Overview

States draw on the past to re-shape national identities. In this context, museum exhibits play a crucial role in the Middle East in connection with archaeological excavations that rediscovered new civilization centers such as Assur, Babylonia, Mari, Ebla, Ugarit, and others

Museums in former colonial metropoles such as the Louvre in France and British Museum in the United Kingdom, enriched their collections with artefacts from some of these sites to demonstrate and enhance their imperial power. As a counterweight to imperial collections, museums in Middle Eastern countries were founded with the goal of reinforcing national identity.

This course will engage with the history of archaeology and museums in the Middle East. In addition, it will discuss the complex relationship between archaeology and museums and ask how both are related to cultural and national identities. In so doing, it will encourage discussions about new perspectives on cultural heritage and its role across the Middle Eastern societies.