National Heritage Protection Research Articles

The Archaeological Records of Oman: The Challenge of Information Management

Although Oman’s National Heritage Protection Law (NHPL) of 1980 explicitly emphasises the importance of recording the country’s archaeological resource, no major attempt has yet been made to quantify it in a truly comprehensive way. And what few attempts have been made to do so in consistent and standard ways have seen attention limited to specific geographical regions and usually with research objectives that did not include recording. With Oman’s accelerating pace of modernization since the 1970s, parts of the nation’s archaeological resource have become exposed to and endangered by both natural and human factors. Some components have been partially destroyed, others increasingly threatened. It is, therefore, beyond dispute that the establishment of a national archaeology record is an urgent need. In response to such a reality, this paper highlights the neglected role of the archaeological records in the practices of both researchers and management. It reviews the present practices of the relevant bodies when compiling, verifying, storing, managing and exploiting information related to the nation’s archaeological resources. The paper also examines existing records in terms of their aims, scope, development, usage, limitations and adequacy. Finally, it suggests ways to enhance current practice and establish a national record of archaeological resources.

Valorizaçâo dos produtos de origem e do patrimônio dos territórios rurais no sul do Brasil: Contribuição para o desenvolvimento territorial sustentável

This article contributes an analysis of the way in which agents of rural development have elaborated and implemented mechanisms to place value on the local specificities within two states of Brazil’s southern region. Within this context, consideration of biological and cultural diversity from a perspective of sustainable development imposes itself, whether directly or indirectly. We base our argument on two case studies of experiences that promote these mechanisms through placing emphasis on origins: i) beef produced in native pastures of Rio Grande do Sul and ii) Goethe wine, made in the Urussanga region of Santa Catarina. Both cases are considered illustrative of the current phase of evolution of debates dealing with the interface of geographic origins, protection of national heritage and sustainable rural development. Keywords: rural development, sustainable development, cultural heritage, Southern Brazil.