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After more than a century of intense archaeological research in Greece and the broader Mediterranean region, we are witnessing the alarming deterioration of built heritage. The increasing corpus of at-risk archaeological contexts has led to a growing consensus that excavators have a responsibility for the conservation and protection of their sites. As a result, the responsible governmental agencies have introduced legislation targeting the conservation and protection of the sites under excavation. In Greece, the most recent revision of the Archaeological Law in 2002 declared the director of the excavation responsible for the protection of the site, the stabilization and conservation of the finds, in-situ if possible, and the restoration of the architecture when necessary (Law 3028/2002, on the Protection of Antiquities and of the Cultural Heritage as a Whole, Article 36.8). Excavators are requested to submit detailed reports on the outcome of their research as well as their actions and future plans for the conservation of the site. According to the law, they are further expected to contribute to the management of the site and its presentation to the public when possible. On the occasion of the completion of the master conservation plans for the archaeological sites of Mochlos (plan above) and Azoria (image below), this presentation outlines the main elements of the proposals and the actions which excavators should take in the early stages of their field programs in order to develop a comprehensive conservation plan.

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