Understanding the role of local stories in living archaeological heritage sites: the case of Stratonikeia

ABSTRACT

Considering experience and memory as inseparable aspects of any place, understanding place attachment through narrative form may provide insight into more diverse perspectives of the values and motives of stakeholders undertaking the conservation of archaeological sites as heritage sites. This study empirically evaluates the ways in which we may understand local people’s place attachment and how that can affect the interpretation and presentation of archaeological heritage sites. The study aimed to analyse the interaction between local people and visitors through storytelling. The investigation focused on Stratonikeia, an archaeological heritage site in the southwest of Turkey, which has the character of a ‘living archaeological heritage site’ having been continually occupied since the Bronze Age. The research methodology of the study involves three phases: oral history, storytelling, and survey. The study’s results demonstrate how local stories can influence visitors’ understanding of the social aspects of a heritage site, facilitating a deeper and more dynamic understanding of the site as a living entity within its historical and contemporary contexts. Incorporating storytelling as a means of exploring the social dimension of heritage sites offers an alternative perspective that enhances the comprehensive understanding of these sites, supplementing their conventional material-based interpretations and presentations.

KEYWORDS:

• Place attachment
• storytelling
• living heritage
• archaeological heritage
• Stratonikeia
• Eskihisar

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2024.2353566

Notes

1. The concept of place attachment has undergone limited research in heritage studies, and in different contexts such as museums (Eckersley 2017), urban places for daily use (Alawadi 2017), heritage sites (Garcia, Vandesande, and van Balen 2018), and touristic areas (Yuan, Chen, and Cao 2021; Zhang 2019).

2. All the conservation methods applied at a site have a direct influence on its presentation (Matero 2006).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Merve Gökcü Baz

Merve Gökcü Baz is a conservator architect with experience in the conservation of historical buildings and archaeological research projects. She is a PhD candidate and researcher at Newcastle University, where she explores alternative perspectives towards conservation issues by studying participation in urban heritage management using digital tools.

Öncü Başoğlan Avşar

Öncü Başoğlan Avşar Associated professor Öncü Başoğlan Avşar is a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Architecture at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University. Additionally, she has served as a conservation consultant at the archaeological site of Stratonikeia since 2015. Her scholarly pursuits are centred on the documentation, analysis, and management of historical environments and the restoration of built heritage structures.

Çağlar Özbek

Çağlar Özbek is an associated professor in Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Department of Labor Economics and Industrial Relations. Özbek completed his Ph.D. at Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Department of Sociology, with the thesis titled “New Actors of Democracy: Non-Governmental Organisations Within the Context of Ecologic, Feminist and LGBT Movements.” He worked as a research assistant at the same university for nine years at the Department of Sociology. His interests include international migration, gender, LGBT+ Studies, social movements, and identity.

Mehmet Baz

Mehmet Baz is a Master`s degree student at Pamukkale University, in the Department of Archaeology. He is the member of the Stratonikeia and Lagina excavation team since 2019.

Bilal Söğüt

Bilal Söğüt is a professor at Pamukkale University (Denizli, Turkey), Department of Archeology, and he has been the head of the excavation team of the archaeological heritage site of Stratonikeia since 2012.