Exploring Tangible and Intangible Heritage and its Resilience as a Basis to Understand the Cultural Landscapes of Saxon Communities in Southern Transylvania (Romania)

Ileana Pătru-Stupariu,Marioara Pascu,Matthias Bürgi

doi:10.3390/su11113102

Ileana Pătru-Stupariu, Marioara Pascu + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113102

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Abstract

Landscape researchers tend to reduce the diversity of tangible heritage to physical aspects of cultural landscapes, from the wealth of intangible heritage they focus on land-use practices which have a direct and visible impact on the landscape. We suggest a comprehensive assessment of both tangible and intangible heritage, in order to more accurately assess the interconnection of local identity and the shaping of cultural landscapes. As an example, we looked at Saxon culture and cultural landscapes in southern Transylvania (Romania), where we assessed features of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, identified their resilience and the driving forces of their change. Our analysis, based on 74 interviews with residents in ten villages in southern Transylvania, showed a high resilience of tangible heritage and a low resilience of intangible heritage. A major factor responsible for changes in the Saxon heritage was a decline in the population at the end of the Cold War, due to migration, driven by political and economic factors. We conclude by discussing the specific merits of such an analysis for integrated landscape management.

Highlights

In recent years, landscape research has shown a growing interest in questions of cultural heritage, acknowledging for example, its relevance for biodiversity, recreational potential, aesthetics and the social fulfillment of cultural landscapes
Landscape researchers tend to reduce the diversity of tangible heritage to physical aspects of cultural landscapes, from the wealth of intangible heritage they focus on land-use practices which have a direct and visible impact on the landscape
We suggest a comprehensive assessment of both tangible and intangible heritage, in order to more accurately assess the interconnection of local identity and the shaping of cultural landscapes

Summary

Introduction

Landscape research has shown a growing interest in questions of cultural heritage, acknowledging for example, its relevance for biodiversity, recreational potential, aesthetics and the social fulfillment of cultural landscapes. Landscape research has to date not addressed the diversity of aspects linked to heritage adequately, as much more attention has been given to tangible heritage, such as the remains of traditional agricultural landscapes and their spatial arrangements or structures, and much less so to intangible heritage, such as practice, knowledge, skills or traditions [4,5]. Such activities and traditions are, important components of heritage [6], as they are reflecting the interactions between the people and their surrounding landscape. It is important to consider that tangible and intangible heritages are often interconnected: The former provides the physical support for the latter, while the latter could contribute to the preservation and conservation of the former [9]

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