Un monumento antico, il famoso Diolco, tramite il quale navi venivano trasportate per terra da una parte alla altra dell' Istmo di Corinto in Grecia, si trova attualmente in stato di rovina. Alcuni mesi fa una petizione è stata aperta per salvarlo dal rischio di erosione. Riceviamo ora questo aggiornamento da Sofia Loverdou: Dear friends, conscience about the diolkos case is rising in the town of Loutraki (to which the Diolkos belongs administratively), as the details of a scandal are coming to the light. At the end of 2002 the Central Archaeological Council refrained from giving permission for the construction of a marina for boats about half a mile away from Diolkos, presumably because of its effects on the monument. Local rumours speak about a scandal because: 1. This deliberation was given around the time in which the marina - which was one of the obbligations of the local Casino Company - should have been ready (instead the works had never started, so the CAS deliberation came as a very convenient "rescue" of the Casino Company). 2. Both before as well as after this deliberation, in November 2002, NO service of the Ministry took any care of the monument (so actually the Central Archaeological Council stopped the construction of the marina while the actual responsibility for permitting the destruction of Diolkos belongs to the Ministry itself). 3. While presumably caring for Diolkos, the Ministry of Culture has NEVER imposed anything to the Canal Company which has been tearing down the monument for some decades now... (on the contrary, in 1985, with the monument already heavily eroded, it even came into an "understanding" to "forget" an obbligation of the Canal Company for a study of conservation for Diolkos!) After a very tiny operation for supporting 3-4 stones of the long erosion front at the beginning of March, no further action has been taken... so the monument still needs all the support it can get. The petition (for which the Prime Minister's Office is regularly notified) has already been signed by more than 2,700 concerned citizens from 58 countries. If you haven't signed yet, we invite you to do so at www.thepetitionsite.comtakeaction870477005 We keep track ot the latest developments ON the monument at the Hellenic Electronic Center's site, www.greece.org:8080opencmsopencmsHECProjectsDIOLKOS Between the sites which have hosted the Diolkos' story, you can see the italian site of www.koinarcheo.orgpatrimoniodasalvare.htm as well as a 2-page article in greek, at www.greekarchitects.grindex.php?maincat8newid890 Sofia Loverdou Freelance science journalist