Safeguarding the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam, Afghanistan – Phase I
The “Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam” was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2002 and simultaneously placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The property is located in the heart of the Ghor province, around 215 km east of Herat and at ca. 1900 m above sea level, within a rugged valley and at the junction of the Hari-rud and Jam rivers.
In April 2019 the base of the Minaret was hit by heavy flooding, causing damage to the retaining walls releasing a stream of debris in its immediate surroundings. Although situated in a high-risk security area, the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) in close cooperation with the Ministry of Defence, were able to initiate currently on-going rehabilitation works at the retaining walls, thus strengthening the base of the Minaret. At the same time, rubble and debris were cleared from the site, preparing the way for the implementation of the ALIPH-UNESCO project in close cooperation with the MoIC.
As the initial stages of the ALIPH-UNESCO project are aimed at the formulation of a conservation plan, focussing on the overall protection, structural stability and monitoring, the immediate project implementation is not affected by the COVID-19 crisis. An RFP for the preparation of the conservation plan will be advertised shortly and the start of the project is foreseen by June 2020.
Further activities will include:
- Installing a monitoring system to assess the nature and rate of possible structural movements of the Minaret;
- Conducting targeted training sessions in the field of structural stabilization, monitoring & conservation of historical materials/sites;
- Establishing a Laboratory for the study of the structural stability of the Minaret and for testing the proposed monitoring systems in Herat;
- As part of the conservation plan, designing and installing a roofing system to protect the inner structures of the Minaret and conduct other safeguarding measures, as appropriate;
- Developing adequate promotional materials of the proposed conservation plan, including graphic and video materials and an exhibition at UNESCO Headquarters.