times. Tesserae are manually cut, one by one, from local colored stones. The stones are found in Jericho and neighboring regions.
Telephone : +970 2 2326342 Telefax : +970 2 2326342 Email : mosaiccentre@yahoo.com
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