Norah Mazar, USA | ISBN: | Submitted: Jul 17, 1998

Ein Karem: Interpreting Layered hegemony via CD-ROM

So often in heritage sites, especially those with layers of information which were created by various religious or cultural groups, the presence of one culture's monuments and structures all but obliterates the importance of others, and sometimes, a site whose inherent beauty is in specifically its aura of layered hegemony, becomes simplified to the point of becoming relatively mundane. This is the case in Ein Karem, Jerusalem. Ein Karem is a small village with approximately 2200 residents which has been occupied as a residential area since the late bronze age. It has a long history as a site of intense agriculturalism and religious worship. Ein Karem is a small village of Christian churches, Arab buildings, remains of Jewish farming and settlement, and a vibrant community within the Judean Mountains. The structures which were constructed over time at Ein Karem are a testament to the activities which took place there, and which continue to happen every day.

The sheer spatial and temporal overlapping of events and occupations of Ein Karem have created a hodge podge of buildings and building types which is difficult to decipher. Because of a lack of interpretation at the site, this makes it most challenging to understand the value of their combined histories, or to even detect the motley assortment of peoples who created the place.

This paper will explore the meanings of interpretation to architecture and sites and to preservation, and offer a solution in the form of CD-ROM for interpreting sites with layered hegemony. This type of solution has implications for site conservation, especially sites with mixed cultural antecedents in other contexts throughout the world.

This paper will explore the mnemonic function of environment. There will be a discussion of how interpretation can relate to different groups with varies focuses and interests via the internet or CD-ROM, which allows those interested in Ein Karem to gain an interpretation tailored by their own interests and fueled by their own imaginations, based on the premise that interactive, participatory learning is most inspiring and affective. This paper will explore the contents of the proposed CD-ROM including the languages, images and sounds it would employ, its use, links, purposes, educational factors and its function in public awareness. The challenge is to install a system of interpretation which does not interfere with the site, (such as signage), and which is capable of several spheres of meaning. The interpretation system must be current. The gamut of people who are in need of an interpretation of this site is large, and a solution must be found which would allow anyone to explore Ein Karem in the order of importance for themselves, and with a focus on their own interests.

A modern approach must be taken, one which allows various lines and spheres of inquiry, and one which is in tandem with the technical capacity of our advanced world. It must go beyond the techniques of traditional architectural preservation (making preserved structures into museums or attractive commercial real estate) to reach broader audiences. A CD-ROM would allow the inquirer to create the path of inquiry. CD-ROM allows the 'theatre of memory' to function as a 'theatre of prophesy' as well, assuring a forward looking approach toward interpretation and conservation.

As is true for all fields, computer technology has been making fundamental changes in how we practice preservation. Computerized techniques for data acquisition in the field, laboratory, studio and office have been progressing rapidly due in part to the steady shrinking of computers. With the development of CD-ROM technology, our horizons become even broader. A CD-ROM interpretation system would be ideal for Ein Karem, and other complex sites as well, especially those sites, which like Ein Karem, are currently inhabited cities. This would be a non-invasive and non-destructive approach, allowing people to explore Ein Karem, both physically and virtually, without disturbing the everyday life and atmosphere of the village with distracting signs, or masses of tour groups.

George Kubler described the historian's craft as delineating the "shape of time." The art of the historian, he wrote, resembles that of a painter, "to discover a patterned set of properties that will elicit recognition all while conveying a new perception of the subject." This is very much the capacity of a CD-ROM.

[more information]

[other authors]
none

[keywords]
multi-media conservation preservation Israel hegemony interpretation environment memory exploration