ABSTRACT
On October 17, 2019, an uprising erupted in Lebanon, demanding civil rights and political reform. The October Uprising marked a turning point in a country plagued by historical amnesia and sectarianism. Protesters occupied public places around archaeological and historic sites in Beirut, reclaiming them as their own. They protested the privatisation of public spaces and rallied to save the historic Bisri Valley from the construction of a dam. This newfound appreciation for our heritage responded to the socioeconomic and political crises, as people felt the need to belong to a shared identity. For decades, ties to the past were systemically broken by politicians who employed sectarianism as a means to divide and conquer. Projecting the modern phenomenon of sectarianism into pre-modern eras created rifts in everyday life and an imagined heritage. These distorted images of the past are rooted in the archaeology that was implemented by the colonial enterprise and intimately tied to the politics of restructuring the “Orient.” This paper examines how colonialism, politics, and sectarianism in Lebanon have led to historical amnesia and an imagined past. By looking at national and international politics, we aim to define the social responsibility of Lebanese archaeologists, museum professionals, and historians. Now that people are searching for a shared heritage and a common identity, our duty as scholars studying the past is to assist them. Our mission should not only be confined to excavating sites but should also contribute to current social movements to repair the distorted ties between the present and past for the country's future and its people.
