Keeping the fathers alive: The conservation of funeral architecture in Ugarit

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract / Description of output

The cult of ancestors is a fundamental feature which characterises the Bronze Age domestic architecture in the Levant, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia. The development of this aspect in Ugarit, the capital of an important Bronze Age civilization in Syria, turned out to be a strong feature that colors the city domestic architecture and urban aspects. The remarkable evolution of the chamber tombs frames not only architectural and technical advancements, but also urban and social dimensions. This paper presents a detailed archaeological reading and architectural analysis of the two types of Ugaritic tombs. A comparison between them reveals a strong evolutionary line in Ugaritic funeral architecture between Middle and Late Bronze Age periods. The study also establishes a conservation proposal that highlights this evolutionary line, while enhancing the visitors’ recognition and perception of the tombs’ spatial relationships with surrounding domestic units. A series of poignant architectural interventions is proposed to differentiate the funeral part and mark the chamber’s location within the house. Also, structural solutions are considered which facilitate the exploration of the tomb’s interior safely.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationREHAB 2015
Place of PublicationBarcelos
ISBN (Electronic)978-989-8734-10-5
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2015

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