Synchrotron radiation sources have made profound impacts on the study of cultural and natural heritage, including non-destructive investigations of archaeological / historical objects, artworks and artefacts as well as human remains. The synchrotron radiation facility SESAME (www.sesame.org.jo) is located north of Amman in Jordan and is operated by an intergovernmental organization, fostering scientific collaboration among members (Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Palestinian territories, Türkiye) across the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. It offers scientific access in the region of the Middle East that is known for its richness in archaeological, cultural and natural heritage. Germany is one of the observer countries to the SESAME international organization and maintains close scientific links with SESAME via the Helmholtz Association and its research centers. As part of a wider initiative to support SESAME, a special workshop "Bridging Natural Science, German Institutions and Cultural Heritage in the Middle East" was organized on 3-4 December 2024 at SESAME and in Amman aiming to highlight the advanced experimental capabilities of the SESAME synchrotron facility in cultural heritage research. The event organized by Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden- Rossendorf (HZDR), and SESAME brought together 40 participants, including experts, scientists, and cultural heritage officials, mostly from German and Middle Eastern institutions. On the first day the workshop took place directly at the research facility SESAME including a tour of all beamlines and experimental stations. The second day of the workshop was held at the Jordan Museum.
