Famous Italian archeologist dies in Syria at excavation site

Ministry of Culture expressed deep sadness over death of the Italian archeologist Professor Paolo Emilio Pecorella, Director of the Italian archeological team who died Monday while working at Tell Barri site in the northeastern governorate of Hasaka.

Late Prof. Pecorella was checking the work of his team in the southern side of the site when he slipped and fell headlong into an excavation hole.

Assistant Culture Minister for Archeological Affairs, Abdul Razzak Muaaz, said with the death of Prof. Pecorella, Syria has lost one of its most prominent friends who had worked as head of the Italian team at Tell Barri since 1980 in this significant place of al-Jazira area in Syria.

Muaaz pointed out to the Syrian-Italian close relations in the field of archeology and antiquities, adding that Biccorla's team and that of his countryman Prof. Paolo Matthie in Ebla have been working in Syria for a long in those two sites.

Local authorities in Hasaka governorate, with the cooperation of the Italian embassy in Damascus, handed over the body of late Italian Professor to deputy Head of the Italian team before moving him back to Italy.

A mass was held Tuesday morning for the rest of his soul at the Church of Armenian Catholics in the city of Qamishli with the attendance of members of the community and the staff of archeological teams in the area.

Late Pecorella had worked in the site since 1980, and was behind the discovery of significant findings dating back to the Acadian, Babylon and Assyrian as well as late Roman periods.