Kosovan archaeologists struggle to make most of country's riches

(2 Nov 2006)
Halilaq, Southern Kosovo - recent
1. Wide shot pan across site believed to be an ancient town
2. Various of archaeologists working
3. Close up of archaeologist's face as he uses brush
4. Mid shot of two men with a clip board
5. Close up of site map
6. Mid shot of men using tape measure
7. Close of tape measure
8. Close up of engravings on stones
9. SOUNDBITE (Albanian) Fatmir, archaeologist:
"These structures date from antiquity up to the early Byzantine period, so they are from the 4th century B.C. to 6th century A.D. During archaeological excavations we have located numerous artifacts, mostly ceramics."
10. Pan down on site
11. Mid shot of worker in boiler suit
12. Close up of worker using brush on stones
13. Pan across site
Pristina,18 October 2006
14. Chief archaeologist walking through museum
15. Mid shot of terracotta figurine, known as "Goddess on the Throne"
16. SOUNDBITE(Albanian) Kemal Luci, archaeologist
"The position of Kosovo in Balkans is extremely good because it is central and everything joins up at one place, south meets north, north meets south. It is a crossroad in the old Dardania or what is known today as Kosovo. Kosovo is loaded with archaeological sites and findings. Just in the Dukagjini plain (western Kosovo) there are some 540 villages and out of those we have archaeological sites in 370 of them. These are sites dating from the early Neolithic period up to the late Medieval Ages. So I can say that Kosovo is an archaeological treasure not only in the Balkans but in Europe as well".
17. Pan down on figurine
18. Wide shot of museum with Luci in the background
19. Mid shot of figurines
20. Exterior of Kosovo Museum building
21. Close up of "Kosovo Museum"
22. Pan across shot of Izri Gashi at work in museum's basement laboratory
23. Mid shot of artefacts
24. Pan down on clay pot
25. Various Gashi at work on artefacts
26. SOUNDBITE (Albanian) Izri Gashi, conservation expert in museum
"There are so many things that we lack. We don't have the basic equipment for treating the artifacts that we find. We need metal preserving material, infrared equipment to make replicas for the museum, a ceramics oven. These are the most necessary, basic things that we need."
27. Various of bits of engraved stone lying around laboratory
Gracanica - recent
28. Wide shot of medieval monastery in the distance
29. Mid shot exterior of monastery
30. Pan down exterior shot of monastery
Decane - recent
31. Various of NATO peacekeepers guarding Orthodox monastery
32. Various of exterior of Decane monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site
33. Interior shot of monastery
34. Exterior pull focus on monastery cross
Pristina,18 October 2006
35. Close up of Luci's hands as he is talking
36. SOUNDBITE (Albanian) Kemal Luci, archaeologist
"Currently we have fourteen archaeologists in Kosovo. So the number is very small, and most of them they work in Pristina region, that leaves the rest of Kosovo region uncovered. We do need more archaeologists."
37. Various of museum exhibition
LEAD IN:
Archaeologists in Kosovo have recently discovered a site believed to date from the 4th century B.C.
It's one of many similar finds made since the province came under U.N. and NATO control in 1999.
But while the ancient territory might be an interesting historical find, the authorities in the province face obstacles in providing basic funding for the archaeologists.
STORYLINE:
These archaeologists are excited about their latest find.
They believe the site they are excavating in the southern Kosovan village of Halilaq could be nearly 2000 years old.

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