An integrated methodology for the documentation and protection of cultural heritage in the MENA region: a case study from Libya and Tunisia

Abstract

This paper presents the methodology and overall outcomes from the Training in Action project (TinA), funded by the British Council's Cultural Protection Fund between 2017 and 2019, which has built capacity among 72 employees of the Department of Antiquities of Libya (DoA) and the Institut National du Patrimoine de Tunisie (INP). It highlights the integrated and comprehensive nature of the training based on an innovative approach designed to increase value and impact. The integrated methodology, combining documentation, conservation and management, serves as a reproducible and sustainable model for other capacity-building projects. TinA was developed and carried out collaboratively by academics at Durham University, King's College London and University College London, and in partnership with the DoA and INP.

The Cyrenaica Coastal Survey Project: Documenting Endangered Maritime Heritage in Libya

“…On a local level, raising awareness among the general public about the value of their own cultural heritage is of paramount concern (Abdulkariem 2013 ; Leone et al 2020 ). With a rising population, housing is in short supply and, therefore, private individuals build houses where there is space, without permission or archaeological assessment of the area and, in the process, are destroying and damaging sites (Abdulkariem and Bennett 2014 ; Emrage 2015 ; Hesein 2015 ; Bennett 2018 ; Abdrbba 2019 ).…”

“…Over the past five years, many Libyan archaeologists have received high level capacity-building courses in the fields of documentation, protection, and management of archaeological sites. These projects, which have been funded and directed by various international institutions, have contributed to develop and raise the capabilities of Libyan archaeologists, especially in the use of modern methodologies and techniques (Kane et al 2017 ; Mugnai et al 2017 ; Nikolaus et al 2018 , 2019 ; Hobson 2019 ; Leone et al 2020 ). This is important as Libyan archaeologists increasingly gain the capacity and tools to slowly take control of the documentation and management of their own heritage, as well as the production of reports, site narratives, and databases.…”

“… Opportunities for university students and members of the DoA to take part in local underwater training excavations and terrestrial coastal surveys. Here, knowledge gained from previous trainings that took place in Tunisia (Hobson 2019 ; Leone et al 2020 ) could be passed on. …”

The impact of coastal erosion on the archaeology of the Cyrenaican coast of Eastern Libya

“…A maritime unit was finally established in 2017, but capacity is still relatively low. Over recent years, many foreign missions have successfully focused on capacity building in Libya [103][104][105][106][107], but maritime skills have yet to be developed further. Due to the urgency of the situation along the coast caused by coastal erosion, such capacity building, together with documentation projects, must be at the top of the agenda.…”

Survey Archaeology in the Mediterranean World: Regional Traditions and Contributions to Long-Term History

“…We also highlight the need for contemporary perspectives. Building inroads between academic archaeology and cultural heritage management is an obvious starting point, as seen in recent work in North Africa and the Middle East (e.g., Leone et al 2020). Recent work has also emphasized the effects of industrial pasts on present landscapes, for example, at Wadi Faynan, Jordan, or Rio Tinto, Spain (Barker et al 2007;Pardo Abad 2017).…”