To read this content please select one of the options below:

Notes on anthropogenic risks mitigation management and recovery of ancient theatres’ heritage: Qualitative assessment and recommendations

Naif Adel Haddad (Faculty of Architecture and Design, American University of Madaba(AUM), Madaba, Jordan) (Queen Rania Faculty For Tourism and Heritage, Conservation Science, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan)
Leen Adeeb Fakhoury (School of Architecture and Built Environment, German Jordanian University, Amman, Jordan)
Talal S. Akasheh (CulTech for Heritage and Conservation, Amman, Jordan)

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development

ISSN: 2044-1266

Article publication date: 8 February 2018

Issue publication date: 10 August 2018

379

Abstract

Purpose

Ancient theatres and odea are one of the most significant and creative socio-cultural edutainment centres of human history that are still in use. They stood and served as huge multi-functional structures for social, religious, propaganda and political meeting space. Meanwhile, ancient theatres’ sites have an intrinsic value for all people, and as a vital basis for cultural diversity, social and economic development, they should continue to be a source of information for future generations. Though, all places with ancient theatre heritage should be assessed as to their potential risk from any anthropogenic or natural process. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The main paper’s objective is to discuss mainly the anthropogenic and technical risks, vulnerability and impact issues on the ancient classical theatres. While elaborating on relevant recent studies, where the authors were involved in ERATO and ATHENA European projects for ancient theatres and odea, this paper provides a brief overview of the main aspects of the anthropogenic qualitative risks and related issues for selected classical antiquity theatres. Some relevant cases are critically presented and investigated in order to examine and clarify the main risk mitigation issues as an essential prerequisite for theatre heritage preservation and its interface with heritage reuse.

Findings

Theatre risk mitigation is an ongoing and challenging task. By preventive conservation, theatre anthropogenic qualitative risks’ management can provide a framework for decision making. The needed related guidelines and recommendations that provide a systematic approach for sustainable management and planning in relation mainly to “ancient theatre compatible use” and “theatre technical risks” are analysed and presented. This is based on identification, classification and assessment of the theatre risk causes and contributing factors and their mitigation.

Originality/value

The paper also suggests a new methodological approach for the theatre anthropogenic qualitative risk assessment and mitigation management, and develop some recommendations that provide a systematic approach for theatre site managers and heritage experts to understand, assess, and mitigate risks mainly due to anthropogenic and technical threats.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank ERATO: “Identification, Evaluation and Revival of the Acoustical Heritage of Ancient Theatres and Odea”, project number ICA3-CT-2002-10031, and ATHENA PROJECT: Ancient Theatres Enhancement for New Actualities, supported by the European Commission, Department of Antiquities of Jordan, and Dr Ziad Al Saad, Huda Najjar, Samia Khouri, Hanadi Al-Taher and Asem Asfour. Additional thanks go to the anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions that have improved this paper.

Citation

Haddad, N.A., Fakhoury, L.A. and Akasheh, T.S. (2018), "Notes on anthropogenic risks mitigation management and recovery of ancient theatres’ heritage: Qualitative assessment and recommendations", Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, Vol. 8 No. 3, pp. 222-256. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCHMSD-11-2016-0062

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles