RESEARCH is an integrate part of all kind of professional conservation and this discipline constitute therfore an important and indispensable part of our planned activities. An interdisciplinary research project has been outlined by Britt-Inger Johansson, Director of SALT, specialized of creating this kind of research, as well member of SCECH. (SALT, i.e. arts, languages, theology and education has been created at Uppsala University, with a view of faciliating cross disciplinary ventures and internationalisation. Read more: SALT). The object of this research is firstly to throw light upon the historical, art histo-rical, building technical and religious issues related to the church of Debre Selam Mikael, secondly to do this research in a broader context, i.e. the above-mentioned developed program of conservation and education in Ethiopia. A first ambition would be to make a basic inventory of the buildings that will be the subject for conservation. This would take the form of monument mapping where all facts of value will be included, i.e. building: external and internal measurments (also 3D plans); stipulating of buildinghistory, construction and materials; architectural design and architectural details; pictorial art: murals; fixtures; manuscript; ecclesiastical vestments and various sacred objects. According to this sketch this will be documented photographically as well as in writing and be published in scholarly journals as well as in small separate volymes, similar to what has been done as regards presentations of ancient churches of Sweden.

As far as this research has been drafted up till now it is planned to be done in collaboration of Britt-Inger Johansson and Lars Gerdmar and with scholars specialized in architecture and building technique at Chalmers University of Technology (see photograph). As regards the religious part of the study we hope our chairman, Samuel Rubenson, will participate, after he have finished a major research project he for the time beeing directs.

To this we will also invite colleagues in Ethiopia and other countries. The most important academic institutions in Ethiopia will be Mekele University: The Institute of Paleonvironment and Heritage Conservation and its Director, Ato Aklilu Habtu, and The Institute of Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa University (see photographs of these above in mentioned order). The intention of this interdisciplinary study will, besides the scientific value as such, be to make this part of African art and World Heritage better known to the international public and as a spin-off to this promote responsible tourism. The research director will be Britt-Inger Johansson and a co-ordinator be appointed. Learn more: Britt-Inger Johansson – Research Director, Chalmers University of Technolo-gy, The Institute of Ethiopian Studies (IES), Mekele University and: Wikipedias presentation of this university