Management Of Heritage Resources Research Articles

(Late)nt? Exploring the latent potential for participatory heritage conservation in makhanda, South Africa

There is an increasing call for heritage management to decentralise and involve stakeholders outside of the sphere of governance. This research focuses on participatory conservation of heritage resources and the value of narrative in heritage conservation and tourism development. The case study is situated in the city of Makhanda, which was established in 1812 and possesses a significant number of individual built environment heritage resources and historic streetscapes. These urban features have been identified as assets to the city by various stakeholders and institutions, but they remain under threat. Utilising semi-structured interviews with owners of historic residential properties in the city, the paper argues that homeowners are an underutilised resource in the management of the historic urban fabric. The study found that homeowners held an appreciation for and identified the value of the historic features of their properties, and it argues that this appreciation can be harnessed in heritage management. Interviews revealed, however, that homeowners faced many challenges in managing and maintaining their historic properties and received little support in this regard. Citizen participation in heritage conservation was limited and a top-down approach to heritage resource management predominated.

Exploring the visual distinguishability and topic autocorrelation of murals unearthed in China from the spatial perspective

Murals unearthed in China have outstanding regional characteristics and one of the largest period spans in scale and variety. To explore the visual distinguishability and topic autocorrelation of murals unearthed in China from the spatial perspective, multiple classification models are employed to classify murals unearthed in China through visual features. Then, the k-means is employed to mine topics, and they are analysed through topic intensities (TIs), Moran’s Index (MI) and spatial topic concentration degrees (STCDs). In addition, the characteristics of topic distribution and evolution are summarised and revealed in the spatial dimension. From a spatial perspective, it verifies the distinguishability of visual features of murals through ViT_BOW_GNB, and the precision of this model is 98.17%. Thirteen topics are clustered through k-means, and the distribution of mural topics is spatial autocorrelation according to MI. Besides, the topic evolves from the political centre to the surrounding area, and the topics with high intensities are highly concentrated in spatial. This study reveals the spatial characteristics of the mural at the level of visual features and semantics, which facilitates the digital management, conservation and knowledge discovery of cultural heritage resources.

HERITAGE DOCUMENTATION AND DIGITAL PRESERVATION: THE USE OF CLOUD-BASED SERVICES FOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION (THE CASE OF ST. ALBERT RIVER LOTS)

Abstract. Climate change has become, among countless pressures, a dominant threat to heritage places. It is critical to identify, analyse, assess, and mitigate immediate risks, and manage unforeseeable, unavoidable, and adverse impacts of climate on heritage values. There is an urgency in the heritage field to identify practical, efficient, and repeatable ways to document and monitor the condition of diverse heritage resources and develop climate adaptation strategies. Digital technologies, cloud computing, and digital preservation of heritage places can play a vital role in support of condition assessment, conservation planning, and sustainable management of heritage resources. This paper discusses a pilot project that experiments with the application of this idea on a selected case study, St. Albert River Lots in Alberta, Canada, and examines the challenges and opportunities of employing Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other Cloud-based applications. The project aimed to prepare a 3D model, as a foundation for recording current conditions and a tool for monitoring the impacts of climate change on heritage aspects and values in order to assist with the preparation of a detailed conservation management plan for the place in a digital format and contribute to the interpretive programming activities and raising public awareness.

Liberating trails and travel routes in Gitxsan and Wet'suwet'en Territories from the tyrannies of heritage resource management regimes

Liberating trails and travel routes in Gitxsan and Wet'suwet'en Territories from the tyrannies of heritage resource management regimes

A History of Management of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Resources within the Sukuma: A Case of Magu District from 1860s to 2020s

This paper discusses on a history of management of the intangible cultural heritage resources within the Sukuma people in Magu district, Mwanza region, from 1860s to 2020s. In particular, the paper traced on the management of the intangible cultural heritage practices among the Sukuma people in Magu district during the pre-colonial period from 1860s-1880s. The qualitative and quantitative methods were used where data both primary and secondary sources were collected through oral interviews and Archive documents from the Tanzania National Archives (TNA) and the Sukuma Research Committee Archives, libraries, digital and internet sources. The paper applied the theory of Historical materialism that underscores historical changes corresponding with the change in material value. The findings indicate that Sukuma people still practice their traditional cultural heritages. Dances and songs, traditional religious beliefs, norms and values and oral narratives are among the intangible cultural heritages which are practiced by Sukuma people in Magu district from pre-colonial era. The presence of traditional chiefs, museum centre, ritual practice areas, traditional norms and values and dances and songs cultural heritage practices are the methods used by Sukuma people to manage their intangible cultural heritages resources. The process of management of the cultural heritage resources should not neglect the intangible cultural heritage resources, thus it is through the intangible cultural aspects one can reveal the facts on the tangible cultural aspects.

Introduction to Special issue

Introduction to Special issue

Community Participation in Conservation and Management of Cultural Heritage Resources in Yoruba Ethnic Group of South Western Nigeria

The sustainability of cultural heritage resources is strongly linked to the effective participation of local communities in the conservation and management of these resources. This forms the basis for undertaken this project in the selected communities in Ondo and Ekiti State of Yoruba ethnic groups of South Western Nigeria. Multiple research methods were employed for this study including Key Informants Interview and administration of structured questionnaire to the purposively selected respondents. A sample of 768 respondents was selected from the total population of 895,406 using sample determination method. The selection of respondents was based on their proximity to the resources, their local knowledge, communal ownership, disposition and willingness to participate in the study. The data collected was rated on a 5 point Likert scale and then subjected to the weighted mean analysis. Spearman correlation and linear regression were used to test hypotheses in order to established relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and level of community participation. Output from this research, emphasizes the need to improve the state of heritage properties through effective conservation and sustainable management practices and increasing community involvement and participation. This will serve as a blueprint and developmental framework for policymakers in heritage resources conservation and management with the intention of linking these resources to increase direct economic benefits to local communities.

Heritage protection and tourism income: the tourism heritage Kuznets curve

Purpose Protecting a nation’s heritage is an essential element for sustainable development. Heritage attracts tourism and drives tourist income, as well as bringing wider economic, social and environmental benefits. This study aims to improve understanding of the relationship between heritage protection spending in countries and economic development via tourism revenues via economic logic and the Kuznets curve. Design/methodology/approach This study applies economic modelling to test for the presence of a Kuznets curve. This study uses rare available matched data on heritage protection spending from UNESCO and on travel and tourism total contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) from the World Travel and Tourism Council. Findings This paper finds evidence of a negative quadratic relationship between heritage protection spending per capita and tourism GDP per capita, whereby increases in heritage spending initially lead to more tourism income (typically less developed nations), but then tourism spending increases more rapidly for smaller increases heritage spending on top of this initial investment (typically more developed nations). No countries are yet at the stage where they reap high tourism income from much lower levels of heritage spending. Research limitations/implications The findings suggest that the future of heritage tourism will be very different to that of today; future tourism is likely to develop significantly through innovations in management approach and advanced technologies to manage the balance between demand and heritage degradation. Practical implications The predictive model allows us to plot future possibilities for heritage tourism, which in turn enables more informed decision-making regarding the planning and management of future heritage resources and tourism demand. Tourism heritage institutions and their benefactors should further plan and invest in innovations (such as technologies and management practices) to advanced economically and move along the tourism heritage Kuznets curve. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper formally tests, for the first time, for the presence of a Kuznets curve in the relationship between heritage protection spending and tourism income. It provides original evidence of the value of applying the underlying theory of the Kuznets curve in a tourism context.

Counter‐mapping Heritage: Memory and Significance in Places of Racialised Land Dispossession: The Case of Lower Claremont, Cape Town

AbstractIn this study I investigate the use of counter‐mapping methodologies to identify memories and significance in landscapes of racialised dispossession in the city of Cape Town. I use oral history, a go‐along or walking interview and focus group workshop to test the counter‐mapping process. In doing so I trace the historical process of land and housing loss under apartheid as an extension of colonialism and its modernist project of racial separation, and the effects and affects on those dispossessed into the post‐apartheid period. I critically assess the official frameworks of heritage resource management, especially in the post‐apartheid period, which have continued to focus on the built environment and aesthetics, despite official attempts to incorporate consultation of communities, stakeholders and their values. I do so in order to highlight the need for transformation and inclusion in current heritage practice in order to address disparities in the practice. Counter‐mapping methodologies are presented in the research as potential tools to address these contentious practices. These contentions intersect strongly in areas included in the Heritage Protection Overlay Zoning (HPOZ) in the City of Cape Town.1 The research shows that the HPOZ is geared towards managing the built environment and give attention to contextual development issues. It is however, not able to deal with memories and intangible values of the dispossessed in places where it intersects with land dispossession. The study also presents how research participants understand their heritage, which at times strengthens the official framework, and at other times stands in opposition to and in contrast to the official framework. These significances are mapped using counter‐mapping methodologies. The study concludes that counter‐mapping methodologies are able to represent memory and intangible significance in places of racialised land dispossession, and that the methodologies have multiple uses for varying settings and purposes, which speak to a modernist vision in post‐apartheid's constitutional democracy that fulfills the promise of fairness and justice.

Cultural heritage management and the effect of corruption in Nigeria: hampering sustainable development via cultural heritage destruction

PurposeThe aim of this research is to discuss the effect of corruption on conventional management of cultural heritage (CH) resources in Nigeria. It identifies the means by which the effect can be curtailed to bring about proper management system in the CH sector and pave the way for economic/sustainable development through cultural tourism in the country.Design/methodology/approachThe research draws from both exploratory and comparative approaches. It took a study of selected locations and museums in the six geopolitical zones of the country, with a review of literatures on cultural heritage management (CHM). It also gives summarized information on the present overall effect of corruption in the CH sector of Nigeria.FindingsThe research reveals that there are some levels of mismanagement and destruction of CH resources in the country. This is manifested in acts of museum theft, illicit trafficking, unlawful possession and general mishandling of CH, as well as the deterioration of facilities in the sector. The research gathered that the problem came as a result of wrongful appointment of none heritage experts as heads of heritage-related institutions and agencies. It also results from lack of required attention by the government and other relevant stakeholders (such as community leaders/members, academics and law enforcement agencies, inter alia) toward CH preservation, protection, management and promotion for sustainable development. The research recommends that the government and other CH stakeholders (mentioned above) should make efforts to address the issues discussed, so as to improve the management of CH in the country for sustainable development.Originality/valuePrior to this research, there has been no publication addressing the effect of corruption on CHM in this context and location. The article makes recommendations that call for action and also set grounds for future discourse.

Municipal Instruments in Law for Cultural Heritage Protection: A Case Study of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality

This article questions the extent to which municipal bylaws aimed at cultural heritage resource management (CHRM) reflect the objectives of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (the Constitution), national legislation and the discourse on cultural governance more broadly. In terms of Schedule 4A of the Constitution, the function of "cultural matters" is not an original power of local government. It is a function assigned to the national and provincial spheres. Municipalities are assumed, however, to have a responsibility to execute aspects of this function that may be incidental to other typical local government functions. This view finds support in the interpretation of various rights in the Constitution (e.g. sections 15, 30, 31 and 24) as well as the heritage, environmental and local government framework legislation and policy documents of South Africa. The premise of this article is that cultural heritage resource management by way of instruments such as bylaws promotes the overarching objectives of local government, such as sustainable development, while also promoting the rights to culture, language and religion, amongst others. To expand on its theoretical basis, this article provides a critical assessment of the bylaws of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality

Quantification of the Sustainable use of the Cultural Heritage in the Central Area of the Municipality of Ploieşti using the Cobachrem Model

Abstract Making connections between the localization of cultural heritage elements and local and regional policies for the benefit of communities, at different scales, has been one of the constant concerns of researchers and policy makers. The purpose of this study is to highlight the effects generated by cultural policy at the local, regional and central level, through investments allocated to cultural heritage in the central area of Ploieşti. The local policy aimed at building a more attractive image of Ploieşti through the renovation of the most important cultural institutions, benefiting from the funds allocated by the administration at regional and central level and European funds. The analysis of the effects produced by the investments related to the historical monuments from the central area of Ploieşti municipality was carried out through the Community-Based Cultural Heritage Resources Management (COBACHREM) model.

Changing how archaeology is done in Native American contexts: An Ndee (Apache) case study

The White Mountain Apache Tribe Cultural Heritage Resource Best Management Practices (WMATCHRBMPs) present and delineate in guideline form cultural heritage resource definitions, management, and necessary steps before, during, and after project implementation for any ground-disturbing projects potentially adversely affecting cultural heritage resources on Ndee (Apache) trust lands. However, since the tribe’s adoption of the practices, the application of Ndee tenets found within the guidelines to real-world cultural and archaeological methods and practices remains scant. Embedded in the Ndee cultural tenets is the tenet of “respect,” which I will argue can be used as a tool by non- Ndee researchers to critically reflect on their own research agendas and to guide research projects with Ndee communities. By foregrounding respect within various ongoing archaeological project-related occurrences, contemporary Ndee experiences, defining Ndee material trait lists, superiority statements, archaeological categorizations, and stereotypical underpinnings, better paths forward for collaborative research with Ndee and other Native American communities can be highlighted.

Petroglyphs, Pictographs, and Projections: Native American Rock Art in the Contemporary Cultural Landscape by Richard A. Rogers

Reviewed by: Petroglyphs, Pictographs, and Projections: Native American Rock Art in the Contemporary Cultural Landscape by Richard A. Rogers Phil R. Geib Petroglyphs, Pictographs, and Projections: Native American Rock Art in the Contemporary Cultural Landscape. By Richard A. Rogers. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2018. xv + 398 pp. Figures, color plates, references cited, index. $34.95, paper. Richard Rogers's "rock art" book is unlike any other. This is largely because it is not really about ancient images on stone, the petroglyphs and pictographs of the book title, but is rather a critical commentary on how those images get appropriated, commodified, and interpreted by the dominant Euro-American culture. This distinctive aspect is either its chief attraction or detraction depending upon the reader's point of view. Native American images from the Southwest serve as the raw material for Rogers's critique, no doubt in part because his home institution of Northern Arizona University is centrally located in this mecca for rock art enthusiasts. The issues that he talks about, such as turning ancient rock art images into commodities for sale, are also on full display in the Southwest—who doesn't have some tourist trinket, cup, or piece of clothing with rock art images on it? The source of his arguments might be localized, but his line of critical reasoning can be extended to all regions of the world. As such, this is a book intended for wide readership. A comment by Kelley Hays-Gilpin [End Page 108] on the back cover importunes archaeologists, historic preservation specialists, rock art enthusiasts, park rangers, and others to read the book for its "unsettling messages and useful critical methods." For those who heed this advice, be prepared to be unsettled and challenged, but also at times to simply laugh and muse, "that argument is quite a stretch." Linking the interpretive shift for some Great Basin rock art from hunting magic to shamanism as resulting from a contemporary "crisis of masculinity" is just one example. Still, Rogers presents much to think about. Polly Schaafsma's book Images and Power: Rock Art and Ethics (Springer, 2013) covers somewhat similar ground, but it does so in a slim volume roughly one quarter the size of Rogers's tome. More is not necessarily better, since Rogers could have expressed his cultural criticisms more succinctly. Some of this occurs because four of his eight chapters are expanded revisions of previously published papers, with most of the other chapters used to place them in context by introducing his theoretical approach and then summing up the arguments. The result is considerable redundancy and repetition of his main points. Rogers is keenly aware that criticism is easy (318) and that a critic who watches the game from a lofty booth rather than being down on the hot, muddy field of play is in something of an enviable position. There is critique aplenty but few or no remedies or suggested solutions, even for issues that a communications professor might be readied to attempt fixing, such as finding a suitable replacement for the term rock art. Rogers introduces the debate about this term but leaves it unresolved and sticks with it as part of an "uneasy consensus" rather than putting forward "appealing alternatives" (43). One result of taking Rogers's critique to heart, at least in the extreme, would be to cease all engagement with rock art. I doubt that he would actually advocate for this, and his final chapter makes it clear that he will continue to "collect" rock art and to write about it, at least as concerns its role in contemporary culture, in order to advance his academic career. I can easily envision using this book as a text for a student seminar on rock art and also using chapter 7, "Overcoming the Preservation Paradigm," as a means to foment discussion in a class on heritage resource management. Phil R. Geib Department of Anthropology University of Nebraska–Lincoln Copyright © 2020 Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

A RISK BASED APPROACH TO HERITAGE MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract. The management of heritage resources within the South African context is governed by the National Heritage Resources Act, act 25 of 1999 (NHRA). This legislation calls for an integrated system of heritage management that allows for the good governance of heritage across the three tiers of government. The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), as the national body responsible for heritage management, is mandated to compile and maintain an inventory of the national estate. The South African Heritage Resources Information System (SAHRIS) was designed to facilitate this mandate as well as provide a management platform through which the three-tiers of governance can be integrated. This vision of integrated management is however predicated on the implementation of the three-tier system of heritage management, a system which to date has not been fully implemented, with financial and human resource constraints being present at all levels. In the absence of the full implementation of this system and the limited resources available to heritage authorities, we argue that a risk based approach to heritage management will allow under resourced heritage authorities in South Africa to prioritise management actions and ensure mitigations are in place for at risk heritage resources. The aim of this paper is to position the inventory of the national estate as the key driver in the production of risk analysis models for an informed approach to heritage management.

Dissemination in archaeology: a GIS-based StoryMap for Chan Chan

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of exploiting a geographic information system (GIS)-based data management, designed and implemented for an important monumental site. In particular, data collected during the years have been used to create a storytelling experience to disseminate the tangible and intangible heritage of Chan Chan (Peru), the wider site in mud bricks of Latin America.Design/methodology/approachThe paper discusses the steps that have been performed to use the data stored in a GIS, arguing over the importance of sharing the knowledge through web-based tools, and in particular by the implementation of a storytelling. In this context, the data were structured in interoperable forms in order to preserve the universal value of the archaeological site. The exploitation in an all-in-one solution of the archival research, field surveys and planning represents a step forward for let known ancient testimonies to the whole mankind.FindingsThe GIS-based inventories represent the backbone for an affordable management of heritage resources. The novelty of the proposed approach lies on the creation of an integrated, accessible and updatable data system sharable on web.Originality/valueThe GIS of Chan Chan is an example of documentation of a wide archaeological area (14 km2) with complex and heterogeneous data. The developed web tool makes use of these data which can be queried even by non-expert users. The pipeline of this paper can act as useful guidelines to practitioners and researchers who want to disseminate cultural information.

Factors affecting community participation in heritage resources management in Syria

Factors affecting community participation in heritage resources management in Syria

Specifying the Significance of Historic Sites in Heritage Planning

Heritage planning is the preservation, conservation, rehabilitation, restoration and management of heritage resources. This paper aims to propose an approach for specifying the values and importance of historic sites. In this study, the Historic Ur­ban Landscape approach is taken as the research framework. This approach mo­ves beyond the preservation of the physical environment and focuses on the entire human environment with all its tangible and intangible qualities. It seeks to increa­se the sustainability of planning and design interventions by taking into account the existing built environment, intangible heritage, cultural diversity, socio-economic and environmental factors along with local community values. This study indicates that a values-centered planning approach has emerged as a way of formalizing strategies for dealing with preservation challenges. The importance of values-centered preserva­tion is the framework it offers for dealing holistically with historic sites and addressing both the contemporary and historic values of a place, a task which includes a report comprising written material and graphic material. The contents of the report should be arranged to suit the site and the limitations on the task, but it will generally be in two sections: first, the assessment of cultural significance and second, the statement of cultural significance. Therefore, determining the significance of historic places is to be considered as the basis for planning and implementing management strategies and sustainable development. Furthermore, heritage planning needs a progression that goes from identification, to evaluation, to management and together form a basis for preservation policies.

Application of Open-Source Software in Community Heritage Resources Management

In this paper, we present a case study of community heritage resources investigation and management, which was a collaborative project conducted by researchers and participants from rural communities. Geotagged photos were obtained using smart phones, and 360-degree panoramas were acquired using a robotic camera system. These images were then uploaded to a web-based GIS (WebGIS) developed using Arches-Heritage Inventory Package (HIP), an open-source geospatial software system for cultural heritage inventory and management. By providing various tools for resources annotation, data exploration, mapping, geovisualization, and spatial analysis, the WebGIS not only serves as a platform for heritage resources database management, but also empowers the community residents to acquire, share, interpret, and analyze the data. The results show that this type of collaborative working model between researcher and community can promote public awareness of the importance of heritage conservation and achieve the research goal more effectively and efficiently.

Reform of Management System of China’s Natural and Cultural Heritage Resources

There are two modes of management of natural and cultural heritage resources in China. One is market - dominated and the other is government - dominated. The economic theoretical source for each mode is Coase theory and Pigou theory respectively. However, the phenomenon of over - development and destruction of heritage have being occurred under both modes in practice. As a special kind of resource, the protection and sustainable development of heritage could not be separated from the market mechanism and government's participation. Only the organic combination of the two modes is the correct direction for the reform of China's natural and cultural heritage management system.