Archaeological Practice and Heritage Protection in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is an innovative project that combines research-led archaeological practice and heritage protection involving not only archaeologists and heritage professionals but also the wider public, educators and children.
It builds on the ongoing survey and excavations of the Sirwan Regional Project with knowledge-exchange and capacity building, focusing on both practical skills as well as the social and political implications of interpreting the archaeological record and creating complex cultural narratives.
In order to help raise awareness across a range of age groups and to foster public ownership of the region’s rich cultural heritage, the project helped museums in Suleymaniyah and Kalar to develop two bespoke education spaces and community-driven educational resources.
An international team of archaeologists and cultural heritage professionals, with both long-term research interests in the archaeology of north-east Iraq and expertise in working with communities in challenging cultural and ethnic contexts, supported two full-time archaeologists and heritage professionals in Iraq to co-develop project initiatives and ensure continuity beyond the project’s lifespan.
More detail on project work can be found here.
The project’s first phase was funded by the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.