IDENTIFICATION AND PRESERVATION OF

THE IRAQI CULTURAL HERITAGE:

THE INTERNATIONAL HAND

Salim A Elwazani, PhD, RA

Architecture & EDS Program
Bowling Green State University

US/ICOMOS 7th International Symposium

25-27 March 2004, Natchitoches, Louisiana

S. Elwazani-US/ICOMOS 2004 Symposium 1

 TOPICS

1. Introduction
2. Status of Iraq’s Cultural Heritage
3. Needs and Aims
4. Principles and Strategies
5. The International Hand
6. Closing Remarks

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 INTROUCTION

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ƒ Study Background ƒ Study Objectives
▯ Faces of Iraqi a. Scrutinize nature of
heritage heritage areas
b. Discern needs and aims
▯ Opulence of heritage for heritage area
▯ Vulnerability identification and
▯ Need to identify—and preservation
preserve c. Envision principles and
strategies for heritage
▯ International hand area identification and
preservation
d. Explore international
collaborative capacity

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ƒ Identification Function ƒ Identification
▯ Shades of meaning Purposes
▯ Interrelationship of ▯ Binary distinction
elements ▯ Classification
• Information sufficient ▯ Referenced Reasons
• Information treated • To acquire knowledge
• To promote peoples’
• Treatment gives results interest
• Results direct action • To permit informed
changes to resources
▯ “Recording” & • To ensure conservation
“documentation”: information is sensitive
collection operation modes ▯ Distinction
Identification purposes
and preservation
purposes

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 STATUS OF IRAQ’S
CULTURAL HERITAGE

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ƒ “Measuring” ƒ Mesopotamia….where
Importance—in human beings first:
Grand Terms: ▯ Built cities
▯ Millennia of years ▯ Organized complex states
▯ Inventiveness of ▯ Formulated elaborate
successive cultures religious beliefs
▯ Abundance of tangible ▯ Invented writing
and intangible resources ▯ Developed sophisticated
visual and literary
expression
▯ Articulated measures for
maintaining law and justice

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ƒ Heritage resources
are defined by
the geographic domains of
the successive, and
oftentimes, contemporary
imperial cultures, and, within
such domains, by the land’s
physical and climatic
features
ƒ Reputed Empires
▯ Sumerian (c. 3000 B.C.),
▯ Akkadian ( c. 2340),
▯ Assyrian (c. 1370 B.C.),
▯ Babylonian (c.1750 B.C.)
ƒ Several other powers—
originating in lands
surrounding Mesopotamia:
▯ Amorites (c. 1900 B.C.)
▯ Kassites (c. 1750 B.C.)
▯ Elamites (c. 1950 B.C.)
▯ Hittites (c. 1595 BC)
▯ Arameans (c. 1000 B.C.)
▯ Chaldeans (c. 629 B.C.)
▯ Medes (c. 612 BC)
▯ Persians (c. 539 B.C.)
▯ Greek Seleucids (c. 310 B.C)
▯ Parthians (c. 250 B.C.)
▯ Sassanids (A.D. 226)
▯ Muslim Arabs (A.D. 637)

March 2004 S. Elwazani-US/ICOMOS 2004 Symposium 8

ƒ A Classification of ƒ Trauma by Military
Resources (Fethi) Activities
1. Archaeological ▯ March 2003 conflict, the
Monuments and worse
Sites ▯ World reaction to cultural
2. Historic Urban Cores resource damage
3. Buildings and ▯ Conflict pattern versus
Monuments reaction pattern
4. Villages and
Landscapes

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 Assyria

Akkad

Babylonia Sumer

Map of the Archeological Sites in Iraq

(Source, the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago)

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 Hanging Gardens, Babylon
(Source, John and Peggy Sanders; via the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago)

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 Ekur, the Ziggurat of Enlil at Nippur
Sacred City of Supreme God of Summer & Akkad
(Source, the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago)
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 Two Assyrian Officials The Human-Headed Winged Bull
Khorsabad, Palace, Court VIII, Neo- From the palace of King Sargon II at Khorsabad,
Assyrian Period, Reign of Sargon II, 721-705 B.C.
721-705 B.C.
(Source, the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago)

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 Hatra: Fortified City Under the Parthian Empire and Capital
of the First Arab Kingdom
Hellenistic and Roman architecture blend with Eastern decorative features
(Source, John and Peggy Sanders; via the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago)

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 The Mosque of al-Mutawakkil
Samarra. 836 & 849-52
(Source: Samarra Archeological Survey,
University of Paris I)

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 NEEDS AND AIMS

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 ƒ Identification activities
….in light of overall protection issues and preservation plans

ƒ Relevant aims
derive from the “state of the society”, recalling past events
and embracing future vision
ƒ Infringement on societal stability
shapes the direction of heritage protection plans
ƒ Aim categories
▯ Humanistic
▯ Developmental
▯ Alleviative/preventive

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 Humanistic Aim
ƒ Revolves around
Iraq’s societal well being and healthy international recognition
of the world’s heritage
ƒ Some Merits
▯ Educational Opportunities
▯ National pride
▯ Ethnic and religious cohesion
ƒ Fair Chance
to access, grasp, and draw inspiration from heritage?
ƒ International character of heritage extends
opportunity
▯ For Iraq to contribute to the World heritage
▯ For international community to discharge its responsibilities

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 Developmental Aim
ƒ Addresses ways
to position heritage as a viable sector of the country’s economic
life
ƒ Ways
▯ Reuse
▯ Tourism
▯ Preservation construction industry
ƒ Status now!
ƒ Effect of oil reserves
The heritage economic capacity may not be overlooked in favor
of the gravity of the country’s proven oil reserves

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 Alleviative/Preventive Aim
ƒ Necessary in conjunction with
▯ Humanistic Aim
▯ Developmental Aim

ƒ Continuum of Loss
….taken to unprecedented heights in case of Iraq

ƒ Needed
▯ Measures to prevent the ongoing abuse of resources
▯ Measures to protect in emergent or unpredictable situations

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 PRINCIPLES & STRATEGIES

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 Principle 1

Encompass the historic eras and

dominions of the country
To yield as a seamless of an historical story as possible

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 Principle 2

Recognize the histories, achievements,

and places that the present-day
ethnically and religiously diverse groups
of the Iraqi population identify with
To help build a national social cohesion

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 Principle 3

Acknowledge the relative historic,

cultural, and inventive significance of the
resources and their geographic
distribution
To yield priorities for their protection

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 Principle 4

Appreciate all types of resources under

architecture, art, engineering,
archaeology, landscape, and other fields
To yield as a complete of a historical built environment
account as possible, and
To set the stage for engaging the workers in these
disciplines

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 Principle 5

Value the developmental economic

potential of heritage resources
To help place preservation as a utilitarian strategy in the
economic life of the country

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 Principle 6

Value the physical and visual

countenance of historical resources
To help support the aesthetic integrity of cultural areas,
cities, and landscapes

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 Principle 7

Recognize the international dimension of

Iraq’s heritage resources
To help strengthen the organic relationship of the World
heritage and protect the Iraqi resources of this nature

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 Principle 8
Recognize the continuing perils to
heritage resources
To establish measures for alleviating these perils and for
predicting and preventing future damage

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 Protection Strategies

ƒ Principles enter into making of strategies

ƒ Two basic strategies:
▯ Humanistic strategy, emphasizing social and educational aspects
▯ Developmental strategy, emphasizing utilitarian and economic
aspects

ƒ Identification function differ in (examples):

▯ Type of resource
▯ Parameters of documentation

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 Which Strategy?

ƒ Asserting a strategy is a prerogative of the Iraqi

people with the international hand in the background
ƒ Some observations on the appropriateness of the
strategies
1. Social life of the country seems to favor the humanistic direction
2. Adopting a strategy does not mean ignoring its counterpart
3. Choice for a strategy can shift
4. Choice of either strategy assumes mitigating and preventive
measures

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 THE INTERNATIONAL HAND

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ƒ Sources of assistance and collaboration
▯ World organizations—UNESCO, ICOMOS
▯ Regional organizations—Council of Europe
▯ Country cultural programs
▯ Philanthropic and non-profit organizations
▯ Consulting firms

ƒ Scale & form of collaboration

▯ Scale at different levels
▯ Forms
▯ Information
▯ Expertise
▯ Funding

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 Principles for successful collaborative
relationship:
1. Collaboration complements domestic capability
2. Collaboration in building the Iraqi heritage apparatus is
a priority
3. Collaboration is a long-range policy aiming at
developing a winning “collaborative culture”
4. Diverse collaborations are encouraged

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 CLOSING REMARKS

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1. The interest in the
cultural areas of Iraq
arises out of an absurd
disparity
2. Preservation aims and
preservation principles,
give rise to two
protection strategies:
humanistic and
developmental
3. Identification function
changes with
preservation plans
4. The role of international
collaboration can be
significant
5. Iraq and international
community can enhance
the success of
collaboration by
observing some
collaborative principles

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 THANK YOU

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