http://arch-lab.ku.edu.tr/Amuq_Valley_Workshop
So,(in the absence of any interesting life news since I have been cooped up in a library, school office or a coffee shop for the past month and a half) I am posting my talk and presentation with all the lovely pictures.
enjoy:)
Tell
Atchana, Tell Tayinat and the Archaeological Park Project:
A
Cultural Heritage Perspective on Presenting Archaeology
Emily Arauz,
Koç University
23 March, 2012
[TITLE
SLIDE] First of all, I would like to thank Murat and Cigdem, not only for
organizing this conference but also for their personal support in my research
as well as for encouraging me to present today. Also, thank you to my advisor,
Prof. Aslihan Yener, who welcomed my participation in the project and has very
patiently supported my ideas and answered my many questions throughout the
process.
So, we have heard a great deal
about the archaeological and scientific research being conducted at the ongoing
excavations at Tell Atchana, yesterday, and Tell Tayinat, this morning. In my
presentation I would like to provide another perspective from the field of
cultural heritage management, which places these sites within the context of
the modern day landscape, so not just understanding how they were in antiquity
but especially focusing on how they exist today.
Firstly, a project has been initiated
by Prof. Yener and Prof. Harrison to develop an Amuq Settlements Archaeological
Park in order to conceptually, visually and legally connect the two sites of
Tell Tayinat and Tell Atchana as well as to officially open the sites to the
public. [SLIDE]
These sites and the history of
the excavations have been discussed to great length, so I don’t want to go into
detail, but just to recognize that these two sites have both an ancient and a modern
history which strengthens their value in the field of archaeology and in the
development of the cultural identity of the Hatay province. There are layers of
history which need to be considered in the planning process, what was there in
antiquity, what was found and was still remaining to be viewed in the early 20th
century and what we can see and what is being excavated today [SLIDE - ATCHANA] [SLIDE-TAYINAT].
The architect for the project,
Selin Maner, [SLIDE] has designed
and proposed plans which have been approved by the local Kurul Board and the
Ministry in Ankara, including a protective structure at each site [SLIDE] and visitor paths through the
remains [SLIDE].
Another
aspect of the project is the restoration of Sir Leonard Woolley’s Expedition
House at Tell Atchana [SLIDE],
located within the legally protected, 1st and 3rd degree
boundaries on the mound, the conservation of this building is an immediate
concern. The existence of this building and its location means that an
additional proposal or approval for the construction of an off-site building is
not necessary. And the origin and
history of the building and its original user lends itself well towards the
development of an onsite learning center, especially focusing on presenting
information about the historic excavations conducted at Atchana by one of the
most famous British archaeologists in the early 20th century.
Comprehensive
and professional conservation plans for both sites will be the next step for
extending the usage of these two sites beyond historic and scientific
objectives so that the sustained existence of the remains from the prior
excavations is ensured, otherwise there will be nothing to present to the
visitors which would make planning for any additional amenities and facilities obsolete.
The recent funding from Kaplan, mentioned by Prof. Yener yesterday, will
hopefully help in achieving these immediate goals and needs.
* * *
My part in the project has focused on
the cultural heritage aspect of managing such a project. By researching theories,
practices and methods utilized at other sites in Turkey and abroad, as well as
understanding international standards set by organizations such as UNESCO and
the World Heritage Centre, my work has taken on the structure of a preliminary
study for a Management Plan for Alalakh and the Archaeological Park Project. A
Management Plan is a document that facilitates the integration of all
development projects, methods, definitions, interpretations and values of the
site as well as a comprehensive review of all previous, present and future objectives
for a site.
This research has mainly focused
on the management and development planning at Tell Atchana, however, because
the final objective of the project is one Archaeological Park, many of the
objectives, needs and planning must be considered for both Tell Tayinat and
Tell Atchana in conjunction as well as a view towards including any other sites
in the valley deemed appropriate in the future planning process.
So
today, since this is an archaeology conference and not a cultural heritage
conference, I want to present why this particular perspective is important and
what exactly the field of cultural heritage management contributes to the
management of an archaeological site. And within that context I will address
how I have been attempting to incorporate these ideas into the planning process
for Tell Atchana, and, when possible, to also extend the planning to include
Tell Tayinat and the Amuq Settlements Archaeological Park Project.
* * *
So, one of the first things to recognize
about the management and development of an archaeological site is how its
presentation is different from the presentation of a single object. The context
[SLIDE], in this case the outdoor
setting of an excavated site, automatically gives the visitor’s experience a
value of authenticity [CLICK].
The people visiting a site have the added benefit of sound, smell and touch, in
addition to sight [CLICK].
Especially at ongoing excavations such as Tell Tayinat and Tell Atchana, people
have the opportunity to see the archaeological process in action [CLICK] [SLIDE] which then contributes to their understanding of how the
objects in the museums, have been found and how the experts were able to interpret
them.
[SLIDE]
Through the addition of visitor paths with viewing platforms, visitors are
given unequaled access to these ancient remains. And by remaining true to the
original experience, meaning, by constructing the modern paths through the ancient
hallways and up the stairs of the original structures, the ancient experience can
then be reconstructed. So, just as you may reconstruct an ancient building, we
can also attempt to reconstruct the spatial experience [CLICK] through the careful arrangement of visitor paths.
* * *
The narrative [CLICK] is then created
through paying close attention to the placement of the panels along these
designated paths and throughout the ancient remains. The visitor needs to be
drawn in so the information must be built up gradually, like writing a story. The
placement of the information panels throughout the site, along with the text
and images, must be comprehensively planned in order to contribute to and to develop
the overall narrative. Each panel should not be planned individually to only
provide information about one space, but instead, the information needs to be
integrated, so that each panel works together and supports the next panel along
the path so in the end they create one narrative.
The text chosen for the panels
must also allow for the reader to approach the information with their own
notions, prior knowledge and understanding. And because the on-site experience
is different, so too must the text be prepared and presented differently. In
order to recognize the active relationship between the expert writer, the
informational text, and the visitor who is reading the panel it is important to
identify the targeted audience, and to allow for more open-ended
interpretations. Especially in the case where the archaeological information and
interpretations may be edited or adapted as new information comes to light, the
text presented should reflect this ambiguity inherent in the archaeological process. One method is to include questions that are left
unanswered, which will create an active dialogue between the absent
archaeologist and the present visitor. Also, the use of more informal,
conversational language, imitating the tone of a tour-guide has been used by
some site managers to reflect this desire to include the visitor in the process
of discovery and interpretation.
* * *
Also, in line with conceptually
developing the Archaeological Park Project, looking beyond the presentation of
the remains on site and because these sites did not develop or exist in
isolation, it is important for the visitors to also be made aware and for them
to understand the surrounding landscape and setting of the site. And
this can be achieved through the installation of vantage points [CLICK].
These areas allow for visitors to place the historic mound within a physical
context. For example, at Tell Atchana and Tell Tayinat, it is important for
visitors to understand the relationship of the settlements within the landscape
of the Amuq Valley, with the Amanus Mountain range to the North and the course
of the Orontes River connecting the valley to Mediterranean. Especially with
the developing research on how these two sites interacted and how the
settlements may have even migrated between the two mounds, it is essential that
visitors on the mound visually and conceptually understand this relationship within
the environmental setting. This level of comprehension would not be as
available or clear if simply presented on a panel inside a gallery. But by
standing on one mound and viewing the other mound [SLIDE – view of mounds from each site], across the modern highway
where the course of the Orontes River once flowed, the viewer is then able to
geographically contextualize the development and interaction of these ancient
settlements.
* * *
The next issue then is the idea of Value-led
planning [SLIDE], which is a theme that is often discussed by experts
in the field and used as a declared methodology and an objective in planning
projects.
So,
what Value-led planning means is, in order to expand the practical approach of
conservation planning, where the objective is to preserve the physical remains,
that a site manager should also focus on and conceptualize the process as preserving
the values embedded in those architectural remains and within the whole site.
This then encourages a more bottom-up approach to the planning process by
recognizing and accentuating the significance and values of the site which may
be lost in the planning process had a more top-down approach been taken.
* * *
This value-led planning approach is
greatly affected by the development of a multi-vocal method [SLIDE]. In line with the recent trends
in archaeological research and interpretation (as we have seen in this
conference), so too does the field of heritage and site management greatly
benefit through the inclusion of interdisciplinary and multi-originated
planning constituents. Different stakeholders identify different values in the
site. And in order to ensure a comprehensive, value-led approach all
stakeholders and their values must be recognized and given a voice in the
planning process. The site manager cannot be expected to foresee or recognize all
the necessary values of their site.
* * *
Stemming from the method of value-led
planning and the need for multi-vocality in the planning process, one of the
values of the site that must be recognized and preserved is the value
which the local community can contribute [SLIDE]. And, to this end, one of the most important issues in
heritage and site management today is the development of Community Outreach
programs [CLICK].
At Atchana [CLICK] there are two main villages that have an invested interest
in the excavations at Alalakh and the development of the site [SLIDE]: Tayfursökmen, the village in
which the excavation compound is located, and Varışlı, which is located on the
mound of Tell Atchana and within the legally protected boundaries.
One
of the unique aspects about the current excavations at Atchana, which Murat
mentioned yesterday, and which have utilized local community members’
expertise, and thus facilitated a more dynamic interaction between community
members and the research team, have been the numerous experimental archaeology
projects [SLIDE] including a wattle
and daub structure, a roofed tandır (tandoor),
a domed pottery kiln and a mud brick building built to test the effects of fire
[SLIDE]. Future projects on-site are being considered and
include a possible reconstruction project of a Bronze Age structure. These projects and the
involvement of the local residents should be done not only to use their local
knowledge of mud brick building but also to share with them and fuel their
interest in the history of their ancient neighbors and to allow them to
contribute to an active dialogue.
[SLIDE] During the 2011 Excavation Season a further step towards
community outreach was taken when it became apparent that more active planning
was needed in order to integrate the local communities into the planning
process. I organized two voluntary, mound tours [CLICK]as a preliminary and immediately available choice, one for
the women from Tayfursökmen and one for the excavation workmen from both
Tayfursökmen and Varışlı.
Before
the tours were conducted brief questionnaires were written in order to gather
basic information about the background of the families living in the villages,
the relationship of the individuals with the excavation project and their
understanding and perspective on the history of the site and the archaeological
process.
The invitation for the women’s
tour was first extended to the women who worked at the excavation compound as
pottery and bone washers, cooks and the zooarchaeology assistant. They were
then invited to extend the invite to other women from Tayfursokmen as well as
any daughters who were interested in attending the mound tour; about fifteen women and
children attended [SLIDE]. After two of my Turkish classmates, Müge Bulu
and Gonca Dardeniz, facilitated the pre-tour questionnaire process the tour
members were driven to the site, down the road. Prof. Aslihan Yener introduced
the history of Alalakh and the excavations and then led the tour through Area 1
and 4. Then one of the student archaeologists, Lily Caldwell, and Muge,
continued the tour in Area 3 [SLIDE].
After the tour, an informal feedback session was held to gather any suggestions
or comments on the tour and the future development project.
The
second tour was organized specifically for the workmen from the excavations at
Alalakh and was scheduled outside of the working hours [SLIDE]. Though many of the workmen had been excavating at Alalakh
since the beginning of the current excavations, this was the first official
tour organized and led by the archaeologists in order to give them a
comprehensive overview of the history of Alalakh and the ongoing excavations. Nurettin
Bataray, led the tour through Area 1. Lily Caldwell again gave explanations for
certain trenches in Area 2. However in a few of the trenches in Area 2, some of
the workmen who were currently working in those trenches gave the explanation for
their specific trench [SLIDE]. This
was a welcomed modification of the tour since it was evident that the workmen
were ready and excited to share the information they had helped excavate that
season.
As
I mentioned, some of the workmen have been working at the site since the
beginning of the excavations and the amount of knowledge they have gained is in
some cases more than that of the student archaeologists in training. In the
course of future planning, especially with a view towards sustainable planning for
the park and thereby sustainable programming for the local communities, it is recommended
then to recognize this interest and level of knowledge within the planning
process. Interested workmen should be given the opportunity not only for
consultation on the process as a stakeholder but also should be asked to
contribute ideas for the integration and presentation of the historical
information and the archaeological process. These men are also important
individuals in terms of bridging the gap between the archaeologists and the
local community members. In addition to the perspective that the archaeologists
may be able to present to the local community, it would also be an interesting
dynamic to have the senior workmen also present their perspective on the
project to their fellow communities.
[SLIDE] So, in addition to continuing this new tradition of mound
tours as well as community talks by Prof. Yener presented in Antakya in
previous years, further ideas for the integration of the local community and
ideas for creating a sustainable relationship and impact on the communities,
include some of the following, forms of which can be found executed at various
sites in Istanbul, Turkey and abroad and can be used as examples for the future
programming at Tell Atchana and Tell Tayinat:
-
Educational programs for students
-
Adult Education programs
-
Community tours and on-site events
-
We can also start working more actively
with the local community by encouraging students to work on oral history
projects and by using the college students from Mustafa Kemal University to
develop programs to be executed in the off-season (some of whom actually live
in the village on the mound).
* * *
Also, this coming season, one of the next
steps we will be taking, in addition to beginning the planning for conservation
at both sites, is to begin creating mockups for some of the information panels
at Tell Atchana. We can begin planning them and setting them up on site as well
as getting feedback from various audiences in order to devise the best method
for presenting the site.
* * *
Finally, one of the main things to
conclude from this discussion is that the planning process needs to be a
continuous process of asking, answering and finding new questions. Some
questions that we can begin with when starting the management process include [SLIDE]:
Questions
for further Discussion
• What
are the values embedded in the site?
• Who
has a stake in preserving or creating those values?
• How
can those values be preserved or
sustained?
• How
can those values and thus the site be presented?
* * *
[SLIDE]So,
what I tried to show in my presentation today is that we cannot just present
the site from the perspective of the archaeologists and the expert researchers
or the governmental committees who give the approval but a multi-angled
perspective needs to be recognized and included throughout the process, especially
that of the visitors and the local communities. And, as I said in the
beginning, we need to recognize and present the values of the site as it exists
today in addition to the interpretation of the past. By incorporating these
modern values, the development of these sites and the Archaeological Park can
contribute to the modern communities which make up the current cultural
landscape of the Amuq Valley.
[CLICK]
Thank you. 
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