Jen Baird and Anne Chen

How can we collaborate across borders in times of conflict and crisis? Can digital humanities methodologies underpin more equitable exchange, and even disrupt entrenched hierarchies of knowledge? The proposed project seeks to understand key challenges in the Middle Eastern heritage sector, particularly in Syria, through a series of action-oriented workshops.

When Syria's most acclaimed and recognisable archaeological site, Palmyra, suffered catastrophic and deliberate damage, voices within and outside Syria decried the violence. Almost a decade on, Syria's heritage, like its people, are often forgotten, replaced by more recent conflicts and seemingly more urgent problems, although the conflict in Syria is no less urgent now for many people than it was a decade ago. The training needs of Syrian heritage workers are acute, and despite very difficult conditions they continue to do their utmost to protect and run museums and monitor archaeological sites.

Working directly with a small group of heritage workers in eastern Syria, we aim to assess current needs with regard to the digital documentation of endangered heritage and community relationships to that heritage, and then address those needs through bespoke training workshops. The project will lead to new specialized skills for engaged heritage workers, enhanced community engagement, and novel research.