As the Unesco World Heritage Committee continues in Riyadh, experts in AlUla have been discussing the difficult balance between international collaboration in archaeology and avoiding cultural bias.
During a panel session at the inaugural AlUla World Archaeology Summit, Khaled Melliti, a historian with France's National Centre for Scientific Research, said: “Archaeologists should think of their own identities as well as those of the sites they are excavating or studying.”
Emanuelle Papi, director of the Italian School of Archaeology in Athens, added that contemporary archaeologists have tended to view the past through “the eyes of their own time”. He offered the example of the historical importance given to Rome’s Imperial era, seen as the cornerstone of Italian national identity. As a result, he said, archaeologists would overlook precious relics from the Middle Ages and Byzantine and Renaissance eras during excavations of Roman ruins.
Melliti cited another example, where after the 2010-2011 uprising, archaeologists “discovered the existence of a republic beneath the Tunisian soil”.
In light of inherent cultural biases, panellists highlighted the importance of working with local communities. Maritime archaeologist Lucy Semaan said she always talks to local fishermen to find out more about the local fish and aquatic zones – an approach that can be broadened out to other archaeological projects.
Robert Hoyland, professor of Late Antique and Early Islamic Middle Eastern History at New York University, recounted how during his first archaeological expedition in Syria, he told a local shopkeeper that he was working on a Roman town. The shopkeeper replied: “No, you’re excavating an Arab town of the Roman period.”
Organised by the Royal Commission for AlUla, the summit has seen more than 300 delegates travel to north-west Saudi Arabia from 39 countries to discuss how to promote archaeology on a global level.
During the event, RCU chief executive Amr AlMadani reiterated AlUla’s commitment to sustainable tourism. “Our project isn’t about leveraging heritage to attract visitors. It’s about leveraging visitors to sustain heritage,” AlMadani said.
During the event, the commission signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Antiquities Association to promote research and community participation in antiquities and cultural heritage. The agreement, signed by Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, executive director of archaeology, conservation, and collections at RCU, and Hassa AlSudairy, chief executive of the Antiquities Association, makes RCU the association’s first official partner.
Both parties will commit to training Saudi archaeologists, encourage participation from residents and visitors, support research and introduce digital measures to enhance antiquities.
Alsuhaibani said: “It is appropriate that this agreement is signed at the inaugural AlUla World Archaeology Summit, a leading platform for leveraging archaeology to benefit the broader society.
“We look forward to pursuing innovation, digitalisation, and community engagement with the Antiquities Association,” he added.
AlSudairy said: “Having been trained in archaeology myself, and having visited AlUla many times, it is an honour to have RCU as the first official partner of the Antiquities Association.
“The association is focused on digitalisation, sharing research knowledge, and nurturing the young women and men who are the future of Saudi archaeology – and the agreement with RCU furthers all those objectives.”
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
5pm: Sweihan – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Shamakh, Fernando Jara (jockey), Jean-Claude Picout (trainer)
5.30pm: Al Shamkha – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Daad, Dane O’Neill, Jaber Bittar
6pm: Shakbout City – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Ghayyar, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Gold Silver, Sandro Paiva, Ibrahim Aseel
7pm: Masdar City – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Khalifa City – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Ranchero, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
