Conserving the Memory of Hammurabi: A Sustainable Model for Ancient Heritage Management at the Old Babylonian Site of Tell Muhammad, Iraq

An archaeological project requires a complex heritage management approach that includes excavation, scientific research, conservation of unearthed objects, protection of the site’s architecture, and, finally, public engagement. Based on these premises, the Baghdad Urban Archaeological Project aims to create a model for Ancient Heritage Management that includes the research, conservation, and public outreach at the Old Babylonian site of Tell Muhammad, located in the southern suburbs of Baghdad (Iraq). In so doing, thanks to the recovery at the site during the mid-19th century of objects with inscriptions related to Hammurabi (1810–1750 BCE), the sixth king of the First Dynasty of Babylon, the project attempts to conserve and promote this fundamental period in the history of ancient Mesopotamia by applying a sustainable model of management of archaeological heritage.