Additional Information

Available Through

SAGE Journals

Language

English

Notes

Abstract: The controversial Merowe Dam was inaugurated by the President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, in March 2009. The reservoir of the dam had then already flooded a large stretch of the fertile Nile valley, which required the forced resettlement of up to 78,000 people. During the construction period of the dam, foreign archaeologists were surveying and excavating in order to save the cultural heritage of the land to be flooded. This article addresses the ethical implications of conducting salvage archaeology when the local people are in opposition to the development project that necessitates both their resettlement and the archaeological salvage.

Additional tags: salvage archaeology; conflict between archaeologists and local communities; resettlement; ethics of development

Taxonomies

RPA Codes & Standards

• Adequate Preparation for Research Projects
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to Employers and Clients
• Archaeologist's Responsibility to the Public
• Integrity of Research Methodology
• Procedures for Field Survey or Excavation

CIfA Codes

• Principle 1: Adherence to ethical and responsible behaviour in archaeological affairs
• Principle 2: Responsibility for the conservation of the historic environment
• Principle 3: Responsibility for acquiring and recording reliable information of the past in archaeological research
• Principle 5: Recognition of aspirations of employees, colleagues and helpers in all matters of employment

Keywords & Terms

• Accountability
• Conflicts of Interest
• Conservation
• Consultation/Partnership with Affected Groups
• Environmental Impact and Issues
• Funding, Employment, and/or Compensation for Work
• Impact on Communities - Local, Descendant, etc.
• Management of Cultural Resources, Heritage, History
• Preservation of Archaeological Resources
• Professional Standards
• Public Interest, Collaboration, Education, and Outreach
• Respect for and Responsibility to Affected Groups
• Standards of Data Collection, Recordation, Analysis
• Transparency

Topics & Issues

• Conservation and Ethics
• Cultural Resource Management (CRM)
• Descendant, Resident, and Stakeholder Communities
• Development vs. Conservation
• Environmental Issues, Impacts, and Regulations
• Ethical Case Studies
• Ethical Responsibilities of Archaeologists
• Heritage Management
• Human Rights and Social and Economic Inequalities
• Landscape Issues, Archaeology, and Ethics