The semiotic landscaping of heritage

Historic Jeddah's semiotic landscape reveals that its identity as 'al-Manṭiqa al-Tarikhiyya' (Historic District) is not a fixed preservation of history but an emergent product of social interaction and discursive struggles. Despite linguistic synonyms like 'al-Balad' or 'Jeddah al-Qadema,' the space's meaning evolves through mobility, conviviality, and power dynamics, reflecting multilayered historical narratives. The study demonstrates that heritage designation does not 'preserve' an original state but reinvents a shared memory through contextually anchored reinterpretations, highlighting the fluid nature of heritage landscapes shaped by differentially positioned social actors.

Abdelhay, A., Ahmed, M., & Mohamed, E. (2016). The semiotic landscaping of heritage. Linguistic Landscape, 2(1), 52–79. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1075/ll.2.1.03abd