The emergence and consolidation of heritage conservation in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 1955-2021

Abstract

Built heritage sites in the Hejaz of Arabia, in general, and in Mecca, in particular, have been under pressure from modernisation and globalisation since the beginning of Islam. In the case of Mecca city, this thesis argues that the enormous expansions of the Holy Mosque since 1955, in line with steady growth in the number of pilgrims to this honourable spot of land, along with poor public awareness of the importance of these sites, have weakened the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s resistance to these pressures. There is a noticeable absence of research on the heritage conservation movement in Saudi Arabia, especially in Mecca city. A search of the literature shows that no chronological study exploring the emergence of the heritage conservation movement in the city of Mecca covers the period between 1955 and 2021. Therefore, the framework of this doctoral research has been shaped by the aim to investigate the emergence and consolidation of the heritage conservation movement in the city of Mecca between 1955 and 2021 through the analysis of the related cultural, social, and economic debate and to discuss to what extent the concept of heritage conservation is applicable to Mecca city. This is accomplished through analytical methods that have been employed to understand the evolution of heritage conservation in Mecca via a chronological (66-year) analysis of the gathered data from various sources, including published books, journal articles, historical references, archive documents (maps, photographs and others), government reports and statistics, dissertations along with local and national newspapers. Besides the chronological analysis, numerous semi-structured interviews with a variety of stakeholders (decision-makers, local experts, academics, and local residents) are conducted to fill information gaps and explore the points of view of the different actors and stakeholders regarding heritage conservation in Saudi Arabia in general and in Mecca city in particular. The research makes an essential contribution by addressing this gap through analysing laws and regulations, key actors, and implementation. In the early 1970s, the economic growth and waves of urbanisation accompanying the oil boom had disastrous impacts on urban heritage, resulting in the loss of many heritage sites and making heritage conservation a popular yet controversial theme. All of this attracted the government and those interested in heritage attention to the importance of heritage and its relevance in preserving Saudi identity; thus, genuine efforts started. These efforts led to the establishment of the first official law in Saudi Arabia in 1972, based on the Antiquities Law of Egypt. However, this thesis contends that the Saudi state's desire to preserve its heritage predated the ii enactment of the laws, citing the conservation of the old structure (the Ottoman Portico) of the Holy Mosque by royal decree in 1967 as proof. Although the emergence of heritage protection norms in Saudi Arabia manifested in the passage of the updated law in 2014, which greatly expanded heritage protection in several ways, there was no obligation and insufficient determination to safeguard heritage buildings and sites in Mecca. One of the most apparent findings in this study is a considerable trade-off between heritage conservation and the economic demand for an increased number of pilgrims. This thesis indicates that Mecca's heritage conservation situation is complex and uneven. The most severe threats to heritage are a large number of visitors, commercial progress, and a lack of knowledge.