Risk management and conservation strategies for heritage sites using analytic hierarchy process (AHP)

Iraq has long been considered the cradle of civilizations, is full of many archaeological sites and monuments dating back thousands of years. Despite this, Iraq has only six sites on the World Heritage List, half of which are on the danger list. In recent decades, damage to Iraq's cultural heritage has increased dramatically due to an increase of natural hazards and human-made threats, as well as inadequate risk management plans. The purpose of this study is to clarify how to use the AHP method to investigate the most significant human-made risks to archaeological sites and then identify appropriate conservation strategies to prepare and implement an efficient risk management plan. Babylon was chosen as a case study because of its global significance and its vulnerability to many dangers. As a result of the AHP method, the main human threats of the highest weight were determined as looting, encroachment, and incorrect interventions and the secondary threats of the highest weight were identified as illegal excavation, slum dwellings, and inappropriate restoration materials. The methodology used in this paper helps decision-makers to prepare risk management plans, choose strategies based on the priority of the risks with the highest weights.