This talk will describe the background, purpose and methodology of the Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa Project. It will highlight many of the issues surrounding such a project, based in the University (with partners in Leicester, Durham and Southampton Universities).

These include the nature of threats to the cultural heritage– not least in conflict zones, the impact of looting and trafficking, and the less obvious but equally damaging impact of food production, dam building and urban expansion. It will be presented in such a way to stimulate debate on why we seek to protect the heritage, why the EAMENA project exists, and why is it important now.