Beyond the Colonial Lens: Palestinian Archaeology and the Antiquity Trade

Lecture by Dr. Nicole Khayat, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Archaeology, as a modern pursuit, developed in tandem with Western imperialism. European scholars determined the field professionally and scientifically, by defining and controlling who produced archaeological knowledge. For the most part, indigenous knowledge production was disregarded or seen as of little consequence for not adhering to Western ‘scientific’ standards. The study of antiquities in Palestine was – and still is – determined mainly through a colonial prism and dominated by biblical archaeology. This lecture examines the history of archaeology in Palestine during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries within the context of Palestinian social and urban history, aiming to redefine the understanding of archaeological practice. It argues that a juxtaposition of excavation and antiquity trade—as they were carried out by Palestinians—offers a new angle for understanding Indigenous archaeological knowledge production. The research centers on a case study of the scholar's great grandfather drawing primarily on previously unknown historical sources from private Palestinian family archives. It also incorporates official archives, such as those of the Israel Antiquities Authority, alongside publications, museum catalogues, and other resources. While the focus is the Palestinian context, the analysis has wider applicability to the field in other regions and within the colonial context at the turn of the twentieth century.

Host or Publisher Library Society and OI Breasted Society