Nigel J Hetherington
American University in Cairo, Theban Mapping Project, Department Member
- History, Anthropology, Archaeology, Architecture, Culture, Cultural History, and 27 moreCultural Heritage, Cultural Memory, History and Memory, Cultural Tourism, Heritage Conservation, Cultural Heritage Management, Heritage Studies, Heritage Tourism, Collective Memory, Heritage Management, Commemoration and Memory, memoralization, Public Memory, Cultures Of Memory, Media and Memory, Heritage Politics (Anthropology), Heritage film, Ancient History, Tourism Studies, Tourism, Conservation, Ancient Near East, Intangible cultural heritage, Media Archaeology, Media Anthropology, Cultures and heritage tourism, and Funerary Belief (Egyptology)edit
- In 2004, the Theban Mapping Project were commissioned by the Supreme Council for Antiquities with researching and producing a site management masterplan for the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. The initial stages of the plan involved a stakeholder audit followed by a detailed stakeholder con... moreIn 2004, the Theban Mapping Project were commissioned by the Supreme Council for Antiquities with researching and producing a site management masterplan for the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt.
The initial stages of the plan involved a stakeholder audit followed by a detailed stakeholder consultation. The author was assigned the task of planning and implementing the consultation.
A values based approach was adopted in the methodology of the site management plan, a framework endorsed by the work of the Getty Conservation Institute. This approach recognises when conserving heritage, we are preserving not just physical remains, but the values, beliefs and mores of society. Theses values held by individuals are personal and dynamic and often conflict with our own ‘professionally’ held beliefs. However, the recognition of values is essential if heritage decision making is to be successful in the long term.
Cultural Heritage Management does not exist in a political vacuum; the discourse is affected by the prevailing socio-political climate in which it resides. Recognising the role values play in the social construction of ‘heritage’ leads to more informed decision-making and greater acceptance of planning decisions by stakeholders.
This paper will present the background, methodology, results and significance of a values driven plan: “The Valley of the Kings Stakeholder Consultation”.
Keywords: Site Management, Values, Stakeholders, Consultation, Egypt, Valley of the Kingsedit
The Valley of the Kings (Wadi Biban el Mouluk) on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor, in the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a World Heritage site whose archaeological fame and economic importance as a tourist destination are internationally... more
The Valley of the Kings (Wadi Biban el Mouluk) on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor, in the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a World Heritage site whose archaeological fame and economic importance as a tourist destination are internationally recognized. The result of its popularity has been a massive increase in visitor numbers over the last decade, now often exceeding 7,000 visitors every day. This number is guaranteed to increase in future years. Without carefully prepared site manegement plans, the very existence of this fragile resource could be seriously threatened.
In the spring of 2004, the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) requested that the Theban Mapping Project (TMP) prepare a masterplan for the future management of the Valley. This project was generously supported by the World Monuments Fund (WMF), and the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), and several private donors. What follows is the main text of that management plan.
The methodology adopted for the plan included studies of the following elements:
Assessment of the significance and values of the site
A survey of historical data
An inventory of threats
A comprehensive condition survey of the tombs and the site
A stakeholder consultation both on site and online
Microclimate surveys
Visitor behaviour surveys
Proposals to remedy the current threats and to prepare the site for the future
These processes are designed to be fluid, dynamic, and will undergo regular revision.
The completed Valley of the Kings Masterplan will be translated into Arabic and form the basis for a practical site manual.
In the spring of 2004, the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) requested that the Theban Mapping Project (TMP) prepare a masterplan for the future management of the Valley. This project was generously supported by the World Monuments Fund (WMF), and the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), and several private donors. What follows is the main text of that management plan.
The methodology adopted for the plan included studies of the following elements:
Assessment of the significance and values of the site
A survey of historical data
An inventory of threats
A comprehensive condition survey of the tombs and the site
A stakeholder consultation both on site and online
Microclimate surveys
Visitor behaviour surveys
Proposals to remedy the current threats and to prepare the site for the future
These processes are designed to be fluid, dynamic, and will undergo regular revision.
The completed Valley of the Kings Masterplan will be translated into Arabic and form the basis for a practical site manual.
Research Interests:
" Egypt is rich in a cultural heritage that can be traced from the remote prehistoric past through the various stages of world civilisation. Ancient Egypt's monuments link us to the past and make us aware of past human achievements. It... more
"
Egypt is rich in a cultural heritage that can be traced from the remote prehistoric past through the various stages of world civilisation. Ancient Egypt's monuments link us to the past and make us aware of past human achievements. It is our duty to protect and preserve this heritage so that we, and future generations, can share in this historical legacy of our predecessors.
The Nile Valley and Delta were the birthplace of one of the first and most resilient great civilizations. In the course of its long and distinguished history, Egypt has bequeathed to us a legacy of spectacular monuments and a dazzling array of artefacts. However, unimposing sites and objects of everyday life also provide an invaluable insight to the various aspects of ancient Egyptian society and are just as important as the more spectacular sites and 'treasures'. Today, such archaeological sites and monuments all over Egypt are threatened by urban sprawl, development projects, agricultural expansion, pollution and looting. ECHO has been founded to help in securing the protection and conservation of Egypt’s threatened heritage.
The archaeological record is a finite resource, which is easily destroyed without proper protection. There are an incredible number of sites and monuments everywhere in Egypt, as well as the countless artefacts in museums and storerooms, requiring constant monitoring, protection and maintenance.
Managing Egypt’s Cultural Heritage is the first volume in a series of Cultural Heritage Management (CHM) discourses; this ground-breaking book is also the first academic collection of papers dedicated to the practice of CHM in Egypt. The papers in this volume are written by specialists in their fields whose expertise cover many areas of cultural heritage management, from the theoretical to the practical, tangible to intangible heritage, from cutting edge technology to simple conservation measures. The periods covered range from the Predynastic to the Coptic and Islamic periods. This volume is an invaluable addition to the library of heritage managers, conservators, archaeologists, lecturers, anyone interested in preserving Egypt’s cultural and natural heritage.
"
Egypt is rich in a cultural heritage that can be traced from the remote prehistoric past through the various stages of world civilisation. Ancient Egypt's monuments link us to the past and make us aware of past human achievements. It is our duty to protect and preserve this heritage so that we, and future generations, can share in this historical legacy of our predecessors.
The Nile Valley and Delta were the birthplace of one of the first and most resilient great civilizations. In the course of its long and distinguished history, Egypt has bequeathed to us a legacy of spectacular monuments and a dazzling array of artefacts. However, unimposing sites and objects of everyday life also provide an invaluable insight to the various aspects of ancient Egyptian society and are just as important as the more spectacular sites and 'treasures'. Today, such archaeological sites and monuments all over Egypt are threatened by urban sprawl, development projects, agricultural expansion, pollution and looting. ECHO has been founded to help in securing the protection and conservation of Egypt’s threatened heritage.
The archaeological record is a finite resource, which is easily destroyed without proper protection. There are an incredible number of sites and monuments everywhere in Egypt, as well as the countless artefacts in museums and storerooms, requiring constant monitoring, protection and maintenance.
Managing Egypt’s Cultural Heritage is the first volume in a series of Cultural Heritage Management (CHM) discourses; this ground-breaking book is also the first academic collection of papers dedicated to the practice of CHM in Egypt. The papers in this volume are written by specialists in their fields whose expertise cover many areas of cultural heritage management, from the theoretical to the practical, tangible to intangible heritage, from cutting edge technology to simple conservation measures. The periods covered range from the Predynastic to the Coptic and Islamic periods. This volume is an invaluable addition to the library of heritage managers, conservators, archaeologists, lecturers, anyone interested in preserving Egypt’s cultural and natural heritage.
"
Research Interests:
Egypt is rich in a cultural heritage that can be traced from the remote prehistoric past through the various stages of world civilisation. Ancient Egypt's monuments link us to the past and make us aware of past human achievements. It is... more
Egypt is rich in a cultural heritage that can be traced from the remote prehistoric past through the various stages of world civilisation. Ancient Egypt's monuments link us to the past and make us aware of past human achievements. It is our duty to protect and preserve this heritage so that we, and future generations, can share in this historical legacy of our predecessors.
The Lower Nile Valley is the birthplace of one of the first and most resilient great civilizations. In the course of its long and distinguished history, Egypt has bequeathed to us a legacy of spectacular monuments and a dazzling array of artefacts. However, unimposing sites and objects of everyday life also provide an invaluable insight to the various aspects of ancient Egyptian society and are just as important as the more spectacular sites and 'treasures'. Today, such archaeological sites and monuments all over Egypt are threatened by urban sprawl, development projects, agricultural expansion, pollution and looting. ECHO has been founded to help in securing the protection and conservation of Egypt’s threatened heritage.
The archaeological record is a finite resource, which is easily destroyed without proper protection. There are an incredible number of sites and monuments everywhere in Egypt, as well as the countless artefacts in museums and storerooms, requiring constant monitoring, protection and maintenance.
The Management of Egypt’s Cultural Heritage is the second volume in a series of Cultural Heritage Management (CHM) discourses; this ground-breaking series is the first academic collection of papers dedicated to the practice of CHM in Egypt. The papers in this volume are written by specialists in their fields whose expertise cover many areas of cultural heritage management, from the theoretical to the practical, tangible to intangible heritage, from cutting edge technology to simple conservation measures. The periods covered range from the Predynastic to the Coptic and Islamic periods. This volume is an invaluable addition to the library of heritage managers, conservators, archaeologists, and lecturers, anyone interested in preserving Egypt’s cultural and natural heritage.
The Lower Nile Valley is the birthplace of one of the first and most resilient great civilizations. In the course of its long and distinguished history, Egypt has bequeathed to us a legacy of spectacular monuments and a dazzling array of artefacts. However, unimposing sites and objects of everyday life also provide an invaluable insight to the various aspects of ancient Egyptian society and are just as important as the more spectacular sites and 'treasures'. Today, such archaeological sites and monuments all over Egypt are threatened by urban sprawl, development projects, agricultural expansion, pollution and looting. ECHO has been founded to help in securing the protection and conservation of Egypt’s threatened heritage.
The archaeological record is a finite resource, which is easily destroyed without proper protection. There are an incredible number of sites and monuments everywhere in Egypt, as well as the countless artefacts in museums and storerooms, requiring constant monitoring, protection and maintenance.
The Management of Egypt’s Cultural Heritage is the second volume in a series of Cultural Heritage Management (CHM) discourses; this ground-breaking series is the first academic collection of papers dedicated to the practice of CHM in Egypt. The papers in this volume are written by specialists in their fields whose expertise cover many areas of cultural heritage management, from the theoretical to the practical, tangible to intangible heritage, from cutting edge technology to simple conservation measures. The periods covered range from the Predynastic to the Coptic and Islamic periods. This volume is an invaluable addition to the library of heritage managers, conservators, archaeologists, and lecturers, anyone interested in preserving Egypt’s cultural and natural heritage.