Authentic Practices and Materials in the Patrimonialization of Damascus' Ancient Medina

The ethnographic observation of patrimonialization in Damascus, SAR, shows that in each stage of the process, people commit to struggle against the use of concrete. Indeed, the built forms that become heritage objects were originally made not using concrete. Having listed the old city in the World Heritage List (WHL) in 1979, Unesco stressed that was paramount to develop the potential of the site to become a culturally attractive area, while keeping the authenticity of ancient buildings. Currently, the stakeholders of patrimonialization are heritage practitioners and ‘incomers’ that share the idea of authentic building traditions; they live in a place they perceive to be responsive; they feel traditional materials as elements that make both their homes and their body: the natural environment of Damascus feeds people and their built environment. In their discourse, cement – a material in which is engrained the Western-directed modernization – is contrasted with 'earth', shorthand for a set of materials (such as wood, mud, stone, hemp). Incomers’ refusal to use concrete is also a stance against the old residents' restoration practices, that on the contrary involve using concrete.