Archaeology and cultural belonging in contemporary Syria: the value of archaeology to religious minorities

This paper has evolved out of a series of community projects that I have initiated in Syria since 1997. My hypothesis is that a knowledge of the archaeological remains and religious traditions of a region bring local people more in touch with their cultural roots and encourage a sense of belonging. This is particularly the case when a religious minority feels disenfranchised by the majority group. By creating a sense of self that relates closely to the local landscape, minorities will feel more integrated and less inclined to emigrate as they develop a shared sense of community. In 1997 I began taking groups of Christians from Aleppo to the Limestone Massif, to the west of the city, in order to explain the abandoned late antique villages that dominate the landscape to them. These groups ranged in age from late teens and early twenties through to pensioners and we discussed how this kind of cultural awareness tied them more closely to the land than they had previously thought. In turn this caused them to question their self-imposed perception of themselves as ‘outsiders’ and to think in terms of a wider ‘Syrian’ identity. From 2000 onwards I have worked with a community in the Syrian desert that mixes Christians and Muslims, bedu and agricultural workers. Boundaries are fluid and village worship centres on the ancient monastery of Mar Elian. Mar Elian (St Julian) is venerated by all villagers and this perception of ancient ties means that art historical research into the site has been welcomed by the community as a whole as it is seen to validate their claims of the power of their saint. Taking these two projects as case studies I shall try and evaluate the importance of archaeology as an academic discipline in the contemporary Middle East.