Issue No. 603
Heritage
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12 - 18 September 2002 Issue No. 603 Heritage |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Recommend this page | ||
Treasuring the past
THE MANAGEMENT and preservation of national heritage is a serious issue. The encroachment of urbanisation on archaeological sites, coupled with environmental hazards, adds another dimension to what is already a major problem. Protecting and preserving all sites is based on accurate and extensive documentation.
The National Centre for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage (CULTNAT), in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, is developing an exhaustive archaeological Geographic Information System (GIS) on three levels.
The first is on a national level, whereby every site is referenced on the map and recorded with a set of data. These include recent and old photographs and information about related objects held in museums. The second is on the site level, where each site is mapped in detail to show its structures. The third is on the monument level, showing details of architectural elements of individual monuments. A photograph accompanies a complete description of any reliefs or paintings on each section of each monument. A 3-D model is displayed for some of the monuments.
The natural heritage programme
Documenting Egypt's natural heritage involves the collection of all data available on diverse habitats in the country, including detailed information of the flora, fauna, geological formations and cultural features pertaining to specific sites or protected areas. The project also aims at identifying rare or endangered species and those under threat of extinction.
An up-to-date GIS on the protected areas of Egypt, enhanced by visual tools, will be used as to monitor and manage methods used by various stakeholders in the field of conservation and environmental policy making, as well as researchers of natural history and environmental studies, visitors to protectorates and NGOs.
A series of generously-illustrated CD-ROMs will be produced on various subjects including the national parks, natural and cultural heritage sites of special interest, and the plants, birds and mammals of Egypt.
The musical heritage programme
The earliest part of the 20th century saw a revival of Arabic music and the birth of a national theatre movement, considered even in those days a pioneering activity in the modern history of the Middle East. Music specialists maintained that the wealthiest years for Arabic music were the 1920s to 1970s.
Unfortunately, not all copies of songs were well preserved and much of this musical heritage was lost. Classification and analysis in a comprehensive database will lead to a better understanding of the nation's music and theatre heritage. Such a database will assist musical educational and provide a source of entertainment for the layman.
The Arabic information system consists of three phases. The first focuses on documenting basic information related to composers, lyricists, singers, modes, forms and rhythms; the second covers lyrics and scores; while the third is a multimedia upgrade targeting the production of documented audio-visual and multimedia deliverables based on the collected data.
Folklore
Every country has its folklore: Egypt's traditions stem from deep in its past when the early inhabitants of the Nile valley attempted to explain the world around them. Folk beliefs were shaped and added to by the layers of other cultures which settled over the millennia. A systematic approach has been adopted whereby these traditions will be compiled in a database building up a comprehensive and inclusive library of scientific and audio-visual material.
The library is designed to cover ethnological, ethnographic and analytical articles, popular themes, traditional feasts, folk tales and proverbs, local traditions and cycles of life. It includes legends, customs, daily activities, cults of the saints, architectural and agricultural traditions, popular music, art and handicrafts, jewellery, customs, superstitions, and mythological legends from the desert and rural and urban communities.
The photographic heritage
Photographers in the 19th and early 20th centuries produced some of the most memorable and technically polished photographs ever made. At the turn of the 20th century, Egypt and the Middle- East were attractive destinations for pioneer photographers, whose works documented archaeology, excavations, local architecture, landscapes and the social and daily lives of the people. As many of the vintage photographs as possible are being collected and archived.
A CD-ROM of the exclusive collection of Lehnert and Landrock, which contains more than 1,200 black and white quality prints, is in the production stage. It will be followed by other photographs collected from museums and private collections.
The Cairo Stock Exchange in Al-Boursa St,
a fine example of turn-of-the-last-century style
photo: Khaled El-Fiqi
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