11.01.2026 Closing Conference of the Ta’ziz Science Cooperation 2023–2025 at Philipps-Universität Marburg

From 17–20 December 2025, Philipps-Universität Marburg hosted the closing conference of the Ta’ziz Science Cooperation 2023–2025 project under the title “Dealing with Material Culture in the Eastern Mediterranean: Between Excavation and Digitization.” The conference marked the conclusion of a two-year international cooperation supported by the DAAD and brought together scholars from Germany, Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus, and other countries of the Eastern Mediterranean.

The conference opened on Wednesday evening at the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS) with welcoming remarks by Prof. Dr. Tanja Pommerening, Prof. Dr. Winfried Held, and Prof. Dr. Albrecht Fuess. The opening session featured keynote lectures addressing cultural interaction, digitization of heritage, and future perspectives of material culture studies, delivered by Prof. Dr. Helene Sader, Prof. Dr. Mamdouh El-Damaty, Prof. Dr. Heba Saad, and Prof. Dr. Ourania Kouka. A reception at the CNMS provided space for academic exchange and networking.

The second day focused on Islamic manuscripts from the collection of the Gotha Research Library, covering topics such as late Mamluk manuscript techniques, furūsīya literature, equestrian culture, birds and falconry, as well as Digital Humanities and digitization projects in Germany and Egypt. Further sessions addressed excavations, heritage science, and the history of pharmacy and medicine. The day concluded with a joint visit to Marburg’s Christmas Market, offering an informal setting for continued discussion.

On Friday, the program expanded to cultural heritage in modern Alexandria, material exchange between Egypt, the Levant, and Cyprus, and archaeological studies on bronze statues and Phoenician archaeology. The day ended with a visit to the archaeological collection and a reception at the Archaeological Institute, followed by closing remarks from the participants.

The conference concluded on Saturday with a guided city tour of Marburg and a farewell dinner at the Marburg Mosque, celebrating the academic collaboration and the successful completion of the Ta’ziz project.

For more information and the full conference report, please see the detailed report on this page.