Archaeology, power, and professional responsibility
Weaponising heritage at Sebastia (OPT)
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8132965 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Chemi Shiff (0000-0003-0923-5693, Emek Shaveh, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 1-19 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-24 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Heritage Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1352-7258 • E-ISSN: 1470-3610 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13527258.2026.2619191 |
| OpenAlex | W7125594229 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 19 |
This article examines the entanglement of archaeology, power, and professional ethics in the Occupied Palestinian Territories through the case of Sebastia, a multi-layered heritage site northwest of Nablus. It argues that Israeli governmental and settler interventions have transformed archaeology from a scientific practice into a political instrument for territorial control and ideological legitimation. Through analysis of conservation policies, planning documents, and heritage governance frameworks, the paper identifies three interrelated strategies through which cultural heritage has been weaponised: the establishment of a permanent Israeli presence, the construction of a historical narrative centred on Jewish antiquity while marginalising the site’s Palestinian dimensions, and the use of this curated narrative to justify de facto and de jure annexation. Framed within Herzfeld’s concept of crypto-colonialism, the article shows how heritage management in Sebastia situates Israel as a ‘civilizing’ guardian of Western values confronting a constructed Eastern other. In contrast, Palestinian-led and cross-border initiatives articulate alternative models of heritage grounded in community custodianship and shared stewardship. By revealing how professional silence within Israeli archaeology reinforces exclusionary policies, the article calls for a renewed ethical engagement that recognises heritage as a field of political responsibility and as a potential medium for decolonised practice.
Cultural heritage · Cultural heritage management · Industrial heritage · Values · Archaeological Research and Protection · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies
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| Highly cited | No |
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