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Heritage Void and the Void as Heritage

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Abstract

This paper is an analysis of practices in the heritage field that I call heritagization, de-heritagization and re-heritagization. I use the case of the destruction of the Buddha statues in the Bamiyan valley of Afghanistan to analyze these processes in a Lacanian theoretical framework. In the course of my argument, I provide elements of the history of destruction of the two statues, as well as of attempts to reconstruct them. Different kinds of discourses that accompanied these processes form another part of my contribution. Finally, I discuss the ‘problem’ of the heritage voids by emphasizing emerging collective desires to replenish them.

Résumé

Cet article est une analyse des pratiques patrimoniales que je qualifie de « patrimonialisation », « dépatrimonialisation » et « repatrimonialisation » (respectivement heritagization, de-heritagization et re-heritagization en anglais). Je prends pour exemple le cas de la destruction des statues de Bouddha dans la vallée de Bâmiyân, en Afghanistan, pour analyser ces processus dans un cadre théorique Lacanien. Dans mon argumentation, je développe l’histoire de la destruction et des tentatives de reconstruction de ces deux statues. Puis, une autre partie de ma contribution traite des différents types de discours qui ont accompagné ces processus. Enfin, j’aborde le « problème » des vides laissés dans le patrimoine, en soulignant les désirs collectifs émergents de les remplir à nouveau.

Resumen

El presente documento es un análisis de prácticas en el campo del patrimonio que denomino patrimonización, despatrimonización y repatrimonización. Utilizo el caso de la destrucción de las estatuas de Buda en el valle Bamiyán de Afganistán para analizar estos procesos en un marco teórico lacaniano. En el curso de mi argumentación, proporciono elementos de la historia de destrucción de las dos estatuas, así como también los intentos de reconstruirlas. Los diferentes tipos de discursos que acompañaron estos procesos forman otra parte de mi contribución. Finalmente, trato el "problema" de los vacíos patrimoniales haciendo hincapié en los deseos colectivos emergentes para llenarlos.

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Acknowledgments

I thank Claudia Näser, Cornelia Kleinitz and Stefan Altekamp for their invitation to contribute to the workshop ‘Global Heritage—Worlds Apart: The Cultural Production, Appropriation and Consumption of Archaeological Heritage Spaces’ within the Excellence Cluster Topoi. The meeting was exceptional for its spirited discussions. Many observations and critiques after the oral presentation helped improve the content of this paper. As always, I thank Susan Pollock, whose sharp eye found inconsistencies and gaps in an original version of the text.

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  1. Institut für Vorderasiatische Archäologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Hüttenweg 7, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Reinhard Bernbeck

  2. Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA

    Reinhard Bernbeck

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Bernbeck, R. Heritage Void and the Void as Heritage. Arch 9, 526–545 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11759-013-9245-0

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