Heritage of the Middle East

The University of Paris Nanterre Foundation, the Ministry of Culture and the Cluster of excellence Pasts in the Present have signed an agreement to implement the action program "Safeguarding and digital reconstruction of the Middle East heritage".

Based on the extensive archives of archaeological excavations in the Middle East held at the Maison Archéologie & Éthnologie - René-Ginouvès, the project aims at developing a digital edition for the general public based on the digital scientific reference documentation developed mainly as part of the Cluster on major archaeological sites excavated since the mid-20th century in the Middle East and related objects. The 3D modeling of significant monuments of the Middle East during the proto-urban period, which saw the birth of monumental architecture, and interactive cartographies are being carried out. These projects enable the design of new mediations for a wider public, of which the collection “Grands Sites Archéologiques” of the Ministry of Culture is emblematic. As part of this collection, the Heritage of the Middle East portal gives access to several websites on monuments, archaeological sites and emblematic objects : Mari (Red Massif and Grand Royal Palace, Tell Feres (Syria), the Ezida of Nimrud which housed one of the best documented ancient libraries, the Michaux stone (kept at the BnF, the statue of Pazuzu (Louvre), etc.). The second phase of the partnership will focus on the following sites: Bosra, Saint Symeon, Larsa-Oueili and Babylon.

These devices provide an opportunity to see and understand what have become these civilizations and sites, today threatened or destroyed.

Project managers

Elisabeth BELLON , Responsable du service des archives de la MAE , MAE

Régis VALLET , Archéologies et Sciences de l'Antiquité, UMR 7041

Pascal BUTTERLIN , Université Paris 1

Francis JOANNÈS

Pierre-Marie BLANC

Internal cluster partners

• Maison des Sciences de l'Homme Mondes - USR 3225
• Archéologies et Sciences de l'Antiquité (ArScAn) - UMR 7041
• Musée d'Archéologie nationale - Domaine de St-Germain-en-Laye

Associated partners

Ministère de la culture

Duration