The site display (2008)


Introduction
1. The itinerary as narrative
2. The synthetic overviews ("panoramas")
3. The detailed panels ("footnotes")

Introduction

     In the 2007-8 seasons we introduced a new concept in site presentation. In previous years, we had produced a booklet, which had come to be 40 pages in length by 2004, and for which an update was produced in 2005. However, additional updates, such as are necessary after each year's excavations, were difficult and not economical.
     Looking for a solution to obviate this problem, I came upon a simple but effective concept, that I first introduced in 2007, and improved on in 2008. The site itself was to be the book, by having a narrative unfold along the suggested itinerary, with a variety of panels that would hold the attention because of the story line proposed. The panels would address different level of interest on the part of the visitor, so that one could spend as little or as much time as one may wish. What was being offered was a novel type of confrontation with the site, where curiosity could be both met and generated.
     There are three major components, which are described below. The full text of all panels is given in PDF format: needless to say, merely reading the pages cannot even come close to the confrontation with the "real thing", when the panels face the excavated monuments and invite the visitor to absorb fully their impact. Which only means that the reader should plan to come in person and visit the site...
     All texts are fully translated into Arabic. The bulk of the translation is the work of Rasha el-Endari.
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1. The itinerary as narrative

     The story line is embedded in an itinerary that counts 14 stations. A gravel path leads the visitor and it is also printed on a single sheet that contains a brief description of the project. At each station, there is a brief explanation that runs in two directions. On the one hand it explains at a glance what visitors see in front of them, on the other it ties in the particular station with the others. The idea is that a stop is not anecdotal and accidental, due simply to the fact that there is something to see. Rather, one understands this better because we have already seen that or we are going to see something else, for which we create an expectation. This adds an almost dramatic element to the walk along the route. A hurried visitor may only have time for this. But in our experience even those who are initially uninterested get enticed to delve into details they did not even suspect existed.
     See the full text in PDF format.
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2. The synthetic overviews ("panoramas")

     At certain special vantage points, situated high above the ground so that one may enjoy a panoramic overview, there are synthetic panels that offer insights into the broad scope of the architecture, the urban layout, the geographical context, etc. Here we are like visitors from outer space, looking at history from the distance of our point in time and the distance of our intellectual re-constructions - all symbolized by the physical distance at which the panels (raised high above the ground) place us.
     See the full text in PDF format.
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3. The detailed panels ("footnotes")

     In contrast, the detailed panels are down on the same ground the ancients trod, and the goal here is to help the visitor assimilate the perception the ancient had of both their built and their natural environment. They are also replete with information - presented, however, in such a way that it is easy for the reader to dwell on points of interest skipping the rest. We compare them to "footnotes" which, similarly, may be read or skipped at will. By placing them directly in the excavations, these panels link the visual reality of the excavation, which is directly in front of the viewer, with the conceptual framework in which it plays a role. This 'dialogue' between a specific physical phenomenon and an equally specific conceptual construct brings the visitor to understand in a unique way the role of the archaeologist as bridge between past and present. The panels are small and light, like a reading stand for a violin player. Thus, they are not obtrusive and do not detract from the object which they address. We can therefore have as many as desirable. The pages can also be replaced with the greatest of ease, allowing for updates even during the excavation season.
     See the full text in PDF format.
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[G. Buccellati - January 19, 2008]