Developing digital Islamic heritage sites in Jordan: The case of al-Mafraq

Abstract

Purpose

Digital documentation has become a key factor in cultural heritage conservation in the world. It facilitates the preservation of culturally valuable sites into a digital form allowing more comprehensive and concurrent access to sites, showing their details, structural system, materials, etc., and making them available to the largest possible number of researchers. This research proposes integrating digitization into defining the significance and location of many Islamic heritage sites in al-Mafraq Governorate, Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

A deep understanding for the digitization of al-Mafraq Islamic heritage sites obtained by using archival research and surveys. Dozens Islamic heritage sites have been studied in the governorate, out of 450 sites all over Jordan.

Findings

Five categories were used in the analysis of the heritage digitizing project: location, typology, structure, significance, and conservation attempts and alterations.

Originality/value

This research raises awareness of the digitizing Heritage sites. It is positioned as unique in terms of its complex nature of transforming old Islamic heritage sites to become smart heritage sites based on cultural heritage and open and coordinated inclusion of stakeholders.

Limitations

This research has its limitations as it is based on 50 qualitative cases selected based on the observations of the sites included in the Islamic Heritage Sites Project in Jordan within al-Mafraq governorate.