{"id":3982,"date":"2015-12-07T17:30:48","date_gmt":"2015-12-07T16:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tarragonaexperience.com\/2015\/12\/07\/joan-perroni-archaeological-excavation-assistant-in-rome-the-aqueducte-de-les-ferreres-todays-parc-ecohistoric-used-to-be-my-playground-as-a-kid\/"},"modified":"2015-12-07T17:30:48","modified_gmt":"2015-12-07T16:30:48","slug":"joan-perroni-archaeological-excavation-assistant-in-rome-the-aqueducte-de-les-ferreres-todays-parc-ecohistoric-used-to-be-my-playground-as-a-kid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tarragonaexperience.com\/en\/2015\/12\/07\/joan-perroni-archaeological-excavation-assistant-in-rome-the-aqueducte-de-les-ferreres-todays-parc-ecohistoric-used-to-be-my-playground-as-a-kid\/","title":{"rendered":"Joan Perroni, archaeological excavation assistant in Rome: \u201cThe Aq\u00fceducte de les Ferreres, today\u2019s Parc Ecohist\u00f2ric, used to be my playground as a kid\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Joan<\/a><\/p>\n

Joan Perroni<\/strong> is a man born in Tarragona who has lived, for years, on his particular diaspora in Rome<\/strong>, T\u00e0rraco<\/strong>\u2019s mother. There, Joan<\/strong> does what he loves the most: working as an archaeological excavation assistant in the most timeless and monumental city there is. If constructors in Tarragona<\/strong> complain every time a rock unveils a Roman ruin underneath, imagine what happens in Rome<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n

Joan<\/strong> \u2013who trained in the Taller de l\u2019Escola d\u2019Aqueologia<\/strong> (TED\u2019A<\/strong>), located back then inside the Antic Escorxador<\/strong> building, home today of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili<\/strong> headquarters\u2013 really longs for Tarragona<\/strong>: its dimensions, its quietness, its natural light, friends and family, the castells (aka human towers)\u2026 This is why Joan<\/strong> tries to visit T\u00e0rraco<\/strong> as often as possible and spend a few days \u2013usually, not enough to his taste\u2013 with his family. <\/p>\n

When we presented him with the opportunity to shows us his most beloved personal spots in Tarragona<\/strong>, we reckon he gave us the final yes thanks to yet another short break he had planned to the city. Would you like to know about his three photographs? Do come in.<\/p>\n

\"Aq\u00fceducte<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve chosen the Aq\u00fceducte de Ferreres<\/strong>, also known as Pont del Diable<\/strong>, because I\u2019m a kind of Tarragona<\/strong> suburb citizen, I\u2019m from Sant Pere i Sant Pau<\/strong> to be more specific. And so, what today is known as a Parc Ecohist\u00f2ric<\/strong> (Eco-historical Park<\/strong>), used to be my playground as a child, one of my favourite areas to play and walk around. What I see now as ruins and remains were a kind of theme park back then. We used to play at Mas de l\u2019\u00c0ngel<\/strong> and Pont del Diable<\/strong> quite often. It is a truly amazing piece of work, one that, to me, should draw a lot of attention. When I was a child, I felt incredibly tiny when staring at it or standing anywhere near it. I used to think about the colossal effort put in building it, so that they could transport and channel water. This is a symbol of our city, and that\u2019s why I\u2019ve picked it<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Baixada<\/a><\/p>\n

Tarragona<\/strong> and Joan Perroni<\/strong> exude the Roman world at all times. Thus, the second location he provided has a lot to do with T\u00e0rraco\u2019s past. \u201cThe point where Carrer Major<\/strong> and Baixada de Miseric\u00f2rdia<\/strong> meet is very special to me because this is one of the first excavations on which I took part, at Pizzeria Pulvinar<\/strong> in particular. In here, we find an access staircase once joining the Roman Circus<\/strong> and the Provincial Forum<\/strong>. Well, this access is still very alive these days. I love to walk up the Baixada de Miseric\u00f2rdia<\/strong> and, just where it meets the Carrer Major<\/strong>, stare at the Cathedral<\/strong>. I really get the impression of this still being a very current area,\u00a1 even after so many years. Besides, I love the fact that it is home for many celebrations throughout the year and that it has become specially symbolic as it welcomes the so-called Walking Pillars<\/strong> on La Merc\u00e8<\/strong>\u2019s day<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Antic<\/a><\/p>\n

#lamevaTarragona<\/strong> (my Tarragona), as Joan Perroni<\/strong> reckons, is a sort of connecting thread between the past and the present, the old and the modern, and one that works as a sort of linking point between a number of different locations in the city and his personal and work life. We also see this in the case of the third spot he\u2019s provided. \u201cThe photograph you can see shows the Antic Escorxador<\/strong> building, today the Universitat Rovira i Virgili<\/strong> vice-chancellor\u2019s office building, but once \u2013over twenty-five years ago\u2013 and for three years, the Escola Arqueologia<\/strong>\u2019s headquarters (TED\u2019A<\/strong>). Here\u2019s where I trained as an archaeology assistant. From this point, we used to go to the different monuments and urgent digs, and so this is a place I love because it reminds me of an amazing period where I learnt the job and met a lot of great and nice people<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Joan<\/a><\/p>\n

We say goodbye to Joan<\/strong> at the stretch of wall located behind the Antic Escorxador<\/strong> building, just by the old TED\u2019A<\/strong>, \u201cwhich to me symbolises the birthplace of the archaeology of Tarragona<\/strong>, of today\u2019s archaeology of Tarragona. I think TED\u2019A<\/strong> set the basis for the restoration of the city\u2019s archaeological patrimony and the resulting proclamation of the World Heritage Tarragona<\/strong>. It might sound a bit exaggerated, but I reckon it happened more or less like this. Here\u2019s where I grew as a professional, and that\u2019s why I\u2019ve got it deep in my heart<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Joan Perroni is very active in the social networks, with a personal profile on Facebook<\/a><\/strong>, Twitter<\/a><\/strong> and Instagram<\/a><\/strong>, where he tells us about his job in Rome<\/strong>, his beloved and yearned Tarragona<\/strong> and the country. <\/p>\n