11past horizons and wide ramp. Where the ramp intersected the wall, the foundations of a small tower were unearthed. But as we followed the ramp to the south, uphill, we came across a large threshold with a square socket hole, probably for a beam of a lock socket to secure a double gate. We were on a threshold ( literally), but a threshold to what? The answer to that question has to wait until 2009 because what lies beyond the threshold is presently beneath two metres of dirt. We believe that the ramp is no ordinary paved street because all along the ramp we found roof tiles, indicating that it was a roofed incline leading to undoubtedly a very special building. Our excavation showed that the " ramp- building" was destroyed well before the fi nal days of Bylazora in the second century BC. We found two strata of " squatter" habitations within the ruins of what we did uncover of the " ramp- building." The abundant pottery from the earliest squatter stratum dates to the fourth century BC, meaning that the ramp- building had to have been built and destroyed before that date. In one area of the dig we did come across evidence of the last days of this city. Inside the northern defensive wall more evidence was unearthed of fl imsy squatter huts built up against the wall itself. But all these remains show the signs of having perished in an immense confl agration: thick ash deposits, burnt pottery, and masses of burnt mudbrick. Were these what the last inhabitants left behind them when their beloved city and last redoubt went up in fl ames? Eulah M. Matthews and William Neidinger are the project directors for the Bylazora International Field School. F or its International Field School and Excavations in FYROM, TFAHR accepts students, teachers and volunteers from all over the world. Applicants must be 18 years of age and speak English. No experience is required. The 2009 excavation season at Bylazora will take place in June and July, 2009. The aim of the annual TFAHR International Field School is to teach the archaeological process from actual excavating to artefact analysis, restoration and documentation. There are also occasional evening lectures and field trips to other archaeological sites in FYROM. No university credit is offered. Information and applications will be posted on the TFAHR website in January 2009: www. tfahr. org ? Ancient sources discuss the strategic position of Bylazora, Inner defensive wall ( over one metre wide)

past horizons12 The cultural traditions of Lamu Island, a town off the coast of Kenya, are a blend of African and Arab heritage dating to the 12th century when Arab traders travelled south and created Swahili city states. Despite being protected to some extent by the town's designation as a World Heritage Site, many traditional arts and crafts, including building arts, are fading into obscurity as they are no longer being handed down from one generation to the next. Kenya The core of Lamu's beauty is its stone buildings, set along streets rarely more than eight feet wide. The close proximity of the stone walls cools the air and blocks the sun's rays. This city core was the focus of a study by the Kenyan government in 1972. The recommendation was to gazette the old town as a protected area and institute a conservation plan to develop it as both a cultural site and a tourist destination. The town was declared a national monument in 1980 and added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 2001. Despite these measures, Lamu's distinctive building traditions remain fragile, and the Lamu World Heritage Site and Conservation Office is implementing a number of programmes to raise awareness of such traditions and keep them alive. One such initiative is a workshop in conjunction with Heritage Conservation Network, a US non- profit organization that supports community- driven heritage conservation efforts around the world. This hands- on building conservation workshop, entitled Re- Discovering the Soul of Swahili Tradition: Conservation of Swahili- Style Stone House, is scheduled for February 8- 21, 2009. It will bring people from throughout the region to work on a coral rag building, one of the few remaining historic residences within Lamu Old Town still owned and occupied by a local family. The two- week workshop will address the principles of coral rag building, along with timber window and door restoration and the manufacture, slaking and preparation of lime. Re- discovering the Soul of Swahili Tradition The workshop is open to the general public as well, providing an opportunity to immerse oneself in the island's culture and traditions, which include dhows ( traditional sailing vessels), calligraphy, and the sewing of traditional hats, while helping restore the building. By Jamie Donahoe