September marks the kick-off of the first archaeological campaign of the project “Heritage from Below. Drežnica: Traces and Memories 1941-1945”, co-coordinated by Xurxo Ayán, together with Sanja Horvatinčić of the Institute of Art History of Zagreb and Rui Gomes Coelho of the University of Lisbon.

This is an interdisciplinary heritage study, focused on the Croatian region of Drežnica, an important stage for the partisans during World War II, with many traces left in the landscape. The aim of the project is to locate and document the camps of the partisans and refugee camps that were built in the region – mainly used by civilians but also by British military and other allies with missions behind the lines.

This study is part of Xurxo Ayán’s line of research on the archaeology of partisan resistance in World War II, as are examples of the work he is developing on the anti-fascist guerrilla movement in Trás-os-Montes. Like in the project Adegas da Memória, the team seeks to develop new methodological approaches to cultural heritage, with the involvement of the local community.