“The stones speak” is a common catchphrase among those who dedicate their lives to Archaeology. However, what people usually say after visiting an archaeological site is something very different. Together with gestures of tiredness or disappointment, one can hear: we have seen nothing but “a pile of stones”! And the word “pile” is usually pronounced emphatically.
There are two reasons for this. The main one is that archaeological remains hardly preserve the appearance or monumentality of the original constructions. Most of the time, these ruins do not even let us imagine the intention behind their construction, their function or what they enclosed. The second, and no less relevant, is the absence of adequate explanatory onsite guides and itineraries. When you do have these resources, it is a matter of concern to find that they in no way replace the people who can communicate and explain in person what we can see in front of us.
