The Phoenicians and world heritage : a comparative study of current and potential inscriptions on the UNESCO world heritage list

Abstract

The Phoenicians have been the subject of much debate for several decades. The very meaning of the term ‘Phoenician’, their origin and homeland, and the extent of their footprint have all been questioned. Even what is categorized as ‘Phoenician’ material culture, and how members of this cultural group referred to themselves are still highly ambivalent questions. The present study investigates how the Phoenicians are represented on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and how this may have been influenced by modern day attitudes towards, and ideas about, Phoenician culture. The main strategy adopted for this study is the thorough investigation of the nomination dossiers concerning all the World Heritage Sites nominated to date and which are located in Europe and in the Arab States. The study also considers properties attesting to the Phoenicians that are listed on the Tentative Lists of the respective States Parties. Of 128 properties which attest to ancient civilizations, the nomination dossiers of eight properties identified the Phoenicians as one of the main contributors to the sites’ Outstanding Universal Value. A further 11 properties on the Tentative Lists of seven different States Parties also refer to the Phoenicians. The findings of this study are discussed further by examining the historical, cultural and political context in which these inscriptions took place. The number of Phoenician properties are explored and compared to how other ancient civilizations are represented on the List. The main finding of the study is that the following factors were significant in shaping the inscription of Phoenician properties on the World Heritage List and influencing which countries have nominated Phoenician sites for inscription: The history of Phoenician studies, the influence of Classicism and nationalism, and the French colonial past in Lebanon and Tunisia in particular. Furthermore, the investigation is suggesting that the World Heritage List is rather biased when it comes to the representativity of ancient civilizations in general.