OUR PAST, OUR FUTURE, ALL TOGETHER IN FAYNAN
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Reading
Department Name: Archaeology
Abstract
Faynan is located south of the Dead Sea on the eastern side of Wadi Araba in southern Jordan. This is an economically deprived area, with pastoralism and irrigation-based farming providing livelihood to members of four Bedouin tribes who live within Faynan: the 'Ammarin, Sa'idiyyin, Rashaydah and 'Azazmah. It has a remarkable archaeological landscape that has been discovered and explored by research teams from the UK, US and Germany over the last forty years, all with support from the Jordanian Department of Antiquities. While there have been many academic publications, this cultural heritage has not been sufficiently used to support eco-tourism into Faynan which could be a major source of income for sustainable economic growth. Neither has the cultural heritage been made accessible to the local community and used to support social cohesiveness, education and well-being.
The establishment of the Faynan Museum by the Department of Antiquities has provided an opportunity to make progress on both of these matters. Between 2016 and 2018, an AHRC funded project (Discovering WF16) established the first displays within the museum and provided a small number of information boards at the archaeological sites. The success of that project demonstrated the value of further developing the museum.
This new project will involve a close collaboration between UK and Jordanian academics, and the Faynan community. It has the full support of the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities will make a step change in the ability of the museum to support the local community for sustainable development. By raising awareness and understanding, the project will also help protect and conserve the cultural heritage of Faynan in the face of an expansion of irrigation farming, road and dam development. The project involves six sub-projects that will:
1. Co-create an enhanced gallery space to include representation of the last 100 years of Faynan's history within the musuem
2. Facilitate members of the local community to tell their own history and stories about Faynan in their own way, and represent this within the museum.
3. Support the six schools in Faynan to develop an awareness and understanding of Faynan's cultural heritage and embed this into the learning and teaching
4. Connect the museum to the landscape by installing information boards at a further 20 archaeological sites,
5. Make accessible the archaeological sites of Faynan to those who cannot visit Faynan or cannot access the sites in its remote areas by using photogrammetry to document and digitally represent the sites within the museum and on the Faynan heritage website
6. Enable the museum to become a community hub by designing social and play space for adults and children in its immediate vicinity.
Each of these projects will be developed jointly with members of the local community in Faynan via workshops. The outcome will be a museum that will support eco-tourism in the region, provide the local community with a means to represent their own history in their own way, support education, social and individual well-being, and help to protect and conserve Faynan's cultural heritage.
The establishment of the Faynan Museum by the Department of Antiquities has provided an opportunity to make progress on both of these matters. Between 2016 and 2018, an AHRC funded project (Discovering WF16) established the first displays within the museum and provided a small number of information boards at the archaeological sites. The success of that project demonstrated the value of further developing the museum.
This new project will involve a close collaboration between UK and Jordanian academics, and the Faynan community. It has the full support of the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities will make a step change in the ability of the museum to support the local community for sustainable development. By raising awareness and understanding, the project will also help protect and conserve the cultural heritage of Faynan in the face of an expansion of irrigation farming, road and dam development. The project involves six sub-projects that will:
1. Co-create an enhanced gallery space to include representation of the last 100 years of Faynan's history within the musuem
2. Facilitate members of the local community to tell their own history and stories about Faynan in their own way, and represent this within the museum.
3. Support the six schools in Faynan to develop an awareness and understanding of Faynan's cultural heritage and embed this into the learning and teaching
4. Connect the museum to the landscape by installing information boards at a further 20 archaeological sites,
5. Make accessible the archaeological sites of Faynan to those who cannot visit Faynan or cannot access the sites in its remote areas by using photogrammetry to document and digitally represent the sites within the museum and on the Faynan heritage website
6. Enable the museum to become a community hub by designing social and play space for adults and children in its immediate vicinity.
Each of these projects will be developed jointly with members of the local community in Faynan via workshops. The outcome will be a museum that will support eco-tourism in the region, provide the local community with a means to represent their own history in their own way, support education, social and individual well-being, and help to protect and conserve Faynan's cultural heritage.
Planned Impact
'Our Past, Our Future' will address research questions of generic significance for the use of cultural heritage for supporting sustainable development within impoverished rural communities. Via its publications, this project will influence academics, practitioners and policy makers throughout the world who are seeking to use cultural heritage to support economic growth while protecting and conserving that same heritage from the impact of such growth, such as increased visitor numbers at fragile archaeological sites.
More immediately, the project will have two direct impacts on the day-to-day livelihood of the Faynan community: (1) supporting sustainable economic growth, and (2) contributing to individual well-being and social cohesion.
(1) Supporting sustainable growth via ecotourism and benefiting the MoTA and visitors to Faynan
The Jordanian Department of Antiquities has taken a key step towards utilising Faynan's cultural heritage to support eco-tourism by constructing the Faynan Museum, completed in 2017. This museum was, however, an empty shell until the AHRC funded 'Discovering WF16' project (AH/P005594/1) provided an exhibition for the museum and an accompanying book, 'Faynan Heritage: A Celebration and Archaeological Guide'. The 'Our Past, Our Future' project will take the next steps in developing the museum by:
1. Expanding the museum coverage to cover the last 100 years of Faynan's history
2. Providing information boards at a series of archaeological sites in Faynan, creating trails in what will become an archaeological park
3. Providing digital resources in the museum and on the Faynan Heritage website to enhance the visitor experience
This will provide a resource base not only for the Faynan Ecolodge but also for the Bedouin-led tourist initiatives in Faynan to attract tourists into Faynan and to maintain them in Faynan for a longer period. The project will be supportive to the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA). This has a mission to increase tourism throughout Jordan, but does so with limited budget and limited capacity. This project will provide expert advice and resource to support the MOTA, demonstrating how relatively small investments can generate significant returns. Visitors to Faynan will be direct beneficiaries. These include international visitors, principally from the US and Europe, and Jordanian visitors, principally from Amman. They primarily come to experience the desert landscapes of Faynan, involving bird watching, trekking and 'Bedouin experience'. By making the cultural heritage accessible, their experience will be enhanced, encouraging them to remain longer in Faynan (with benefits to the local community).
(2) Contributing to individual well-being and social cohesion
'Our Past, Our Future' will enable the local community to acquire a greater sense of ownership of Faynan's cultural heritage than is currently the case, and hence use it for their own exploration and enjoyment. It will provide opportunities for the people of Faynan to represent their own history within the museum, helping to maintain local cultural traditions and identity during a period of economic change. By supporting the teachers in the Faynan Schools, the project will provide new ways of learning and new things to learn about, for children. In general, this project will be supporting educational development in a deprived area. The term 'Faynan community' is itself problematic because members of four tribes live within Faynan - the 'Ammarin, Sa'idiyyin, Rashaydah and 'Azazmah. While there are generally good relations between these tribes, tensions exist regarding access to land and resources, these arising from competing views of their history in Faynan. By representing the history of each tribe within Faynan within the museum, the project will seek to alleviate tensions between these tribes to build greater social cohesiveness and cooperation within Faynan.
More immediately, the project will have two direct impacts on the day-to-day livelihood of the Faynan community: (1) supporting sustainable economic growth, and (2) contributing to individual well-being and social cohesion.
(1) Supporting sustainable growth via ecotourism and benefiting the MoTA and visitors to Faynan
The Jordanian Department of Antiquities has taken a key step towards utilising Faynan's cultural heritage to support eco-tourism by constructing the Faynan Museum, completed in 2017. This museum was, however, an empty shell until the AHRC funded 'Discovering WF16' project (AH/P005594/1) provided an exhibition for the museum and an accompanying book, 'Faynan Heritage: A Celebration and Archaeological Guide'. The 'Our Past, Our Future' project will take the next steps in developing the museum by:
1. Expanding the museum coverage to cover the last 100 years of Faynan's history
2. Providing information boards at a series of archaeological sites in Faynan, creating trails in what will become an archaeological park
3. Providing digital resources in the museum and on the Faynan Heritage website to enhance the visitor experience
This will provide a resource base not only for the Faynan Ecolodge but also for the Bedouin-led tourist initiatives in Faynan to attract tourists into Faynan and to maintain them in Faynan for a longer period. The project will be supportive to the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA). This has a mission to increase tourism throughout Jordan, but does so with limited budget and limited capacity. This project will provide expert advice and resource to support the MOTA, demonstrating how relatively small investments can generate significant returns. Visitors to Faynan will be direct beneficiaries. These include international visitors, principally from the US and Europe, and Jordanian visitors, principally from Amman. They primarily come to experience the desert landscapes of Faynan, involving bird watching, trekking and 'Bedouin experience'. By making the cultural heritage accessible, their experience will be enhanced, encouraging them to remain longer in Faynan (with benefits to the local community).
(2) Contributing to individual well-being and social cohesion
'Our Past, Our Future' will enable the local community to acquire a greater sense of ownership of Faynan's cultural heritage than is currently the case, and hence use it for their own exploration and enjoyment. It will provide opportunities for the people of Faynan to represent their own history within the museum, helping to maintain local cultural traditions and identity during a period of economic change. By supporting the teachers in the Faynan Schools, the project will provide new ways of learning and new things to learn about, for children. In general, this project will be supporting educational development in a deprived area. The term 'Faynan community' is itself problematic because members of four tribes live within Faynan - the 'Ammarin, Sa'idiyyin, Rashaydah and 'Azazmah. While there are generally good relations between these tribes, tensions exist regarding access to land and resources, these arising from competing views of their history in Faynan. By representing the history of each tribe within Faynan within the museum, the project will seek to alleviate tensions between these tribes to build greater social cohesiveness and cooperation within Faynan.
Organisations
- University of Reading (Lead Research Organisation)
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Collaboration)
- Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Collaboration)
- University of Jordan (Collaboration)
- Petra University (Collaboration)
- Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (Collaboration)
- Council for British Research in the Levant (Project Partner)
- Department of Antiquities (Jordan) (Project Partner)
Title | Faynan Heritage: An Exhibition |
Description | A permanent exhibition in Faynan Museum based around a 3D model of Wadi Faynan, marking on 30 archaeological sites, with with information bodies describing the sites and providing images |
Type Of Art | Image |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Impact | Significant increase in Eco-Tourism arsing from information about the cultural heritage in Wadi Faynan |
URL | http://www.faynanheritage.org |
Description | The project, still-going, is developing musuem facilities in Faynan, Jordan, as a means to attract eco-tourism to support sustainable economic development in Faynan. New museum displays, wall-hangings are being prepared, associated with a heritage trail, educational kit for schools and a future plan for the museum are being prepared. The delivery of all of these have been delayed by covid-19. This has presented work in Jordan and travel of the UK project members to Jordan |
Exploitation Route | The research will present a case study for the opportunities and challenges of museum development in rural areas of SW Asia. It will provide an example of how cultural heritage can contribute to sustainable development in areas of economic deprivation. |
Sectors | Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
URL | http://www.faynanheritage.org |
Description | The project has enhanced social cohesion and community development in Faynan by supporting eco-tourism into the area. The museum displays, educational school kit and walking trail were completed by 31 March 2022. |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic |
Description | Council for British Research the Levant |
Organisation | Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Supporting the mission of he CBRL in Jordan to promote UK research |
Collaborator Contribution | Advice and liaison with the Department o Antiquities of Jordan |
Impact | The collaboration contributed to all outputs of the project |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Department of Antiquities of Jordan |
Organisation | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
Department | Department of Antiquities |
Country | Jordan |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | The DoA built a museum in Faynan, Jordan, but was unable to provide and displays. This project constructed an exhibition, supporting that with a film, archaeology guide book, website and Neolithic walking trail. An opening event was jointly organised. |
Collaborator Contribution | The DoA built a museum in Faynan, Jordan, but was unable to provide and displays. This project constructed an exhibition, supporting that with a film, archaeology guide book, website and Neolithic walking trail. An opening event was jointly organised. |
Impact | (1) museum exhibition, (2) archaeology guide book, (3) neolithic walking trail, (4) faynan neolithic film, (5) website - wwww.faynanheritage.org |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Queen Mary University of London |
Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The project supports Dr Jacobs research, funds and facilitates her work-package of the project |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Jessica Jacobs from QML is a co-I on the project and leads a work package |
Impact | Dr Jacobs has run numerous workshops within the local community in Faynan. A wall-hanging is being prepared for Faynan Musuem. The completion of this has been delayed because of covid-19 |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | University of Jordan |
Organisation | University of Jordan |
Country | Jordan |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Dr Fatma Marii is a co-I of the project and co-leads two work-packages. The project supports her research, funds and facilitates her work-packages |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Fatma Marii brings expertise in museums and artifact curation |
Impact | Dr Fatma Marii's work-packages have been delayed by covid-19 |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | University of Leeds |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Dr Gehan Selim from the University of Leeds is a Co-I on the project and leads one of the work packages. The project supports her research, funds and facilitates her work-package |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Selim leads one of the work-packages that is a key element of the project |
Impact | Dr Selim's work-package has been delayed because of covid-19 |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | University of Petra |
Organisation | Petra University |
Country | Jordan |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Dr Fatima Al-Nammari is a C-I on the project and is a co-leader of two work-packages. The project supports her research, funds and facilitates the work-packages. |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Al-Nammari brings expertise in architecture and sustainable development to the project. |
Impact | The completion of Dr Al-Nammari's work-packages have been delayed because of covid-19 |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Community workshops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Meetings with women from the five tribes to plan for the community map through story-telling and start establishing it for the museum. These occurred on four occasions in 2019/20, and were then halted by covid. One more workshop with the women is required. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Community workshops with students |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Workshops with community members of all tribes and ages to establish a participatory museum designs including a play-ground and enable the community to express their needs through participatory activities. That included two workshops in Wadi Faynan, and students' workshops in Amman. Students submitted four designs based on the workshops conducted with supervision of team members. Engagement of undergraduate students with the people of Wadi Faynan. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Cultural Heritage Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | An annual event conducted at Hai Al-Sharif Nasser School as an initiative from the headmistress to recognise Jordan's heritage, market local women's products, and spread awareness among young children and visitors about Faynan cultural heritage. OPOF team was invited and was able to support the initiative in the planning and implemetation phases through designing and distributing a flyer, and connecting them with other related local parties. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Fayan Heritage Trail Planning |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A walk around the archaeological sites and design of Faynan Heritage trail route with local community members |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Faynan Project awareness |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | An invitation to the local authorities sent by the project team to visit Faynan and observe progress (especially the display of artefacts and display cases in the museum) and identify ways of support for the sustainability of project goals. OPOF project was able to support the museum in providing display cases, as well as displaying artefacts from the paleolithic and neolithic to the public. Discover ways of further collaboration with realted parties. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Newton Prize event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | A virtual event held by the Newton Fund to announce the Newton prize winners for the year 2020 in Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa.A virtual event with reserchers and key country influencers in UK, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa. A booklet and a video were published for the shortlisted projects. The award celebrates the best innovational research in each of the five countries. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | OPOF Newton Award Celebration |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The Newton Fund celebrated the shortlisted projects in the country Jordan in an event held in Amman in a way to acknowledge the efforts and achievement of these projects. British Ambassador Bridget Brind OBE presented the Newton Prize 2020 in Jordan. The project team presented the ongoing and upcoming projects, given certificates and trophy as part of winning the award, with Professor Steven joining virtually from the UK. The OPOF award will be used to expand the work of OPOF and ABIF projects and implement the project 'The Past Empowers the Present (PEP)', starting in April 2021. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Praxis Nexus |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Heritage for global challenges, praxis event is led by the University of Leeds and funded by the AHRC. The project team participated in the three days workshop with the aim of introducing projects contributing to cultural heritage sustainability and funded by the AHRC-GCRF, and how those could be more effective in the future. It included interactive sessions that focus on recommendations and ways of improvement for the people involved such as the communities, partners and funders. Comprehensive report for cultural heritage related projects over the past four years and ongoing with recommendations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Project launch meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | First team meeting with the community to understand their needs then integrate within OPOF, and to have consistent engagement with them during the project timeframe. onsider the recommendations offered by the community. I.e. include specific locations for the information boards on faynan heritage trail |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | School Committee meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Discuss potential collaboration with teachers and heads of the six schools of Faynan, and engage them in WP3. Proper planning of WP3 that includes the establishment of educational kit and training. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Teachers' interviews |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Interviews with targeted community members (Geography, History, and Civic Education teachers, and with other interested teachers who could provide input into the process of creating the educational kit) to establish a viable educational kit with interactive activities. Production of a viable and interactive Arabic educational kit that enables the community to understand the value of their heritage. That will be followed with feedback and training once travels resume. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |