As an archaeologist working and being resident in Jordan I welcome the
initiatives that
have been posted to this and other lists in the last couple of days.
Being roughly 800 km away from Baghdad,
350 km from the Iraqi border, neighboured by yet another all too much
forgotten zone of daily human tragedy, and facing possibly serious and
violent public unrest and resistance in Jordan itself I am quite clearly
opposed to this war. Not only because it is influencing my own situation
and work, but more so because thinking about the effects of such a war
on people here is quite painful.
It is strange and challenging to work and live in an environment in
which a war will have such serious political, social and economic
effects on colleagues and friends who live in Jordan, while knowing that
oneself has the
chance to escape from this situation. One's own role and situation in
this environment is challenged
daily whenever one passes the armed police guard outside the office and
accomondation building.
The social and economic effects in the region will probably be dramatic
and one does wonder whether
it wouldn't be more helpful to do something more directly for people,
rather than thinking about 'old ruins in a field'.
The past, especially the remote past, features little in the daily
debates on war.
Although I am convinced that this war is by now inevitable, regardless
of any action taken by archaeologists and peace activists however much
welcomed these are, I also think that archaeology could have a role in
preventing future conflicts.
Archaeologists may find that they will have to face the consequences of
any war in its full political, social and economic dimensions. The past,
however, is a resource that can help to create self-awareness and
understanding of each other, as well as offering some economic benefit
(tourism) to people who may face serious economic problems soon. I think
that this hasn't been fully appreciated yet by archaeologists working in
the region and maybe elsewhere. All too often researchers came,
excavated and left, rather than came, excavated, educated and transmited
knowledge to people here so that accessability to the remains of the
past is possible. This is not to say that the past should be told by
archaeologists, but that chances for the self-creation of  narratives
could be implemented more intensively.
Archaeologists should take responsibility to create a civil society
through the material remains, while arguing against and making aware of
abuses of the past. On the same level, where the past creates
understanding of one anothers culture we may be able to find different
ways in the future of dealing with one another, instead of using troops,
jets and battleships.
Therefore, I would personally welcome a conference that concerns itself
not only with the effects of war on archaeology, but also how
archaeologists can help to create stability and understanding before and
after conflicts.


Tobias Richter
Amman, Jordan


Sarah Cross schrieb:

>I understand that this thread has gone rather manic on Britarch (as is all too
>common). I am against this war as a member of any group which you are to mention,
>but I can't see how a collective organisation of archaeologists will be more
>effective in organising resistance (though, even as I type I remember how isolated
>diggers can be from their real world communities though constant movement and
>I can see a role for organistation in that context)
>
>the idea of a conference is a different a perhaps more manageable idea.  A conference
>on the topic of warfare in the past, where all the speakers are up front about
>their opposition to this war in the present would be a way of using our skills
>in a socially useful way. Both archaeologists and historians have been as Roskams
>points out, deeply implicated in supporting the ideology of many wars in the
>past - and a conference like this would avoid all archaeologists being swept
>up in the propoganda machine.
>
>In general however, any discussion in any forum (even Britarch ;), or this sleepy
>list ;) :) ) is better than stunned and horrified silence
>
>Sarah
>
>*************************** ADVERTISEMENT ******************************
>Learn new skills online. Visit IOL's NEW e-learning channel
>and choose from a wide range of training courses!
>http://content.iol.ie/elearning-home.htm
>
>
>