Cultural Heritage Research Articles

The Archaeology and Cultural Heritage of the Mafia Archipelago, Tanzania: Recommendations for Conservation and Management

ABSTRACT This paper reflects on the status of conservation and management of the cultural heritage of the Mafia archipelago, Tanzania, by examining six sites: the stone town sites of Kisimani Mafia and Kua, Ukunju Cave, Mwamba Ukuta, Chole Island ruins, and Bwejuu Island. These sites constitute a rich archaeological record, extending from ancient time through the medieval to the recent past. Mafia’s rich cultural heritage has attracted multiple phases of archaeological research since the mid-1950s. Despite being well known, the archipelago’s heritage places face serious conservation and management challenges of both natural and anthropogenic origins. Natural challenges include severe wave erosion, while anthropogenic ones include looting and relentless pressure from development projects. We propose specific recommendations for addressing these challenges, underpinning the need to develop sustainable heritage tourism that will stimulate community heritage awareness and promote conservation.

Transforming library systems in Africa: advancing literacy and cultural preservation through digital innovation

Transforming library systems in Africa is essential for advancing literacy and preserving cultural heritage in an increasingly digital world. The integration of digital innovation into African libraries has the potential to revolutionize access to information, promote lifelong learning, and safeguard indigenous knowledge. This review explores the role of modern technologies, such as digital archiving, e-libraries, and mobile platforms, in enhancing literacy rates and preserving Africa's rich cultural traditions. By transitioning from traditional, print-based models to digital systems, libraries can bridge the educational gap in underserved communities, offering wider access to educational resources and promoting literacy at all levels. Additionally, digitization facilitates the preservation of local languages, oral histories, and cultural artifacts, ensuring that future generations can engage with Africa's diverse heritage. The challenges of digital transformation in African library systems, including limited infrastructure, funding, and digital literacy, are also discussed. The review emphasizes the need for strategic investments in technology, capacity building, and policy frameworks to create a sustainable digital ecosystem. By harnessing digital innovation, African libraries can evolve into dynamic centers of learning and cultural preservation, contributing to both socio-economic development and the protection of African identities. This transformation is critical to fostering a more educated, culturally aware, and globally connected African society.

Common values for common goods: a circular regeneration model for active citizenship

Regenerating cultural heritage implies adopting a systemic and multi-scalar approach capable of considering the characteristics and flows of relations between the different components of the system. The regeneration project can be a circular strategy to reconnect people and places, generating and regenerating material and immaterial values of cultural heritage as a ‘common good’. The research proposes a circular and participatory regeneration model, validated through an evaluative framework. It supports decision-making and assesses the multidimensional impacts of reuse, redevelopment, maintenance and management practices of the commons, at all stages of the recovery project, and with respect to emerging instances and criteria adopted in existing policies.

The Investigation of Artificial Intelligence in Cultural Relics Protection

It is well-known that the importance of cultural heritage in history, culture, art and other aspects is self-evident. However, due to various force majeure damage, the situation of cultural heritage protection is becoming more and more severe. This article will review and look forward to the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in cultural relics protection. The method section of this paper demonstrates various AI technologies such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), deep learning, and reinforcement learning, and applies them to cultural relic digitization, damage detection, virtual restoration, and cultural heritage management and display. The next section outlines the specific tasks for which these AI techniques are applicable, demonstrating the potential of these innovations to improve accuracy and efficiency in work. In the subsequent discussion section, the current limitations and challenges of AI in this field are analyzed, such as data dependency and “black box” characteristics. At the same time, the future direction of AI is discussed, such as interpretable AI (XAI) and adaptive learning. Finally, this paper concludes that although AI has challenges, it will play an increasingly important role in the field of cultural heritage protection in the future.

Energizing the future: Unleashing the potential of innovative waste-to-energy technologies for energy development and sustainability within Zimbabwe's tourism sector.

Zimbabwe's tourism industry, renowned for its natural wonders and cultural heritage, faces a looming energy crisis rooted in the detrimental over-reliance on fossil fuels and the underutilization of substantial waste resources that lie dormant. The article investigates multifaceted relationship between six independent variables: landfill gas recovery and anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis and gasification, incineration, biogas production, biodiesel production, ethanol production and syngas fermentation and one dependent variable: energy development and sustainability. In this study, a quantitative methodology was adopted, involving the gathering of data from 519 stakeholders in the tourism supply chain through a simple random sampling technique, with the sample size determined using the Krejcie and Morgan table. The distribution of questionnaires was facilitated through Google Forms, and the data analysis was conducted using Smart PLS. Statistical findings indicate direct significant relationship between variables, and t-statistic values all hypotheses were all greater than the threshold of 1.96, ranging from a minimum of 2.911 to a maximum of 9.431. These findings underscore the robustness of the relationships between the waste-to-energy technologies and energy development and sustainability within Zimbabwe's tourism sector. This empirical evidence highlights the substantial potential for these innovative technologies to play a pivotal role in mitigating the energy crisis and fostering sustainable energy development.

Enhancing the Ecosystem of Central Areas in European Metropolises: A Project for Rome

The paper presents the results of a third-party research project defining the process of redevelopment and social and environmental regeneration along the historic urban axis of Via Nazionale and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II in Rome. The site is affected by the construction of the new tram line connecting Termini Station to the Vatican City. The study proposes an approach to the design of public spaces that, starting by inhibiting traffic from rubber-tired vehicles and private cars and the application of environmental mitigation strategies, allows to reduce pollutant emissions, enhance the cultural heritage along the urban axis, and revitalise cultural, social, and commercial activities, thus triggering a virtuous process of sustainable growth and development.

Restoration and Segmentation of Old Jawi Manuscripts using Variational Image Inpainting and Active Contour Models

Old Jawi Manuscripts (OJM) are crucial to historical studies, offering insights into past societies. However, degradation from mishandling and environmental factors can impair their legibility. To preserve OJM, image inpainting and segmentation are essential for restoring corrupted areas and identifying text. Recently, the Gaussian Regularization Segmentation (GRS) model has shown effectiveness in intensity inhomogeneity grayscale image segmentation, though it was not designed for corrupted OJM images. Therefore, this study aimed to reformulate the GRS model to restore and segment text from real corrupted OJM images. The methodology begins with the incorporation of the Mumford-Shah and Bertalmio inpainting models into the GRS model as new fitting terms, resulting in the Modified Gaussian Regularization Segmentation Mumford-Shah (MGRSM) model and the Modified Gaussian Regularization Segmentation Bertalmio (MGRSB) model, respectively. MATLAB was used to implement these models, and their performance was assessed on 30 corrupted OJM samples from Malay Ethnomathematics Research Group, with expert evaluations and efficiency measured by average elapsed time. The MGRSM model achieved 38.4 percent and 12.4 percent higher overall total scores from experts in terms of segmentation accuracy compared to the GRS and MGRSB models, respectively. While the GRS model is the fastest, the MGRSM model provides superior accuracy, with an average processing time of 9.35 seconds, making it the most optimal for restoring and segmenting OJM images. This approach not only enhances the preservation of historical manuscripts but also provides a practical tool for researchers and historians in safeguarding our cultural heritage.

Retrofit of green architecture through adaptive reuse of heritage buildings in sustainable tourism management

ABSTRACT The adaptive reuse of cultural heritage buildings as tourist attractions is a growing trend. From an architectural point of view, this concept can be optimized with green architectural retrofit strategies, which help minimize construction waste and encourage environmental conservation. The challenge lies in technically implementing green architectural strategies to transform cultural heritage buildings to ensure safe and comfortable use as tourist destinations. This research uses method in-depth observations of several case studies to identify the subject’s strengths and weaknesses through SWOT analysis. The findings from this analysis are used to develop strategies for managing cultural heritage buildings through green retrofit architecture. The research results provide detailed insights into the effectiveness of management practices based on previous research, addressing issues such as limited awareness and capacity, challenges in interpreting and managing cultural heritage, data management, costs, and inadequate knowledge. Research recommends applying green retrofit techniques such as energy efficiency, water and waste management, landscaping, building material, and indoor air quality to cultural heritage buildings. This approach aims to optimize and increase energy efficiency by revitalizing buildings through landscape designs that consider environmental conservation and climate change.

Navigating overtourism destinations: Leveraging smart tourism solutions for sustainable travel experience

<p>This paper explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and smart tourism technologies to address the multifaceted challenges of overtourism in tourist destinations. Overtourism leads to significant environmental degradation, strains local resources, and diminishes visitor satisfaction, ultimately threatening the sustainability of these destinations. Destinations can enhance sustainability and tailor travel experiences by utilizing cutting-edge technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and big data analytics. These technologies offer innovative solutions to optimize resource use, enhance visitor engagement, and promote responsible tourism practices. The study underscores the potential of smart tourism technologies to manage tourist flows, reduce environmental impacts, and improve the overall quality of life for local communities. Strategic planning, substantial investment, and collaboration among various stakeholders, including government agencies, local communities, and the private sector, are essential for the successful implementation of these solutions. The findings highlight the critical role of technological innovation in fostering a balanced and sustainable future for tourism, ensuring that destinations can thrive economically while preserving their cultural and natural heritage. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and tourism managers aiming to mitigate the adverse effects of overtourism through the adoption of AI and smart tourism technologies.</p>

The Evolution of Advertising in Nigeria: Promoting Local Content for Sustainable Development

The complex relationship between advertising and local content promotion in Nigeria is one of the huge challenges to sustainable development. Cultural oversimplification, misrepresentation, and dominance of the West do significant damage to the representation of Nigerian culture authentically in the practice of advertising. This paper, therefore, reviews this relationship by incorporating historical evolution, and technological, cultural, and regulatory dynamics. The qualitative research design followed in this study generated primary data through the use of in-depth interviews conducted on key players in the Nigerian advertising industry. The primary data collected underwent a thematic analysis, while the historical analysis was supported by multiple sources, including historical records, publications from the industry itself, and scholarly literature. This research shall, therefore, be located within the understanding of the Cultural Imperialism Theory and the Development Media Theory as a lens to critically analyse the complexity of representations of local content in advertising. The results showed that there were positive and negative perceptions toward the integration of local content in Nigerian advertisements, as most consumers appreciate culturally authentic content. It identifies challenges and also shows how to use opportunities: bridging Nigeria's multicultural identity and digital platforms for sustainable development. This research underlines the need for a balance between global advertising practices and the local cultural nuances of impactful, sensitive campaigns that shall help lead the course of sustainable development and preserve the rich cultural heritage of this great nation.

Historical Quarry Landscapes of Three Finnish Granites

The quarry landscapes of Virolahti, Uusikaupunki, and Vehmaa are results of quarry operations during the most important periods of natural stone quarrying in Finland. The quarry landscape in Virolahti was formed in connection to the quarrying of red Virolahti pyterlite for the construction of St. Petersburg in Russia from the middle of 1700s to the beginning of the 1900s, while in Uusikaupunki, the quarry landscape is connected to the start of the modern Finnish stone industry and the National Romantic architecture at the beginning of the 1900s. The quarry landscape in Vehmaa is related to the start of the modern Finnish stone industry and export of Finnish granite at the beginning of the 1900s. In Virolahti, several small quarries can be seen, while in Vehmaa, a tendency towards fewer, but larger quarries start to emerge. In each area, human settlement was formed around the quarries. The geological basis for all areas is a rock type suitable for natural stone quarrying. The geotechnical features of each rock type indicate high resistance to wear and the products from these areas are early examples of durable construction. The quarry landscapes represent well the typical quarrying technology of the time and its development from channelling by chisels through hand drilling to mechanical drilling and blasting. The quarry areas form unique industrial and cultural heritage landscapes in Finland.

Derbent’s underwater cultural heritage as a tourist resource

<p>The article reflects the results of expeditionary works on revealing and studying historical artifacts on the bottom of the Caspian Sea near Derbent—the southernmost and most ancient city of Russia. The approaches to geographical study and mapping of the remains of ancient fortification architecture under water and other numerous finds of scuba divers in the area under consideration are described. The authors analyzed the specifics and results of underwater archaeological research from the point of view of the prospects for the development of diving tourism in the Derbent water area. The article also concludes that it is advisable to strengthen the integration of Dagestan historical and geographical science, which will allow researchers to reconstruct little-known pages of history with greater depth and accuracy. The constructive section of the article is devoted to the development of recreational diving and underwater museology in Dagestan, as well as to the general outlines of the underwater park project on the very southern coast of Russia.</p>

Comparative evolution of vernacular settlements among the Cantonese, Teochew, and Hakka ethnic groups in Lingnan

ABSTRACT Cantonese, Teochew, and Hakka are three major ethnic groups in southern China that exhibit distinct characteristics despite their close geographical and cultural ties. This study employs an analysis of historical documents, architectural documentation, interviews, and observations to examine common settlement patterns and unique evolutionary mechanisms. The findings indicate that all three groups commonly feature a “tanghengshi” architectural prototype, rooted in Central Plains cultural heritage. Both Teochew and Hakka communities have consistently preserved this traditional structure. In contrast, Cantonese settlements have transitioned toward a “binglieshi” layout, characterized by the decline of horizontal houses and a reorientation of architectural elements. This study also investigates how large “tanghengshi” residences and smaller “binglieshi” dwellings may mutually transform. These adaptations in settlement form respond to Lingnan’s geographical and climatic conditions, influenced by social organization, Central Plains culture, and external factors. This research significantly advances our understanding of the relationships among the Cantonese, Teochew, and Hakka settlements and provides valuable insights for future restoration efforts.

Legal conditions for renovation works of cultural heritage structures

Preservation, protection, renovation of the historical and cultural heritage items, and furthermore, transmitting them to our later generations in intact is regarded as a priority in the government policies as far as they stand as material monuments of specific characteristics of the nation and its independence. It was not a mere incident that Mongolian government had enacted the Preservation and Protection of Old Items Rules in 1924 right after promulgation of the first Mongolian Constitution as an independent State. Later in 1970, ‘Cultural Monument Protection Law’ was adopted, and then Historical and Cultural Monument Item Renovation Agency was established in 1973 under the Ministry of Culture. Although laws and regulations related with cultural heritage, which are in force today, are comparatively adequate, there are still numerous problems to be solved in their implementations, and particularly in practices of renovation works, preservation and protection of cultural heritage items and constructions. This article deals with some research outcomes on laws and regulations related with renovations of historical and cultural monument structures, and their implementations. Түүх, соёлын дурсгалт барилгыг сэргээн засварлах үйл ажиллагааны эрх зүйн орчин Хураангуй: Түүх соёлын дурсгалт зүйлс нь улс орны үндэсний өвөрмөц онцлогийн илэрхийлэл, тусгаар тогтнолыг батлах хөдөлшгүй нэг баримт болдог тул тэдгээрийг хайрлан хамгаалах, сэргээн завсарлах, хойч үедээ уламжлан өвлүүлэх нь төр засгийн бодлогын чухал зорилт болж ирсэн. Монгол Улс анхны үндсэн хуулиа баталж, тусгаар тогтнолоо тунхагласан 1924 онд соёлын өвийг сэргээн засварлахтай холбоотой харилцааг зохицуулах “Хуучин зүйлийг сахин хамгаалах дүрэм”-ийг баталсан байдаг нь тохиолдлын зүйл биш юм. Энэ үеэс салбарын хууль эрх зүйн орчин бүрдэх үйл авц эхэлсэн бөгөөд 1970 онд “Соёлын дурсгалт зүйлийг хамгаалах хууль” батлагдаж, 1973 онд Соёлын яамны харьяанд Түүх, соёлын дурсгалт зүйлийн засварын газар байгуулагджээ. Өнөөгийн байдлаар салбарын хууль эрх зүйн орчин харьцангуй сайн бүрдээд байгаа боловч соёлын дурсгалт зүйлс, барилга байгууламжийг сэргээн засварлах ажил үйлчилгээний одоогийн практик, хууль тогтоомж, дүрэм журмын хэрэгжилтэд тулгарч буй шийдвэрлэвэл зохих цөөнгүй асуудлууд байсаар байна. Энэхүү өгүүллэгт соёлын дурсгалт барилга байгууламжийг сэргээн засварлах үйл ажиллагааны хууль эрх зүйн зохицуулалт, тэдгээрийн хэрэгжилтийн байдлыг судалсан зарим үр дүнг тусган авч үзсэн болно. Түлхүүр үгс: архитектурын өв, сэргээн засварлалт, хууль эрх зүйн зохицуулалт, эзэмшигч болон өмчлөгчийн эрх, үүрэг

Ded Moroz (Father Frost) as a social construct of childhood and society

The article proposes to expand the understanding of the fairy-tale wizard Ded Moroz (Father Frost) as a myth and cultural and symbolic image using sociological approaches. As an analysis methodology, the concept of social construction of reality was applied, which made it possible to characterize the social construct «Ded Moroz (Father Frost)», which performs numerous social functions for the adult population and additional, specific for children. The main functions include participation in the formation of national identity, traditions, political distinction, economic, educational, educational, socializing, additionally described as an incentive in projective research methods. Arguments are presented to prove that Ded Moroz (Father Frost) is not only an attribute of the cultural heritage of Russia, but also unites numerous ideas, social practices of children and the organization of the child's daily space, promotes the socialization of the modern young generation, participates in the intergenerational transmission of values and identity. The subjects and mechanisms of constructing processes, levels and possibilities of application in the periodization of childhood are highlighted. With the help of a representative empirical study of 2023 estimates by young people of the eventfulness of their childhood, including the situation of loss of faith in Ded Moroz (Father Frost) (average age 9.1 years), conclusions were drawn about social factors of stability and variability of the age of debunking the myth of the reality of the fairy-tale hero. Some hypotheses have been proposed for further research, including the new role of a «social worker and social defender» for Ded Moroz (Father Frost), the artificial lengthening of the period of trust in the fairy-tale character by the children themselves in order to receive gifts and entertainment.

Natural Stones Used in the Cultural Heritage of Latvia: Historical Context, Stone Selection Criteria, Durability, and Conservation

Natural Stones Used in the Cultural Heritage of Latvia: Historical Context, Stone Selection Criteria, Durability, and Conservation

Exploring Culture and Sustainability: Community Participation in Indigenous Tourism in Malaysia

Nowadays, Indigenous tourism contributes to the conservation of cultural heritage and further supports sustainable development for Indigenous communities, which ultimately increases socio-economic well-being. By providing unique cultural experiences, Indigenous tourism gives greater recognition and respect for the culture while also economically benefiting. This paper aims to examine how such dynamics operate in the context of Indigenous tourism from the viewpoint and experiences of Indigenous community members who participated in tourism initiatives. Identifying culture as one of the crucial parameters that determine successful outcomes in this field, this study intends to explore how people participate in sustainable development through tourism and close important gaps using a cultural lens. Numerous databases containing scholarly research, including the Emerald Insights, Science Direct, and Web of Science, have been used in this study. As a response to the ever-growing call for inclusive and respectful tourism, this study aims to contribute valuable insights and geographical relevance to defining policy change, practice modifications, or academic pursuits of Indigenous tourism. The result of this study will fill crucial empirical research gaps in terms of how cultural restoration, tourism management, and community participation can be optimized for sustainable development with nuanced voices that are necessary to drive policy change as well as practice modifications.

Mapping the Knowledge Structure of Image Recognition in Cultural Heritage: A Scientometric Analysis Using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix

The application of image recognition techniques in the realm of cultural heritage represents a significant advancement in preservation and analysis. However, existing scholarship on this topic has largely concentrated on specific methodologies and narrow categories, leaving a notable gap in broader understanding. This study aims to address this deficiency through a thorough bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science (WoS) literature from 1995 to 2024, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches to elucidate the macro-level evolution of the field. Our analysis reveals that the integration of artificial intelligence, particularly deep learning, has significantly enhanced digital documentation, artifact identification, and overall cultural heritage management. Looking forward, it is imperative that research endeavors expand the application of these techniques into multidisciplinary domains, including ecological monitoring and social policy. Additionally, this paper examines non-invasive identification methods for material classification and damage detection, highlighting the role of advanced modeling in optimizing the management of heritage sites. The emergence of keywords such as ‘ecosystem services’, ‘models’, and ‘energy’ in the recent literature underscores a shift toward sustainable practices in cultural heritage conservation. This trend reflects a growing recognition of the interconnectedness between heritage preservation and environmental sciences. The heightened awareness of environmental crises has, in turn, spurred the development of image recognition technologies tailored for cultural heritage applications. Prospective research in this field is anticipated to witness rapid advancements, particularly in real-time monitoring and community engagement, leading to the creation of more holistic tools for heritage conservation.

Design of a Traditional Village Cultural Heritage Preservation and Management System Based on Multi-Agent Networks

Preserving cultural heritage is essential for maintaining cultural diversity and promoting sustainable development. This study investigates the application of multi-agent networks in the protection and management of traditional village cultural heritage, capitalizing on their inherent distributed, collaborative, and adaptable characteristics. By integrating advanced technologies such as big data, data mining, and machine learning, the research meticulously develops a comprehensive system architecture and functional modules aimed at revitalizing traditional village spaces. The findings demonstrate significant enhancements in protection efficiency, while simultaneously fostering cultural inheritance and innovation within village communities. Through these innovative approaches, this study provides valuable insights into the preservation of traditional village cultural heritage and contributes to the broader objectives of cultural diversity conservation.

Ethnotaxonomy and Ethnobotanical Studies of Honey and Resinous Plants in the Tchamba Prefecture in Togo

Natural plant products have gained increasing attention, but climate change and human activities have led to the degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. This study aims to contribute to the preservation of local knowledge related to the classification and use of honey-producing and resinous plants in the Tchamba prefecture, Togo. Ethnotaxonomic and ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-directed interview and focus groups in the four localities, involving 92 respondents. A total of 96 plants of beekeeping were identified, classified into 88 genera, 33 families, and 22 orders, with 16 ethnotaxonomic criteria used for classification. The most common criteria were "plant use" and "plant habit". The study highlights the rich local knowledge of plant uses for food, medicine, and rituals, emphasizing the importance of conserving both biodiversity and cultural heritage. These findings contribute to understanding how indigenous knowledge can support conservation and sustainable use of plant resources.