(Jun 1) A sensational discovery with an Italian signature: the Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage. At Qusayr Amra, a UNESCO World Heritage site 85 kilometers east of Amman, the Italian team has brought to light an inscription with the name of the Umayyad prince who commissioned the construction of the small building. The inscription, which previously could not be read due to accumulated dirt and previous unsuccessful cleaning attempts, is an invocation to Allah beginning with the formula “Allahumma aslih al-Walid ibn Yazîd” (“Oh God! Make al-Walîd ibn Yazîd virtuous”). This inscription was painted in white above a window in old Kufic alphabet without any diacritical dots. This discovery confirms the expertise and the high profile of the Italian team, who is getting exceptional results working in challenging technical conditions. (9colonne)
