Oriental Landscapes. Future of Syrian Cultural Heritage

During this day, all aspects of the Syrian cultural heritage will be discussed, such as the future of text research, archeology, Christian architecture and musical tradition. Respected Dutch and international scholars in the field of archeology, archeomusicology and oriental music will give their vision of that future. The day will be closed with a concert-workshop by Fawaz Baker (SY/ FR), one of the most respected specialists in Sufi Zikr tradition, musician oud player.

Scholars: Dr. Gerrit van der Kooij; Dr. Olivier van Nieuwenhuyse; Dr. Diederik W.J. Meijer; Drs. Theo J.H. Krispijn; Dr. Mat Immerzeel; Richard Dumbrill; Fawaz Baker; Khaled Hiatlih; Rasha Haqi MA; Nour Munawar MA

Focus on tangible heritage:
Dr. Gerrit van der Kooij was assistant professor of (Palestinian) Archaeology. He cooperated with the local government of Nablus in setting up an archaeological park on the place of biblical Shechem.

Dr. Olivier van Nieuwenhuyse: is assistant professor of Archaeology. He has excavated in Beirut and therefore experience with cooperation with the local government. Nowadays he works on a project of restoring the loss of the tablet of the Tell Sabi Abyad excavations by 3-D printing on the basis of good photographs.

Dr. Diederik W.J. Meijer: Traditional Excavations in Modernizing Times

The results and interpretation of two main excavations and one survey in Syria (mostly concerning the Bronze Ages) will be presented and illustrated, and some attention will be paid to the changing techniques archaeologists used over the last 50 years. The recent events in Syria have demolished much of our work, and it is now uirgent to think of ways to safeguard the heritage that we still possess in the way of records and illustrations

Focus on textual heritage:

Drs. Theo J.H. Krispijn was assistant professor of Assyriology and an expert on the Sumerian language and literature. He has published on Sumerian language, the oldest Sumerian lexical tradition and ancient Near Eastern Music.

Focus on Easter Christian communities and history:

Dr. Mat Immerzeel is an expert on Syrian Christian Archaeology especially churches and monasteries.

Focus on Music:

Richard Dumbrill is a musicologist specialised in the music theory and practice in the Ancient Near East. Richard will speak about the important collection of cuneiform tablets found at the site of Mari (Deir ez-zor) and Aleppo. These texts give information about the lives of musician girls, their education and the instruments they played and also information about musical instrument making, some 4000 years ago, showing a long tradition and continuity in the musical life of Syria from its origins to our days.

Music from Aleppo by Fawaz Baker: specialist in Sufi Zikr tradition, musician. After 30 years of practice of music and architecture he teaches and works on combining technique, theory and traditions for the sake of a local contemporary artistic creation. He is still doing a profound research on geometry of oriental music intervals.

More information: www.oriental-landscapes.org