IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section B

Abstract

Cultural Interchange, according to UNESCO, is defined as the important exchange of human values, over time or within defined cultural spaces, reflected in urban, artistic and technological. Beyond these material expressions, cultural interchange should extend to inherited cultural and social traditions. This paper adopts a dynamic interpretation of cultural interchange and applies it to the case study of Darb Zubaydah, as an evolving process that gains meaning and value over time while preserving core beliefs and allowing the legacy to continue. Darb Zubaydah is cultural route stretching around 1400 km from Kufa in present-day Iraq to the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia. The route was developed during the early Islamic period under the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258) to facilitate the Hajj pilgrimage journey to Makkah. Abbasid engineers developed the route with transport, commercial, communication, and sustenance infrastructure. The Abbasid stations applied advanced planning and engineering to adapt to harsh terrain and ensure durability. This tradition of serving Hajj pilgrims continues to live on in Jeddah and Makkah, Saudi Arabia. It is a tradition that directly fosters cultural interchange in its connection of various geographies and peoples across space and time. This embodiment of cultural interchange has evolved, integrating inherited cultural and social traditions into modern practices. This paper argues that Darb Zubaydah demonstrates cultural interchange which extends beyond tangible heritage, when perceived from Islamic perspective. While the Abbasid legacy of engineering testifies to historical importance, the Hajj route’s reinvention illustrates the continuous evolution of inherited cultural heritage.