Event Title
The Simurgh Initiative: Communicating the Preservation and Destruction of the Middle East and North Africa’s Cultural Heritage
Faculty Advisor
Dr. David Heayn
Start Date
23-4-2019 5:20 PM
End Date
23-4-2019 5:40 PM
Description
Misunderstanding and the complexity of the issues underlie contemporary conversations regarding cultural heritage. Representing the longevity and salience of the region’s cultural heritage, inspiration for action is found in the Simurgh—a mythical bird of the Middle East, often equated with the phoenix. The Simurgh Initiative culminates as a digital humanities project and website, communicating contemporary events surrounding the preservation and destruction of the Middle East and North Africa’s cultural heritage. The website caters to a wide variety of backgrounds with introductions to preservation and destruction, topical essays (including accessibility to cultural sites during times of conflict, smuggled and looted objects, and Western military involvement), and a resource database for scholars. As a multimedia tool, the website aims to streamline research on the cultural heritage field. Focusing on Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, the initiative is the product of a ten-person, cross-departmental team of Susquehanna University students and professor David Heayn.
The Simurgh Initiative: Communicating the Preservation and Destruction of the Middle East and North Africa’s Cultural Heritage
Misunderstanding and the complexity of the issues underlie contemporary conversations regarding cultural heritage. Representing the longevity and salience of the region’s cultural heritage, inspiration for action is found in the Simurgh—a mythical bird of the Middle East, often equated with the phoenix. The Simurgh Initiative culminates as a digital humanities project and website, communicating contemporary events surrounding the preservation and destruction of the Middle East and North Africa’s cultural heritage. The website caters to a wide variety of backgrounds with introductions to preservation and destruction, topical essays (including accessibility to cultural sites during times of conflict, smuggled and looted objects, and Western military involvement), and a resource database for scholars. As a multimedia tool, the website aims to streamline research on the cultural heritage field. Focusing on Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, the initiative is the product of a ten-person, cross-departmental team of Susquehanna University students and professor David Heayn.