Archaeological Heritage Sites Research Articles

Understanding the role of local stories in living archaeological heritage sites: the case of Stratonikeia

ABSTRACT Considering experience and memory as inseparable aspects of any place, understanding place attachment through narrative form may provide insight into more diverse perspectives of the values and motives of stakeholders undertaking the conservation of archaeological sites as heritage sites. This study empirically evaluates the ways in which we may understand local people’s place attachment and how that can affect the interpretation and presentation of archaeological heritage sites. The study aimed to analyse the interaction between local people and visitors through storytelling. The investigation focused on Stratonikeia, an archaeological heritage site in the southwest of Turkey, which has the character of a ‘living archaeological heritage site’ having been continually occupied since the Bronze Age. The research methodology of the study involves three phases: oral history, storytelling, and survey. The study’s results demonstrate how local stories can influence visitors’ understanding of the social aspects of a heritage site, facilitating a deeper and more dynamic understanding of the site as a living entity within its historical and contemporary contexts. Incorporating storytelling as a means of exploring the social dimension of heritage sites offers an alternative perspective that enhances the comprehensive understanding of these sites, supplementing their conventional material-based interpretations and presentations.

Genesis of the development of liability for encroachment on archaeological heritage sites: the Soviet period (1917–1991)

The article is devoted to the study of the Soviet period of development of liability for encroachment on archaeological heritage sites. The main legal acts inherent in this period are identified.
 Having studied the peculiarities of the Soviet period, the author establishes that during the existence of the Soviet State the regulation of liability for trespass to cultural property, cultural and archaeological heritage has undergone significant changes, and as a result, this period can be divided into two stages.
 The first stage is characterized by the fact that cultural property ceases to be the subject of special protection, being the subject of a crime, it is subject to protection by criminal law in the general order, if it falls under their scope. The legislative field is dominated by contradictory, ideologically aligned legal acts. Thus, the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR of 1922 was characterized by weak legal protection of cultural property. In addition, the lack of regulation of other types of encroachments on cultural property, such as theft, destruction or damage, etc. was a gap in the criminal legislation of the Ukrainian SSR. The subsequent Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR of 1927 contained only one provision protecting historical and cultural monuments from criminal attacks. It established liability for concealing collections and monuments of antiquity and art subject to registration, accounting, or transfer to state storage facilities.
 At the second stage (from the mid-1940s), the state and society gradually realized the public danger of encroachments on cultural property. Legislation was updated, and responsibility for the destruction or damage of historical and cultural monuments was introduced and gradually increased. The Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR of 1960, on the one hand, abolished such a crime as concealment of collections and monuments of antiquity and art and archival materials subject to registration, accounting or transfer to state repositories, and on the other hand, introduced liability for the destruction or damage of cultural monuments. In 1983, the range of objects that could be encroached upon under Article 207 of the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR was expanded. In 1991, the Law of the USSR «On Criminal and Administrative Liability for Violation of Legislation on the Protection and Use of Historical and Cultural Monuments» was adopted, which established criminal liability for the following criminal acts: intentional destruction, destruction or damage to historical and cultural monuments (para. 1, Art. 1; intentional destruction, destruction or damage to historical and cultural monuments committed repeatedly or causing grave consequences (para. 2, Art. 1); desecration of a historical and cultural monument committed with exceptional cynicism (Art. 3); desecration of a historical and cultural monument without the signs provided for in Article 3 (Art. 5). The above provisions were to be incorporated into the criminal and administrative codes of the union republics. However, the legislator did not introduce the relevant amendments to the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR.

Dance improvisation as an embodied encounter with heritage site: a case in the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu

ABSTRACT This article explores dance improvisation as an alternative mode of understanding the archaeological heritage site beyond representational knowledge. Drawing on projects undertaken on Liangzhu Archaeological Site over the past five years (2018–2023), we have employed dance improvisation as a method for participants to explore here and now interactions with the heritage site, focusing on their sensing, feeling and thinking. Using an A/r/tography methodology, this study considers how intersections of art-making and writing allow new meanings and bodily interpretation to emerge during the improvisation process. Participant reflection notes reveal how embodied encounters create space for rhizomatic interpretations of the archaeological site, transcending power dynamics embedded in existing politically-sacred and archaeologically-authoritative knowledge systems.

On the preservation of the image of the architectural and urban planning complex of Adam Mickiewicz Square in Lviv

Abstract: In 2022−2023, a new hotel building appeared at Mickiewicz Square 9 in Lviv. It was built on the site of an architectural monument dating back to 1839. – the Gudec House. The project of the Gudec House was designed by Viennese architect Wilhelm Schmidt. The monument was dismantled despite the protests of the Lviv community and despite the decision of the Scientific and Methodological Council of the Ministry of Construction of Ukraine on the need for its restoration. In connection with the construction of the hotel, the city authorities announced plans to build an underground parking lot for 40 cars. This initiative sparked a great deal of discussion among monument conservationists and construction professionals. The site for the construction of the parking lot has a very complex hydrogeological structure, which greatly complicates the construction and can also negatively affect the entire historical environment of the square and the surrounding buildings. Another feature of the square is the presence of a number of archaeological sites. These are, first of all, the remains of two lines of fortifications – relics of the High Defense Wall of the 13th – 16th centuries. (in the area of the square are the remains of the Butchers’ tower and the wall curtain from it to the Coopers’ tower) and the remains of the so-called “third” defensive belt of the city center (a defensive line built in 1522−1542 in the form of large artillery corner towers and bastions; the corner towers were connected to each other by a rampart and a wall). These two defense lines had their own moats filled with water. In the 17th-18th centuries, when the fortification function faded away, buildings for various purposes were added to the defensive walls. Their remains may also be present in the underground space of the square. In the center of the square there is a monument to Adam Mickiewicz from 1904 – an object of unique artistic and architectural work. The purpose of this publication is to show what archaeological heritage sites are under the square and to point out the value of these relics for the history of Lviv. The discovery and archaeological disclosure of these monuments will make it impossible to build an underground parking lot here.

Magnetometry Studies of Belinskoye Settlement on the Kerch Peninsula

For the first time, the results of magnetometry studies on the territory of the Belinskoye archaeological heritage site (AHS) located on the Kerch Peninsula are published in the article. This monument, which included a hill fort and necropolis, intermittently existed from the turn of I–II to the beginning of the X century. Excavations 1996-2023 studied about 5.5 thousand m2, which is no more than 3% of its approximate area. Magnetic exploration carried out at the facility during 2007–2015 made it possible to study almost 90% of the territory of the settlement and at least 1/3 of the necropolis. Thus, among all the archaeological sites of Taurika, AHS Belinskoye is the most studied. Despite the hypothetical nature of the information received, it can be concluded that in early Byzantine times the object was a fortified settlement with urban neighborhoods divided by a grid of streets. At the Khazar time, the eastern part of the settlement was occupied by manor development with the use of its northern and central parts for economic purposes.

Bioarchaeology and Paleoclimate Aspects of the Study of the Upper Don Region Population of the Middle Bronze Age

The paper presents the reconstruction of the lifestyle, environment, and climate conditions of the inhabitants of the forest-steppe zone of the East European Plain in the Middle Bronze Age. Presented study is based on the results of archaeological work on the territory of the archaeological heritage site «Volkhonskiye Vyselki 1, kurgan» carried out in 2021 by the expedition of the Lipetsk regional scientific public organization «Archaeological Research». The mound belongs to the Middle Don Catacomb culture and contains 9 graves. It was demonstrated that the climate at the time of the creation of the mound were more arid than at modern times by soil-archaeological method. Levels of mobile P forms in soils suggest that the site was used for feasts, both before the creation of the mound and after. The gender and age, osteometric and pathological characteristics of the skeletons of 15 buried are given. Because of the results of isotope analyzes it has been assumed that the diet of the deceased was based on plant food.

Application of Geomatics Techniques for Cultural Heritage Mapping and Creation of an Unsafe Buildings’ Cadastre

Mapping of Cultural Heritage is a crucial process aiming at safeguarding and promoting the unique identity, history, and traditions of a particular community or region. This practice involves the documentation, conservation, and interpretation of various aspects of Cultural Heritage, which can be conducted through Geomatics techniques including the use of various tools and methods to collect, analyze, and visualize spatial data related to heritage sites. The same techniques can be used for the identification and subsequent cataloging of unsafe buildings thus creating a cadastre useful for authorities, urban planners, and building management organizations to identify, monitor and address unsafe structures. In this context, this paper presents an automatic, innovative, and experimental system through which it has been possible to map the Cultural Heritage in a fraction of the province of Reggio Calabria and, at the same time, to build a cadastre of unsafe structures. A prototype drone was programmed to acquire the images, subsequently pre-processed using commercial software and analyzed using Machine Learning techniques and dedicated software. An Open GIS (Geographic Information System), then, made it possible to view the archaeological heritage sites and the dangerous and damaged buildings, with identified and cataloged cracks. In relation to the monitoring of Cultural Heritage and old, unsafe buildings, several different technologies including Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and high-resolution satellite imagery are being successfully used, which involve, however, data processing complexity and the need for specialized expertise. By overcoming the challenges of these traditional methods, this proposed approach holds promise in facilitating comprehensive Cultural Heritage monitoring and management even in smaller and less resource-rich areas. The use of drones for data acquisition and integration into a well-implemented GIS, in fact, could offer a potential solution to monitor Cultural Heritage and assess the condition of existing buildings, while saving time and costs in the process.

Earthquakes and Archaeological Heritage Sites: The Case of February 6 Earthquakes

Earthquakes, one of the most destructive disasters in the world and in our country, occur as a result of tectonic movements in the earth's crust. Earthquakes have an important place among the natural disasters that occur on earth and have affected many civilizations throughout history. Archaeological heritage sites are valuable resources for understanding and preserving human history and past cultures. Earthquakes are disasters that have serious impacts on archaeological heritage sites. Earthquakes cause structural and non-structural damages to cultural heritage sites and even their complete destruction. Archaeological sites are particularly vulnerable to the effects of earthquakes. Damage such as collapse of walls, collapse of columns or damage to foundations threaten the integrity of archaeological heritage sites. Turkey has been home to various civilizations throughout history due to its location, fertile soils and favorable climate. Therefore, it has many important archaeological heritage sites. However, Turkey is one of the countries with high earthquake risk worldwide. Its archaeological heritage sites are also under earthquake risk. The recent earthquake of February 6, 2023 was one of the most important earthquakes in Turkey. The region affected by the earthquakes is a region with cultural continuity since the early periods of history. Archaeological sites in the region were also damaged by the earthquakes. In this study, it is aimed to examine the effects of earthquakes on archaeological heritage sites and to evaluate the conditions of archaeological heritage sites in the earthquake zone in the earthquake zone in the context of the February 06, 2023 Earthquakes.

Can Virtual Reality Become an Instrument in Favor of Territory Economy and Sustainability?

The study aims to identify how virtual reality technology can help protect and conserve flora and fauna in national parks and other environmental settings. To this end, the literature published in the Scopus database is examined. A Systematic Literature Review methodology from 2018 to 2022 and an Empirical Research (survey) applied to tourism in natural areas, mainly national parks, have been proposed. Virtual reality technology is particularly useful as a complement or alternative to visiting national parks. The main results indicate that, currently, daily life confronts us with stressful situations that can be mitigated through ecotourism, as well as virtual reality applications, such as games and videos, which interactively inform about the species of flora and fauna present in the park visited. This helps in the conservation and protection of endangered species, the conservation of the forest, as well as archaeological heritage sites present in these natural parks. The development and implementation of this technology varies from one context to another. It is beneficial for people with some kind of disability or for the physical effort involved in long walks, even on steep terrain, and sometimes it improves the conditions of access to the national park and the dangers related to such an exciting adventure.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF FORENSIC ARCHEOLOGY AND FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY IN THE INVESTIGATION OF ILLEGAL SEARCH OPERATIONS AT AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE SITE

The results of expert research in the field of forensic anthropology and forensic archeology help solve many important tasks: identify bone remains, determine the antiquity of a crime and can help historians and archaeologists find answers about the way of life, habits and level of civilization of a particular era. In some cases, even a historical investigation is possible, in which special knowledge of forensic anthropology and archeology can also come in handy. The study of skeletons and corpses, mummified remains of ancient people, cooperation with criminologists and historians helps not only to recognize certain individuals in the presence of materials for comparative research, but also to verify or refute more global versions of certain facts of the life of the entire historical society. The active development of forensic archeology and anthropology abroad provides a worthy example for domestic science and practice to borrow the positive experience of European and American colleagues. We see the use of the results of forensic archeology and forensic anthropology as part of a complex forensic investigation within the framework of the investigation of many offenses, in particular, illegal search operations at an archaeological heritage site, destruction, destruction or damage to cultural heritage sites. General scientific methods of research are empirical (experiment, observation, description) and theoretical (analysis, synthesis, abstraction, generalization, induction, deduction, explanation, classification, etc.), as well as systemic, functional, specifically sociological. The purpose of the article is to develop and analyze the theoretical foundations of conducting a complex forensic-medical and forensic-archaeological/forensic-anthropological examination during the investigation of illegal search operations at an archaeological heritage site, destruction, destruction or damage of cultural heritage sites and other offenses. First of all, when investigating the illegal conduct of search works at an archaeological heritage site, it is necessary to use the achievements of many sciences, to come to a systematic perception of the research object, to look for new interdisciplinary approaches. Secondly, when studying skeletonized remains and corpses, it is necessary to combine knowledge from forensic medicine, history, archeology and anthropology. It is necessary to develop a plan for the investigation of crimes taking into account the appointment of such types of examinations, to calculate certain deadlines and the complexity of investigations of this kind. Thirdly, to develop and test the methodology of conducting comprehensive forensic-medical and forensic-archaeological/forensic-anthropological examinations taking into account the achievements of these fields of knowledge and modern domestic technical and personnel capabilities. Fourth, to study the experience of foreign colleagues, in particular, American research centers and criminal proceedings, to improve the qualifications of certain specialists directly on international practice bases.

Archaeological heritage as a subject of criminal offense

Today, the archaeological heritage is an integral element of the objective side of the composition of the crime provided for in Art. 298 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. At the same time, the effectiveness of the mentioned article, in our opinion, raises certain doubts. First of all, this is due to the fact that encroachments, the subject of which is the archaeological heritage, have a high level of latency. In addition, when applying Part 1 of Art. 298 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, in the vast majority of cases, there is a problem of proving that illegal archaeological explorations, excavations, other earthworks or underwater works were carried out precisely on the site of archaeological heritage. This paper is devoted to the study of archaeological heritage as a subject of criminal encroachment and clarification of the terminological apparatus used in defining the specified element. During the research, all existing archaeological heritage sites in Ukraine were divided into three groups: 1) known archaeological heritage sites; 2) intended objects of archaeological heritage; 3) unknown objects of archaeological heritage. The given gradation gives rise to certain peculiarities regarding the status of archaeological heritage objects and the adaptation of measures aimed at their protection. Yes, criminal protection under Art. 298 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine applies only to objects of archaeological heritage of the first group. Legal protection is provided to known objects of archaeological heritage that have just been discovered or those that exist as monuments of national or local importance, that is, objects that have been granted the legal status of «object of archaeological heritage» by the state. In any other case, it is impossible to prosecute the guilty persons for the illegal conduct of archaeological explorations, excavations, other earthworks or underwater works on the object of archaeological heritage, which belongs to the second or third group. They do not have the corresponding legal status of «site of archaeological heritage», despite the fact that they are such in essence. It became necessary to introduce changes to the current legislation for the purpose of preventive protection not only of objects of archaeological heritage with a clearly defined legal status, but also of those that do not have it.

Exploring tourists’ experiences when visiting Petra archaeological heritage site: voices from TripAdvisor

PurposeArchaeological heritage tourism has great potential for development in numerous destinations. However, literature on archaeological heritage tourism is scarce and empirical data are minimal. This paper aims to identify the main themes shared in online reviews by tourists, as well as identify factors known as satisfiers and dissatisfiers based on Herzberg’s two-factor theory among tourists who visited Petra UNESCO heritage site.Design/methodology/approachThe research used content analyses to analyse 1,419 tourist’s online reviews on TripAdvisor. Leximancer software provided computer-assisted qualitative data analysis that pinpoint the dominant themes, after which further qualitative analysis found the main narratives associated with different satisfaction groups.FindingsSuccessively, seven themes were revealed: entrance, trip, monastery, buildings, animal, carriage and safe. Furthermore, a four-dimensional model was postulated to help understand the components and flow of visitors’ experiences in an archaeological heritage site. In addition, the findings of the study revealed that tourists who scored their experience as 4 (very good) or 5 (excellent) (satisfiers) commonly shared perceptions about architecture, buildings, safe, temples, monasteries, tours, tombs and helpful. Contrarily, reviewers that rated their experience as 1 (terrible) or 2 (poor) (dissatisfiers) shared narratives around concepts such as expensive, animals, carriages, locals and shops.Originality/valueThe results offer valuable understandings of cultural heritage tourists’ overall experiences based on TripAdvisor reviews and facilitate the identification of the dominant themes associated with drivers of tourists’ satisfaction/dissatisfaction.

Війна в Україні: нові виклики для археології

As a result of the Russian aggression, which began in 2014, hundreds, if not thousands, of cultural heritage sites were destroyed or damaged to one degree or another. Against this background, the objects of archaeological heritage, which include settlements, hillforts, barrows, burial mounds (kurgans), etc., stand out. Work on collecting information on damaged archaeological sites began back in 2014. In 2016, after a monitoring mission to study the state of archaeological heritage in the war zone within the territory of Luhansk region, information began to be collected somewhat more actively. Starting from February 2022, when even more Ukrainian territory was subjected to military action, even more archaeological heritage sites were damaged or completely destroyed. Identification and analysis of cases related to the destructive impact of the war on the archaeological heritage is the main task for the near future. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop methodological recommendations. The publication proposes the allocation of three conditional groups of locations of archaeological heritage objects: group A - objects in the zone of cessation of hostilities or in the zone of active hostilities in the unoccupied territory (controlled by Ukraine); group B - objects in the zone close to the front line, military operations were not carried out, but archaeological objects were damaged by the military (territory controlled by Ukraine); group C - objects in the zone where hostilities are no longer taking place, or in the zone of active military operations in the occupied territory. Given the existing information, a preliminary typology of the nature of damage to archaeological heritage objects was developed, which includes 6 items: 1. mounds with partially destroyed embankments as a result of shelling (presence of ruptures from explosions); 2. mounds damaged as a result of the arrangement of protective structures/support and observation point or firing points with the help of machinery or hand tools; 3. settlements, hillforts, and ground necropolis, on the day surface of which there are ruptures from explosions (the integrity of the object is damaged); 4. settlements, hillforts, and ground necropolis that were damaged or destroyed as a result of the construction of protective structures; 5. mined areas; 6. areas with objects of archaeological heritage allocated for large-scale construction of military infrastructure (Crimean Peninsula). The construction of civil infrastructure in the occupied territories is a topic for a separate study. In all cases, the degree of damage is indicated separately. The possibility of supplementing or correcting the data is not excluded, since the research process is at the stage of development. It also offers 4 ways of obtaining information about the facts of the destruction of archaeological heritage sites, including private messages, monitoring of social networks and specialized forums, visual monitoring, and research of satellite images. Key words: archaeological heritage, war, Ukraine, methodology.

Sultan Selim II’s Volga – Don Canal in Russian and Turkish Historiography

In Russian and Turkish historiography, the themes of construction by Turkish troops of a canal between the Volga and Don tributaries, rivers Kamyshinka and Ilovlya, during the 1569 Astrakhan campaign became widespread. An archaeological monument known as “Selimov Val”, located in the territory of the Kamyshinsky Raion of the Volgograd Oblast, is regarded by some Russian and Turkish historians as remnants of this canal. The article analyzes the relevant historiography. It is shown that there were three viewpoints on this matter in the 17th – 20th century historiography: (1) Turkish (İbrahim Peçevi, Mustafa Âlî, Evliya Çelebi, and Ahmet Refik), Russian (A. I. Lyzlov, C. Cruys, G. S. Bayer, S. G. Gmelin, P. I. Rychkov, I. V. Rovinskii, and A. I. Rigelman), and European (P. Oderborn, M. Stryjkowski, and J. von Hammer) historians (16th to early 20th century) believed that the construction of the canal was the main goal, or one of the important goals, of the 1569 Astrakhan campaign and a significant part of the excavation works had been completed; these historians have not localized the canal construction site; (2) The representatives of the late 18th to early 20th century local-history historiography (N. Ya. Ozeretskovsky, A. N. Minkh, and K. G. Turovsky) believed that one of the canals between rivers Kamyshinka and Ilovlya was built by the Turks in 1569; (3) Russian (M. M. Shcherbatov, N. M. Karamzin, S. M. Solovyov, P. A. Sadikov, N. A. Smirnov, and A. L. Khoroshkevich) and Turkish (H. İnalcık and A. N. Kurat) historians (late 18th – early 21st century), drawing on the most reliable sources, argued that, in 1569, the works on the construction of the canal, if any, were carried out on a very small scale and 150 km to the south of Kamyshin rather than near it. Thus, the name of the archaeological heritage site, Selimov Val (“Selim’s earth bank”), is erroneous, as this site is what remains of a canal whose construction in 1697 was managed by J. Bröckell.

Археологическое наследие на территории Муниципального образования «город Екатеринбург»: общий обзор, итоги инвентаризации 2023 г.

There are almost all types of archaeological monuments (settlements, burial grounds, pictograms, ancient production sites) on the territory of the municipal formation of the city of Ekaterinburg, most of them are represented by settlements located along the banks of watercourses and lakes. The dating of the sites covers a wide range from the Mesolithic to the Late Iron Age. At the same time, no more than 10 % of the sites have been explored. The number of archaeological sites in the Ekaterinburg municipality as of 2023 totals 124 objects (according to the State Security authorities). At 66 objects of cultural (archaeological) heritage, the boundaries of the distribution of the cultural layer are defined, and information about them is included in the Unified Register of Objects of Cultural Heritage of Russia. The remaining sites are in the status of identified objects of cultural (archaeological) heritage. They have yet to be added to the register. This article presents a general overview and characteristics of objects of cultural (archaeological) heritage located within the modern boundaries of the municipal formation of the city of Ekaterinburg. It also considers the results of work to determine the boundaries of the spread of the cultural layer on objects of cultural (archaeological) heritage from 2013 to 2022, necessary for entering information about sites in the state cadaster of real estate, methodology and prospects of work in this direction, as well as the need to define the boundaries of all scientifically significant archaeological heritage sites on the territory of Ekaterinburg.

GEOLOGICAL, GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL, BIOLOGICAL, AND HISTORICAL HERITAGE OF LENGGONG GEOPARK DEVELOPMENT

The Lenggong Valley is uniquely significant in national and international geological heritage and was declared a UNESCO Archaeological Heritage Site in 2012. The Lenggong Valley was formed 550 million years ago. It is one of the oldest in Peninsular Malaysia, equivalent to the rock formations in Langkawi and Jerai. The geological evolution in the Lenggong Valley also produced biodiversity and the history of early human prehistoric to the present time. Due to this privilege, the Lenggong Geopark nomination development effort started in 2020 by forming the Geopark Promotion and Development Committee. Lenggong Geopark covers an area of 2,068 km2 (enclosed by the boundaries of the Lenggong Parliament). A total of 27 geosites have been identified, depicting four important geological and historical tectonic evolutions and special geomorphic features in the Lenggong Valley. Eight biosites are still preserved, involving granite mountain, limestone, and lowland ecosystems covered by different forest types. It is the limestone hills that contain a large number of rare and endemic flora species. In addition, eight geoarchaeological sites were also identified that depicts the interaction between early humans and the geological landscape. The unique and preserved traditions of life, art and culture have added value to the geopark. Therefore, active efforts continue to be carried out in the development of geosites and programs with the local community to foster a high sense of pride and belonging to a place, in addition to an understanding of the preservation and conservation of natural and cultural heritage in Lenggong Geopark. Various activities based on tourism activities are also planned to stimulate the economy and introduce Lenggong as the second national geopark area in the State of Perak.

Sustainable Reuse of Dark Archaeological Heritage Sites to Promote Ghost Tourism in Egypt: The Case of the Baron Palace

Egypt is one of the few countries with significant archaeological sites in every region. Some of these sites have been identified as dark archaeological sites that have not been used in a long time. The study proposes a strategy for the long-term reuse of these sites through niche tourism, i.e., dark or ghost tourism, which has received little attention from decision-makers or tourism planners. Furthermore, they have received little attention from Egyptian scholars. The current study fills knowledge gaps and contributes to the preservation of archaeological sites through sustainable reuse, ultimately helping Egypt’s sustainable tourism development. Using the case of the Baron Palace, the study investigates the potential for dark and ghost tourism in Egypt, as well as the barriers and development recommendations. To achieve the study’s goal, the research adopted a qualitative approach that relied on in-depth interviews with various stakeholders. The discussions revealed that, while Egypt has many types of tourism, both dark and ghost tourism have significant potential and opportunities through the reuse of dark archaeological sites. However, there are numerous impediments to proper implementation. Recommendations were made to overcome these obstacles, achieve positive economic, social, and environmental outcomes, and ensure the long-term viability of archaeological heritage.

Testing the accuracy of OSL and pIR IRSL dating of young geoarchaeological sediments in coastal Peru

Luminescence dating of late Quaternary sediments in Peru is challenging, especially on the Peruvian coast. Earlier studies have shown that quartz grains often exhibit a thermally unstable, medium signal that caused the underestimation of Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) ages. InfraRed Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL) dating has shown to produce more reliable ages, depending, amongst other factors, on the age model (Central or Minimum Age Model), and the IRSL signal. IRSL dating of geoarchaeological sediments has, however, hardly been carried out, let along validated, against an independent age dataset. This dating approach is, nonetheless, the only promising way to date the geological substrate in which many of Peru's archaeological sites are buried. Peru contains some of the oldest and most important archaeological heritage sites, yet not much is known of the environmental context in which many of its early civilizations prospered. A better understanding of which luminescence method works best could therefore help in a better understanding of the geological-stratigraphical context of many of Peru's sites. To investigate this matter more fully, we compared the luminescence dating results of seven sediment samples from the top layer of the Lima alluvial fan and from geoarchaeological layers of the Maranga Complex (San Miguel, Lima), with an independent dataset of sixteen 14 C ages. Our results showed that the quartz OSL ages always underestimated the expected ages due to a signal dominated by medium and slow components, and that the post-IR IRSL 225 (pIR IRSL 225 ) and IRSL 50 ages of K-feldspars, on basis of the Central Age Model (CAM), always overestimated the expected ages. The Minimum Age Model (MAM) on the other hand, correctly predicted the expected ages for the early Holocene, Lima alluvial fan sediments using the pIR IRSL 225 signal of K-feldspars, and the late Holocene, geoarchaeological ages using the IRSL 50 signal.

Data-driven conservation actions of heritage places curated with HBIM

Digital surveying tools provide a highly accurate geometric representation of cultural heritage sites in the form of point cloud data. With the recent advances in interoperability between point cloud data and Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital heritage researchers have introduced the Heritage/Historic Information Modelling (HBIM) notion to the field. As heritage data require safeguarding strategies to ensure their sustainability, the process is closely tied to conservation actions in the architectural conservation field. Focusing on the intersection of the ongoing trends in HBIM research and the global needs for heritage conservation actions, this paper tackles methodological pipelines for the data-driven management of archaeological heritage places. It illustrates how HBIM discourse could be beneficial for easing value-based decision-making in the conservation process. It introduces digital data-driven conservation actions by implementing a novel methodology for ancient building remains in Erythrae archaeological site (Turkey). The research ranges from a) surveying the in-situ remains and surrounding stones of the Heroon remains with digital photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning to b) designing a database system for building archaeology. The workflow offers high geometric fidelity and management of non-geometric heritage data by testing out the suitability and feasibility for the study of material culture and the physical assessment of archaeological building remains. This methodology is a fully data-enriched NURBS-based (non-uniform rational basis spline) three-dimensional (3D) model—which is integrated and operational in the BIM environment— for the holistic conservation process. Using a state-of-the-art digital heritage approach can be applied from raw data (initial stages) to decision-making about an archaeological heritage site (final stages). In conclusion, the paper offers a method for data-driven conservation actions, and given its methodological framework, it lends itself particularly well to HBIM-related solutions for building archaeology.

A holistic conservation and development approach for Gaziantep Rumkale archaeological site

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to determine the scope and content for a holistic conservation and development strategies in the case of Gaziantep Rumkale. This approach seeks an answer to the question of “How can Rumkale archaeological heritage be preserved with their original values and passed on to future generations?”Design/methodology/approachThe materials of the paper are based on field research and written and visual resource. The paper has been handled with a four-step method setup. The first stage is to examine the spatial and functional background of Rumkale and its immediate surroundings based on the historical development process. The second stage is to evaluate the upper- and lower-scale planning experiences of the heritage site. The third stage of the research methodology is strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. The fourth stage is the creation of cultural heritage conservation-development strategies that define strategies for the protection and development of archaeological heritage in the context of sustainability.FindingsThe paper emphasizes the development of a holistic perspective that theoretically deals with the archaeological heritage sites of Rumkale together with the surrounding rural areas. In this context, the paper suggests ecological, spatial, socio-cultural, economic and institutional protection development strategies for the Rumkale archaeological site together with the surrounding rural areas for their delivery to future generations.Originality/valueAlthough the area has an important cultural heritage value for different religions and cultures, it has not been subject to sufficient scientific research. The paper develops a holistic approach by considering Rumkale and its surroundings together.