Pioneering archaeological project provides hope for preserving West Bank heritage
Reageer (0)Published by University of Leicester Press Office for University of Leicester in Education
20-5-2010
A final-year archaeology student at the University of Leicester is looking for sponsorship to develop a pioneering project in the Palestinian West Bank that will train young archaeologists from the region during the summer months.
The project has attracted the interest of UN agencies in Palestine and New York.
Following an archaeology placement in Israel in 2009, Emma Shaw visited the West Bank, where she felt more could be done for the rich archaeological heritage there. The lack of interest among young people was something she found particularly shocking.
Emma wanted to do something to help and contacted the staff of the Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies, a non-governmental, non profit organisation based in Beit Sahour, Palestine, which aims to create links between Palestinians and people from around the world through educational tourism, interfaith and ecumenical dialogue, culture and youth exchange programmes.
“They run training for 14-17 year olds in all types of skills, and we are going to add an archaeological project to it,” said Emma. We’re going to teach them archaeological skills such as excavation, illustration and heritage protection, as well as taking them to archaeological sites and museums in places like Jericho and Bethlehem.”
Emma’s work will be carried out under the auspices of the Rozana Society from Birzeit University in Ramallah, and may also include opening a museum in Birzeit.
Emma said: “My ideas got a good reception People were really interested and George Rishmawi, a trainee archaeologist with Siraj who works with the Palestinian authorities,has been helping me.
“I’m very excited, it’s a dream come true. My Dad worked with Palestinians and I grew up around Arab cultures. Then last summer I went there and saw things for myself. The neglect of archaeology there really upset me. I would like more young Palestinians to go into archaeology. I want them to get to know their heritage and be empowered by it.”
The project is for three months, though Emma hopes it will become a permanent fixture.
She has received a donation of archaeological equipment from the volunteer organisation, ‘Past Horizons’, and is now looking for funding to get herself and some other Leicester graduates to the West Bank this summer and to support Siraj.
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