Left to right: Triumphal arch and donkey cart, Palmyra, Syria. Jane Taylor collection. 1978. ACOR Digital Archive; Monastery, (ad-Deir), detail of urn, Petra, Jordan. Jane Taylor collection. 1990. ACOR Digital Archive; Temple of Marn, Hatra, Iraq. Jane Taylor collection. 2001. ACOR Digital Archive
Human Heritage: Preserving Palmyra, Petra, and Hatra
ONLINE ONLY
This is a past event
HOSTED VIA ZOOM
Register in advance for access to this online event.
10 am - 11:30 am Los Angeles (8 pm - 9:30 pm Amman)
The ancient histories of Palmyra (Syria), Petra (Jordan), and Hatra (Iraq) tell a story of cultural exchange: their citizens shared trade routes, built comparable monuments, and worshiped common local and regional gods. These cities' universal value has been recognized by local and global communities, but protecting and preserving their remnants as a shared human heritage remains a significant challenge.
Co-hosted in Arabic and English by the Getty Research Institute and the American Center of Research in Jordan, this program brings together archeologists from these regions to gain insights on the future of these once vibrant cities and efforts toward their preservation.
Dr. Salam Al Kuntar is assistant dean of Middle Eastern Affairs at Rutgers Global and assistant professor of archaeology at Rutgers New-Brunswick’s Department of Classics. She is a National Geographic explorer, a consulting scholar at the Penn Museum, and the chair of heritage preservation association Syrians for Heritage in Berlin.
Dr. Suleiman Ali Al-Farajat is the chief commissioner of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority in Jordan. He previously served as the commissioner for the Petra Archaeological Park. His research interests focus on tourism planning and development around World Heritage Sites and empowering local communities.
Dr. Yasmin Abdulkareem Mohammed Ali is an assistant professor of archeology and ancient arts in the Department of Archeology and dean of the College of Archaeology at the University of Mosul. She is the director of project Preserving Community Heritage of Mosul, which documents heritage buildings throughout the city and provides records for future preservation work.
Dr. Helen Malko is associate director for Fellowships and Programming at the American Center of Research in Jordan. Her research centers on Middle Eastern archaeology and cultural heritage, cultural representation in museums, and ideas of historical consciousness.
This event coincides with the launch of Return to Palmyra, an interactive online exhibition presented in Arabic and English that invites audiences to explore the rich history of the city.
The conversation will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel.