Discovering WF16: Building Engagement with Neolithic Archaeology as Pathway to Economic Development in Southern Jordan

正如联合国2030年可持续发展议程所确认的那样，艺术和人文研究可以在建立可持续旅游业方面发挥重要作用，并由此为经济发展做出贡献。发现WF16项目将利用AHRC资助的2008-2010年挖掘WF16早期新石器时代聚居地的成果，提供一个示范案例研究，以便在约旦南部的Wadi Faynan修建一条新石器时代遗产步道。这将有助于吸引约旦和国际游客进入约旦南部这一贫困地区，为当地贝都因人社区提供就业和收入，同时改善游客体验，并为在经济发展中使用艺术和人文研究提供案例研究。据披露，该聚落拥有密集的住宅、作坊和一个大型社区结构，可以追溯到11800到10200年前，对于了解西南部定居社区和农业经济的起源具有相当大的意义。此外，WF16是Wadi Faynan三个新石器时代遗址中最早的一个，为该地区提供了独特的新石器时代景观，并有可能为整个东南亚提供新石器时代的景观。约旦旅游和文物部(MOTA)和Eco Hotels已寻求在Wadi Faynan发展可持续旅游业，以支持当地贝都因人社区和自然保护。这主要是通过促进Wadi Faynan内的野生动物、风景和传统贝都因人的生活方式，以及提供生态小屋(由Eco Hotels管理)来实现的，旨在为游客提供“荒野体验”(图3和图4)。Mota已经建造了一座当地博物馆，但尚未配备陈列和信息(图6)。尽管考古和文化遗产是参观世界遗产佩特拉的游客的主要吸引力，佩特拉位于距离瓦迪·费南仅50公里的地方，但瓦迪·费南的新石器时代定居点尚未向潜在游客开放和推销。通过这样做，发现WF16项目旨在增加来Wadi Faynan的游客数量，部分是通过吸引一些目前只访问Petra的游客，并延长他们在Wadi停留的时间。这将增加当地经济的支出，同时也提高游客和居民社区的教育和娱乐体验。为了实现这些目标，探索WF16将与MOTA、Eco Hotels和其他相关机构合作，在Wadi Faynan建立一条新石器时代的小径。这将包括在Eco-Lodge和当地博物馆放映一部新石器时代遗产电影，这些场所的展板，新石器时代遗址的信息板，一份步道指南，以及对贝都因人导游的考古培训。这些产出还将提供资源，供约旦各机构在与该区域发展可持续旅游业有关的主动行动中加以利用。瓦迪费南新石器时代步道将为南约旦新石器时代步道提供一个锚，这条步道将从瓦迪费南延伸到佩特拉附近的贝达新石器时代遗址。这条50公里长的步行/骑行/驾车小径旨在为游客提供进入该地区新石器时代遗址的通道，依靠当地社区提供食物、导游和住宿等服务，从而支持他们的发展，同时提高对新石器时代考古及其对亚洲西南部文化发展的重要性的了解和欣赏。Wadi Faynan新石器时代步道将是这一更大的长期项目的关键组成部分，该项目将在新石器时代遗产电影中得到推广，从而使WF16的发现产生超出Wadi Faynan本身的影响。

As recognized in the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, arts and humanities research can play a significant role in building sustainable tourism and by so doing contribute towards economic development. The DISCOVERING WF16 project will provide an exemplar case study by drawing on the results the AHRC funded 2008-2010 excavation of the early Neolithic settlement of WF16 to build a Neolithic Heritage trail in Wadi Faynan, southern Jordan. This will help attract Jordanian and international visitors into this impoverished region of southern Jordan, providing employment and income into the local Bedouin community, while enhancing the visitor experience and providing a case study for the use of arts and humanities research in economic development.Following its discovery in 1996 and evaluation between 1997 and 2003, WF16 was subject to a major excavation between 2008 and 2010 (Figs 7 & 8). The settlement was exposed as having a dense cluster of dwellings, workshops and a large communal structure dating to between 11,800 and 10,200 years ago with considerable significance for understanding the origin of sedentary communities and farming economies in SW Asia. Moreover, WF16 is the earliest of three Neolithic sites within Wadi Faynan, providing a unique Neolithic landscape for the region, and potentially for S.W. Asia as a whole.The Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA) and Eco Hotels have sought to develop sustainable tourism into Wadi Faynan as a means to both support the local Bedouin communities and for nature conservation. This has primarily been undertaken by promoting the wildlife, landscapes and traditional Bedouin lifestyles within Wadi Faynan and by the provision of an Eco-Lodge (managed by Eco Hotels) designed to provide a 'wilderness experience' for visitors (Figs 3 & 4). A local museum has been constructed by MOTA but has yet to be fitted with displays and information (Fig 6). Despite archaeology and cultural heritage being a major attraction for tourists visiting the World Heritage site of Petra, located a mere 50 Km from Wadi Faynan, the Neolithic settlements of Wadi Faynan have not been made accessible and marketed to potential visitors. By so doing, the DISCOVERING WF16 project aims to increase the number of tourists coming to Wadi Faynan, partly by attracting some of those who currently only visit Petra, and extend their length of stay in the Wadi. This will generate increased expenditure into the local economy while also enhancing the educative and recreational experience of both the visitors and the resident community.To achieve these aims, DISCOVERING WF16 will work with the MOTA, Eco Hotels and other relevant bodies to establish a Neolithic trail in Wadi Faynan. This will involve a Neolithic Heritage film to be shown at the Eco-Lodge and local museum, display boards for those venues, information boards at the Neolithic sites, a trail guide, and archaeological training for Bedouin guides. These outputs will also provide resources for utilisation by Jordanian bodies in their own initiatives relating to developing sustainable tourism into the region. The Wadi Faynan Neolithic trail will provide an anchor for the South Jordan Neolithic Trail that will extend from Wadi Faynan to the Neolithic site of Beidha in the vicinity of Petra. This 50 Km walking/cycling/driving trail has been designed to provide access for tourists to a Neolithic sites in the region, drawing on the local communities for services such as food, guides and accommodation, and thereby supporting their development while enhancing knowledge and appreciation of the Neolithic archaeology and its significance for cultural developments in SW Asia. The Wadi Faynan Neolithic trail will provide a key component of this larger and long-term project, which will be promoted within the Neolithic Heritage Film and hence enabling the DISCOVERING WF16 to have impact beyond Wadi Faynan itself.