The Urkesh Project was never simply an archaeological excavation confined to traditional digging tools, such as the pickaxe, shovel, and the brush used by archaeologists to remove dust from ancient remains. Rather, it was a flexible project, guided by the belief that archaeological excavation should not be its sole activity, and that understanding the past and bringing its many facets to life also requires the involvement of local communities, whose knowledge, traditions, and collective memory can reveal aspects of the past that excavation tools alone may not uncover.
From this perspective, music became part of the project’s activities over the years, serving as a means of connecting with the region’s living heritage and expressing its cultural identity. How could it be otherwise, given that the ancient inhabitants of Urkesh excelled in the world of music, leaving behind musical evidence whose influence extended far beyond their city, reaching places thousands of miles away?.
The local communities, too, were never distant from the project, nor was the project distant from them. Rather, a close relationship based on communication and cooperation developed between us. Within this relationship, we sought to support and assist local people, particularly during their visits to the archaeological site, by providing them with a set of informational panels containing details about the site and its history, as well as giving lectures that enriched these visits and enhanced visitors’ understanding of the site’s historical and archaeological significance.
School students made up the largest share of these visitors. Numerous educational activities were organized for them at Tell Mozan, including lectures delivered on the slopes of the mound and workshops that gave them the opportunity to learn about the archaeological site and its history firsthand and to engage directly with the heritage of their region.
Our relationship with local communities was not limited to welcoming people at the archaeological site; it also extended to visiting them in their homes as part of our Eco Park program, where we, in turn, became guests in their beautiful rural houses. In this way, Urkesh was present not only within the boundaries of its archaeological site, but also accompanied us into the homes of local people, houses that continue to preserve the authenticity and traditional character of the region. Perhaps the most striking feature of these houses is that the clay used to build their walls is the same clay from which the walls of the ancient palace of Urkesh were constructed. This shared material seems to embody a tangible and cultural bond between the two places, reflecting the deep-rooted and enduring relationship between people and their land, and between everyday life and a heritage that stretches back thousands of years.
The project’s efforts also extended to organizing presentations and exhibitions in the towns and cities of the region, reaching beyond its borders to Beirut, Damascus, and Italy. Thus, the aim of the Mozan Project was not merely to uncover the remains of the past, but also to reconnect that past with the communities living on its land, foster greater awareness of its cultural and historical significance, and offer a wider audience the opportunity to discover the region’s history and rich heritage.
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