Research project
The Living Museum of Umm Qais: Sustainable preservation, analysis and virtual reconstruction of Gadara's ancient site and village
- Start date: 1 February 2019
- End date: 30 January 2022
- Value: £250,000
- Primary investigator: Professor Gehan Selim
- Co-investigators: 01012877
The project aims to record, preserve, and analyse the endangered and multi-layered heritage site of Umm Qais including the Ottoman village houses, tracing their origins and materials to ancient Gadara’s plan. It will develop a coherent understanding of the distinctive layers of the Greek, Roman and Ottoman heritage and more recent cultural heritage practices and products.
The project looks not only on the archaeological and physical fabric of Umm Qais but also on ways to enhance the local community’s socio-cultural engagement with the site through skills development and capacity building in digital heritage and tourism enterprise, with the ultimate aim to raise the profile of the site and make it economically sustainable.