The Transformative Power of the Copy

This volume offers a fresh perspective on the copy and the practice of copying, two topics that, while the focus of much academic discussion in recent decades, have been underrepresented in the discourse on transculturality. Here, experts from a wide range of academic disciplines present their views on the copy from a transcultural perspective, seeking not to define the copy uniformly, but to reveal its dynamic and transformative power. The copy and the practice of copying are thus presented as constituents of transculturality via thought-provoking contributions on topics spanning time periods from antiquity to the present, and regions from Asia to Europe. In so doing, these contributions aim to create the basis for a novel, interdisciplinary discourse on the copy and its transcultural impact throughout history

Communicating the Past in the Digital Age: Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Methods in Teaching and Learning in Archaeology (12-13 October 2018)

Recent developments in the field of archaeology are not only progressing archaeological fieldwork but also changing the way we practise and present archaeology today. As these digital technologies are being used more and more every day on excavations or in museums, this also means that we must change the way we approach teaching and communicating archaeology as a discipline. This volume presents the outcome of a two-day international symposium on digital methods in teaching and learning in archaeology held at the University of Cologne in October 2018. Specialists from around the world share their views on the newest developments in the field of archaeology and the way we teach these with the help of archaeogaming, augmented and virtual reality, 3D reconstruction and many more

The Transformative Power of the Copy

This volume offers a fresh perspective on the copy and the practice of copying, two topics that, while the focus of much academic discussion in recent decades, have been underrepresented in the discourse on transculturality. Here, experts from a wide range of academic disciplines present their views on the copy from a transcultural perspective, seeking not to define the copy uniformly, but to reveal its dynamic and transformative power. The copy and the practice of copying are thus presented as constituents of transculturality via thought-provoking contributions on topics spanning time periods from antiquity to the present, and regions from Asia to Europe. In so doing, these contributions aim to create the basis for a novel, interdisciplinary discourse on the copy and its transcultural impact throughout history

Evaluating the Cultural Heritage and landscape of Quseir - Qift Road: with a special focus on the gold mines and greywacke quarries

The study is divided into two parts preceded by an introduction and entailed by a conclusion as follows: Part I: Archaeological Survey of Quseir – Qift road This part is divided into two chapters surveying the road and the ports flanking the road between the Nile and the Red Sea. Chapter I: sheds the light on the hydreumata along the Quseir (Myos Hormos) - Qift (Coptos) road which are: Bir Nakhil, Dawwi, Bir Sayyala, Bir al Hamara, Al – Zarqa (Maximianon), Bir Fawakhir (Persou II), Bir Hammamat (Persou I), El Muwayh “Krokodilo” and Qusur El Banat. Chapter II: deals with the ancient port network between the Nile and the Red Sea due to the importance of the Myos Hormos road in the ancient times as the shortest road linking the Nile port of Coptos (Qift) with the Red Sea port of Myos Hormos (Quseir) in addition to the role played by the ancient port of Saww (Mersa Gawasis) from the Pharaonic Perod till the 2nd century AD. Part II: Cultural Heritage Values of the Quseir - Qift road This part is divided into three chapters underlining the different heritage values along the Coptos – Myos Hormos road. Chapter III: underlines the gold mines and the value of gold in Ancient Egypt, the evolution of gold extraction in Bir Umm Fawakhir along the different historical phases from the Pre - dynastic period till the Ptolemaic and Roman – Byzantine era and the impact of this activity on creating the settlement that was once inhabited by the miners. Chapter IV: studies the greywacke (Bekhen stone) quarries and the development of quarrying techniques through the analysis of the numerous inscriptions left by the members of the various expeditions sent to extract this stone in the greywacke mountain of Wadi Hammamat. These textual evidences helped in rendering the various Quarrying phases starting with the Extraction process upon the arrival to the quarry till the Transportation towards the destination on the Nile valley passing by the Logistics that once regulated the work of large - numbered expeditions in the desert such as the distribution of goods, food and other necessities for the workers and the water supply in addition to the cultic and the religious aspects of the region. Chapter V: represents the valorization of the heritage value of Coptos – Myos Hormos road through elaborating a number of arguments related to the life of the road that forms a pass towards the realization of a desert road archaeology study. This part of the study includes some proposed ideas towards the ideal use of the potentials of the surveyed areas from the tourism point of view promoting new itineraries and developing projects that may participate as a possible a solution due to the recent status of tourism in Egypt

Cities as Palimpsests?

The metaphor of the palimpsest has been increasingly invoked to conceptualize cities with deep, living pasts. This volume seeks to think through, and beyond, the logic of the palimpsest, asking whether this fashionable trope slyly forces us to see contradiction where local inhabitants saw (and see) none, to impose distinctions that satisfy our own assumptions about historical periodization and cultural practice, but which bear little relation to the experience of ancient, medieval or early modern persons. Spanning the period from Constantine’s foundation of a New Rome in the fourth century to the contemporary aftermath of the Lebanese civil war, this book integrates perspectives from scholars typically separated by the disciplinary boundaries of late antique, Islamic, medieval, Byzantine, Ottoman and modern Middle Eastern studies, but whose work is united by their study of a region characterized by resilience rather than rupture. The volume includes an introduction and eighteen contributions from historians, archaeologists and art historians who explore the historical and cultural complexity of eastern Mediterranean cities. The authors highlight the effects of the multiple antiquities imagined and experienced by persons and groups who for generations made these cities home, and also by travelers and other observers who passed through them. The independent case studies are bound together by a shared concern to understand the many ways in which the cities’ pasts live on in their presents

Jewish Life and Culture in Germany after 1945

How was the re-emerging Jewish religious practice after 1945 shaped by traditions before the Shoah? To what extent was it influenced by new inspirations through migration and new cultural contacts? By analysing objects like prayer books, musical instruments, Torah scrolls, audio documents and synagogue rooms, this volume shows how the post-war communities created new Jewish musical, architectural and artistic forms while abiding by the tradition

Cities as Palimpsests?

The metaphor of the palimpsest has been increasingly invoked to conceptualize cities with deep, living pasts. This volume seeks to think through, and beyond, the logic of the palimpsest, asking whether this fashionable trope slyly forces us to see contradiction where local inhabitants saw (and see) none, to impose distinctions that satisfy our own assumptions about historical periodization and cultural practice, but which bear little relation to the experience of ancient, medieval or early modern persons. Spanning the period from Constantine’s foundation of a New Rome in the fourth century to the contemporary aftermath of the Lebanese civil war, this book integrates perspectives from scholars typically separated by the disciplinary boundaries of late antique, Islamic, medieval, Byzantine, Ottoman and modern Middle Eastern studies, but whose work is united by their study of a region characterized by resilience rather than rupture. The volume includes an introduction and eighteen contributions from historians, archaeologists and art historians who explore the historical and cultural complexity of eastern Mediterranean cities. The authors highlight the effects of the multiple antiquities imagined and experienced by persons and groups who for generations made these cities home, and also by travelers and other observers who passed through them. The independent case studies are bound together by a shared concern to understand the many ways in which the cities’ pasts live on in their presents

Syria's Monuments

Syria's Monuments: their Survival and Destruction examines the fate of the various monuments in Syria (including present-day Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine/Israel) from Late Antiquity to the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century. It examines travellers’ accounts, mainly from the 17th to 19th centuries, which describe religious buildings and housing in numbers and quality unknown elsewhere. The book charts the reasons why monuments lived or died, varying from earthquakes and desertification to neglect and re-use, and sets the political and social context for the Empire’s transformation toward a modern state, provoked by Western trade and example. An epilogue assesses the impact of the recent civil war on the state of the monuments, and strategies for their resurrection, with plentiful references and web links

Jewish Life and Culture in Germany after 1945

How was the re-emerging Jewish religious practice after 1945 shaped by traditions before the Shoah? To what extent was it influenced by new inspirations through migration and new cultural contacts? By analysing objects like prayer books, musical instruments, Torah scrolls, audio documents and synagogue rooms, this volume shows how the post-war communities created new Jewish musical, architectural and artistic forms while abiding by the tradition

Strategies for reconstructing and restructuring of museums in post-war places (National Museum of Aleppo as a Model)

This research presents the status of Syrian museums during the conflict from destruction to protection efforts, with proposals for post-war reconstruction, focusing in particular on Aleppo national museum as a model. Since the situation of Syria after the war is yet unknown; therefore, it is uncertain which direction will be followed in rebuilding damaged museums in Syria. Whether there will be enough financial resources to build a new museum or to only use the current buildings and reconstruct them. This thesis aims to create strategies for reconstructing and restructuring of Aleppo national museum - so they are ready in case of any decision- in post-war times. The first chapter begins with the definition, importance of the museum and the history of the archaeological museums in Syria. In chapter 2, I described the status of Syrian museums during the conflict with a focus on museum damage such as shells, clashes damage, armed attack, looting, theft, and terrorism. In addition to presenting, the protection measures taken by the Directorate General of Antiquities & Museums, non-governmental organizations, and international efforts. At the end of this chapter, the damage to the houses of the archaeological missions has been explained. In chapter 3, I presented the National Museum of Aleppo as a model. This chapter begins by explaining the history of the museum and an overview of its contents before the war (sections, halls, gardens, and museum storages). In addition, the museum situation was presented during the conflict, risk types and threats, destruction and damage, protection measures (Documentation, transfer of removable objects, protection of the immovable objects and the difficulties in protection efforts). At the end of this chapter, the results of protection efforts during the conflict have been presented. Chapter 4, I focused on the future of the Aleppo Museum after the war. It begins to explain the importance of having strategies in reconstructing and restructuring. This chapter also is to take advantage of previous experience of the museums, which have a similar situation of neighbouring countries such as, Beirut museum, Iraqi museum of Baghdad, and the national museum of Afghanistan. Moreover, lessons to be learnt from the modern museums in Switzerland (Antikenmuseum Basel, museum Rietberg in Zurich and Bernisches Historisches Museum), and in other countries through its ongoing visit and interviews with its officials. In chapter 5, I presented the restructuring scenario in the same building. At first, I presented the previous errors committed at the national museum of Aleppo before the conflict. As well as, I made suggestions for the restructuring of human resources in the museum by analyzing the status of museum staff before and during the conflict, with an emphasis on the need to prepare a good team for the reconstruction phase such as museum Director, Directors of museum sections, technical sections, department of museum development, security and guarding. In this context, I explained some examples of activities conducted by the University of Bern and UNESCO for Syrian colleagues. In this chapter, proposals were made for a New Permanent Exhibition at the museum, where the chronological order will be preserved. Section of Prehistoric, Near Eastern Antiquities, Classical, Arab-Islamic, and Modern art. The halls have been redistributed from the prehistoric section to modern art. In addition, proposals were made to open new galleries in the museum, such as Aleppo museum during the war, achievements of the prehistoric humans in the Neolithic period in prehistoric section; Hall of Aleppo during the ages, Tell Umm el-Marra hall, and rescue excavations hall in Near Eastern Antiquities section, etc. Most of the museum collections were studied to provide the artefacts in the halls with the necessary explanations. In chapter 6, I presented a preliminary plan of a new Museum of Aleppo inspired by the plan of one of the historical buildings in Aleppo, as the second scenario in the reconstruction and restructuring phase. With a Suggestion of a parallel exhibition in the museum beside the permanent exhibition according to a thematical order. This would be more modern to show historical development and traditions throughout the periods. In chapter 7, I explained the relationship between the museum and the community with a focus on the importance of participation of all in the reconstruction and restructuring of the heritage after the war, where heritage facilities, such as museums, can be utilized to raise the public awareness of the importance and value of this heritage as well as to promote a community's ownership of this cultural heritage. Besides, I presented the museum as an educational centre because heritage education is a necessity and can be accomplished through museums, schools, and community projects. In the postwar period, it will be necessary to activate the educational role of the museum through various activities. For example, a radical change in museum exhibitions, in particular, the explanations, information, and the stories told by those artefacts; organize the relationship between the museum and the school; use of modern technologies; workshops and various activities; temporary exhibitions and museum publications. In chapter 8, the conclusions (Identify strategies), it contains a summary of the six strategies for reconstruction and restructuring of the National Museum of Aleppo as the results of this thesis