CULTURAL DESTRUCTION AND MANIPULATION OF HERITAGE DURING WAR AND OCCUPATION

Project Description

This project has two aims: 

• to investigate and collect evidence for cultural destruction and manipulation of heritage during war, occupation and in other conflict zones with a view to supporting and connecting the case of communities and the case of archaeology against war and the destruction it brings
• to use the results to contribute to the international debate among professionals and communities regarding the responsibilities of professionals in situations of war, occupation and repression

The work for this project has mainly been in the form of evidence collection since 2001 in a number of countries as well as of public lectures and debates with communities, their organisations and groups opposing war.  It is often linked to situations in which grassroots communities are also facing the impact of development.  It deserves separate attention as a specific concern for professional archaeologists not only because of the destruction of physical heritage but more importantly the impact on communities of cultural destruction in war and occupation and the implications for the credibility of archaeology as a profession of involvement in such situations. 

The conflict in southeast Turkey and its attempted destruction and/or repression of not only Kurdish people and their heritage but the Armenian genocide and many other kinds of culture has been the main field study.  Working in a war zone there has also allowed practical consideration of the ethics relevant in such situations, gaps in our current body of ethics and standards and the potential restrictions on accountable archaeological work with a population facing repression or under occupation. 

A desk-based study of cultural destruction in the Iraq war and public talks were undertaken at the request of community groups opposing the war in Ireland and beyond who wanted information on the threat to heritage and the use of archaeology to justify and extend occupation.  A number of other archaeologists in different countries work on this issue and collaboration with these colleagues and with Iraqi community organisations has increased in recent years. 

Because of experience on these issues, I have been asked to advise in other similar situations.  For example, at the request of Indigenous communities in the Oaxaca region of Mexico I looked at cultural destruction in the framework of repression of the communities there by state and federal forces.  Recently, this work has expanded to look at the use of archaeology in the occupation of Palestine, about which there is a growing body of literature by archaeologists and others.  The specific focus of the project will be to work with community organisations to investigate and publicise the impact of this use of archaeology in the context of the movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions.  Importantly, in the context of this area, requests for professional investigation and views have come from Jewish as well as non-Jewish organisations .

Contact Details

Maggie Ronayne ( Profile)
Department of Archaeology
School of Geography and Archaeology
NUI Galway

Tel: +353 (0)91 493701 
maggie.ronaynenuigalway.ie  

Project Publications

2007.  The culture of caring and its destruction in the Middle East: women¹s work, water, war and archaeology. In Y. Hamilakis and P. Duke (eds), Archaeology and Capitalism. From ethics to politics, 247-265. One World Archaeology Left Coast Press, California.

2002. The Ilisu Dam: Displacement of Communities and Destruction of Culture. London: National University of Ireland, Galway and Kurdish Human Rights Project. 211 pp.

2000. The Destruction of Cultural Property in Conflict Situations. World Archaeological Bulletin 11, 12-17.

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