Restoration Of Cultural Heritage Research Articles

The role of international organizations in the protection and restoration of the cultural heritage of Ukraine in the conditions of armed aggression: Financial, economic and legal aspects

The article attempts to analyze the role of international organizations in the protection and restoration of the cultural heritage during war conflicts. The case of Ukrainian ongoing conflict is considered, based on systematization of UNESCO documents and activities, as well as the case of Syria as a ‘testing ground’ for UNESCO in efforts on protection and restoration of cultural heritage damaged due to hostilities. It is claimed that UNESCO in fact showed its low efficiency in protecting cultural heritage, but is capable of providing reasonable steps of post-war restoration and preventing illegal trade of stolen cultural heritage. The expedience of developing international law grounds for protection of cultural heritage is emphasized, together with employing mechanisms of public-private partnership in restoration projects.

DIGAN: distillation model for generating 3D-aware Terracotta Warrior faces

Utilizing Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to generate 3D representations of the Terracotta Warriors offers a novel approach for the preservation and restoration of cultural heritage. Through GAN technology, we can produce complete 3D models of the Terracotta Warriors’ faces, aiding in the repair of damaged or partially destroyed figures. This paper proposes a distillation model, DIGAN, for generating 3D Terracotta Warrior faces. By extracting knowledge from StyleGAN2, we train an innovative 3D generative network. G2D, the primary component of the generative network, produces detailed and realistic 2D images. The 3D generator modularly decomposes the generation process, covering texture, shape, lighting, and pose, ultimately rendering 2D images of the Terracotta Warriors’ faces. The model enhances the learning of 3D shapes through symmetry constraints and multi-view data, resulting in high-quality 2D images that closely resemble real faces. Experimental results demonstrate that our method outperforms existing GAN-based generation methods.

The NYMPHA Algae Extract as a New Consolidant for the Restoration of Cultural Heritage: Studies and Considerations on Its Effectiveness on Painted Marble

The NYMPHA Algae Extract as a New Consolidant for the Restoration of Cultural Heritage: Studies and Considerations on Its Effectiveness on Painted Marble

CMC-Ca(OH)2-TiO2 Nanocomposite for Paper Relics Multifunctional Restoration: Strengthening, Deacidification, UV Effect Resistance, and Antimicrobial Protection

In recent years, the demand for the protection and restoration of cultural heritage has become increasingly urgent. Particularly for paper-based cultural relics such as ancient books and paintings, their restoration is especially important due to their unique nature and susceptibility to environmental damage. Among various restoration materials, calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) has been widely studied and applied in the protection of paper-based cultural relics. However, commercial Ca(OH)2 materials have issues such as a large particle size and slow carbonation. In order to address these issues, this study employed carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a support, on which nano-sized Ca(OH)2 crystals were grown in situ on its surface, followed by loading with TiO2 nanoparticles, successfully preparing a multifunctional paper-based cultural relic restoration material with reinforcement, deacidification, anti-aging, and antimicrobial properties. It is worth noting that by in situ growing Ca(OH)2 on the surface of CMC, particle size control, uniform dispersion, and the fixation of Ca(OH)2 can be achieved. CMC is used to enhance the mechanical strength of the paper, Ca(OH)2 is used for deacidification, and TiO2 is used for anti-aging and antimicrobial purposes. This study provides a new approach and method for the restoration of paper-based cultural relics, simplifying traditional multi-step processes and avoiding potential impacts on the cultural relics from multiple repairs.

Conservation of Minnan architecture in the new era of urban construction

In the new era of city building, In the process of urban construction in the new era, under the influence of various aspects, the culture of southern Fujian as well as cultural relics and ancient buildings have been more or less affected by the impact of the development of modern urbanization. Part of the heritage has shown a tendency to fall into disrepair, and the proper protection and restoration of cultural heritage and ancient buildings in northern Fujian is imminent. This paper analyzes the current situation of the protection of cultural relics and ancient buildings from the introduction of the architecture of southern Fujian and its connotation of culture. To analyze the current situation of the conservation of southern Fujian architecture, and point out its deficiencies to give precise and contemporary suggestions and related conservation strategies, hoping to provide some inspiration to the relevant conservationists.

Humanitarian strategies in culture in forming the newest tendencies in the Ukrainian cultural space

The actuality of the study is stipulated by the need to establish appropriate facilities for the humanitarian advancement of the country, to form a favourable cultural space for the disclosure of the personal creative potential of each citizen on the basis of substantiation of priority humanitarian strategies in culture. The aim of the research is to identify the peculiarities of humanitarian strategies in culture as factors in the formation of the most relevant trends in the in the ongoing development of the modern Ukrainian cultural space. Research methods: method of theoretical analysis comparative method, system method, method of generalisation. The main results of the study are that, from the theoretical standpoint of cultural knowledge, the concept of ‘humanitarian strategies in culture’ is interpreted as priority areas of humanitarian and cultural development, which are specified by defining the goals, methods, mechanisms and tools for their implementation, aimed at revealing human creativity, forming human capital for creating a creative cultural space. The humanistic nature of the content of art education, its focus on the comprehensive development and creative potential of society is substantiated. It is determined that the actualisation, protection and restoration of the national cultural heritage is a key factor in the formation of national identity. The process of knowledge, research, preservation and restoration of the national cultural heritage is an important humanitarian strategy in culture. Cultural diplomacy is an important resource for the humanisation of culture, an effective tool for establishing intercultural communication among the main agents – artists from different countries, creative teams, civil society institutions, and the expert community. The creative industries are a platform for the country’s economic recovery. The importance of certain humanitarian strategies in culture for the creation of an innovative, competitive Ukrainian cultural space in the post-war recovery of the country is proved. Through innovation and the introduction of the latest technologies, a creative humanitarian space can be formed based on common cultural and humanistic values

LBCapsNet: a lightweight balanced capsule framework for image classification of porcelain fragments

The image classification task of porcelain fragments is of great significance for the digital preservation of cultural heritage. However, common issues are encountered in the image processing of porcelain fragments, including the low computation speed, decreased accuracy due to the uneven distribution of sample categories, and model instability. This study proposes a novel Capsule Network model, referred to as LBCapsNet, which is suitable for the extraction of features from images of porcelain artifacts fragments. A bottleneck-like channel transformation module denoted by ChannelTrans, which resides between the convolutional layer and the PrimaryCaps layer, was first designed. This module is used to reduce the computational complexity and enhance the processing speed when dealing with intricate porcelain images. The MF-R loss function was then proposed by incorporating focal loss into the original loss function. This allows to address the issue of imbalanced distribution of ceramic shard samples and reduce the classification errors, which leads to faster convergence with smoother trend. Finally, an adaptive dynamic routing mechanism is designed with a dynamic learning rate to enhance the overall stability of the classification process. The experimental results obtained on public datasets, such as MNIST, Fashion- MNIST, CIFAR10, FMD and DTD as well as porcelain fragments dataset, demonstrate that LBCapsNet achieves high classification accuracy with faster and more stable computation compared with existing methods. Furthermore, the ability of LBCapsNet to process special textures can provide technical support for the digital preservation and restoration of cultural heritage.

An ontology-based framework for supporting decision making in conservation and restoration interventions for cultural heritage

Decision-making (DM) is the backbone of the Conservation and Restoration (CnR) of Cultural Heritage (CH). The demands of the DM process for information organization and management have raised issues that the CnR community attempts to solve by creating DM-support tools and systems, which, among others, exploit Semantic Web (SW) technologies. Regarding the tools and systems that focus on the DM process of selecting an intervention option (CnR-DM-I), they present benefits, as well as limitations, regarding the i) completeness of representation of the relevant knowledge in a unified manner, ii) facilitation of recording the CnR-DM-I process per se, in terms of the problem at hand as well as the intervention parameters, requirements and criteria, and iii) recommendation and further exploration of CnR intervention options in a systematic manner. This work proposes an ontology-based framework as a means to overcome those limitations. The proposed framework (DS-CnRI) sets at its core a formal ontology which provides the necessary entities to represent expert knowledge related to CnR-DM-I. The ontology also includes rules which provide useful inferences to assist the CnR-DM-I process. The proposed framework has been deployed and evaluated in collaboration with conservators. Initial evaluation results show that the framework assists conservators in CnR-DM-I to detect and select the most suitable intervention options, to better understand the limitations of different options and to document the process of reaching their decision.

CONNECTING EMBEDDED HISTORY OF THE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE CONTEMPORARY CITY: A CASE STUDY OF GWANGHWAMUN WOLDAE RESTORATION

Abstract. The captured 3D digital record of the excavation site represents a momentary state of the city, but also conveys rich evidence and stories as an urban environment created by the interaction of actors, artifacts, and institutions surrounding the place. These digital records combine multiple temporal layers of complex urban scenes and require interpretation by multiple stakeholders for comprehensive decision-making. This study revealed that in the context of Seoul, the Cultural Heritage Administration and the City of Seoul have made significant use of digital records in cultural heritage restoration from the perspective of preservation and utilization. The two organizations collaborated on the Gwanghwamun Woldae excavation survey recently. The site has been dealing with the multi-layered time and space of complex urban sites for over 40 years while carrying out urban planning and cultural heritage preservation. Through a case study of the Gwanghwamun Woldae excavation site, we articulate the nature of governance in digital documentation to extend its application. The goal is to highlight the urban cross-section and historical layers of urban infrastructure captured digitally - LiDAR and photogrammetric scanning - at the Gwanghwamun Woldae excavation site. This involves describing the chronological layers of tram lines, streets and buildings from different eras and linking them to the current urban context of Seoul through analog historical records such as maps and plan diagrams. Ultimately, we discuss the value of digital restoration of technologies, events and landscapes as a record of the process valuing modern urban heritage.

BSDD FOR ARTWORKS IN HBIM OPEN AND STANDARD-ORIENTED DOCUMENTATION

Abstract. This contribution shows part of a research activity aimed at supporting data documentation related to artworks and decorative apparatuses that characterize the architectural heritage using bSDD as a methodological tool. The proposal approach aims to provide specific information in SCAN-to-BIM processes, implementing HBIM models of decorative apparatuses or artworks with data on the state of conservation and morphological-structural composition according to the material of each component of the system (Lanzara and Scandurra, 2023). The main goal of this activity is the creation of open and detailed information models shareable and consultable via IFC exchange format (ISO 16739:2018), supporting conservation, prevention, maintenance and restoration of historical-artistic heritage. The use of codes, manuals, vocabularies and thesauri, and the multidisciplinary knowledge of specialists, shared within the theoretical and operational framework of the restoration and conservation of cultural heritage, informally contribute to supplement existing codes and to implement/define new datasets for information about deficient and not codified conservation states for specific materials. The structuring of the Data Dictionary is supported by ACCA software's usBIM.bSDD application, accessible via a collaborative web-based platform (Scandurra and di Luggo, 2023). According to the proposed workflow, shared terms and definitions can be integrated within the graphic model of the manufacts and structured within a CDE – Common Data Environment. The system, which has already been tested in the context of historical architecture, is currently being tested on movable and immovable decorative apparatuses and artworks, selected for their constituent materials and compositional complexity. This contribution presents the experimentation on the decorative apparatus of the major altar of the Church of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli in Naples.

Using mask R-CNN to rapidly detect the gold foil shedding of stone cultural heritage in images

As immovable stone cultural heritage is kept in the open air, they are more susceptible to damage, and damage detection is very important for the protection and restoration of cultural heritage. This is especially true for gold-overlaid stone cultural heritage, which is usually more complicated than ordinary stone carvings. However, the detection of cultural heritage damages is mainly based on expert visual inspection, which is often subjective, time-consuming, and laborious. This paper uses the Mask R-CNN algorithm to rapidly and accurately detect the gold foil shedding of stone cultural heritage through two-dimensional images. The research data are from the high-precision images of the Dazu Thousand-Hand Bodhisattva Statue (World Heritage, UNESCO) in Chongqing, China. After cleaning and augmentation, 1900 images are input into Mask R-CNN model for training. Finally, the average precision value (AP) for detecting gold foil shedding is found to be 0.967. In order to test the performance of the model, the new images that do not participate in the training period are used, and it is found that the model can still accurately detect the gold foil shedding even if there are interference factors. This is the first attempt to detect the damages of gold-overlaid stone cultural heritage based on a deep learning algorithm, and it has achieved good results.

High-performance digital shearography integrating spatial light modulator with micro-polarizer camera

Digital shearography (DS), a laser-based optical interferometric method, is widely employed for measuring the first-order derivative of an object's surface deformation. Unlike digital holography, DS integrates self-reference optics, enhancing resistance to environmental disturbance and improving detection sensitivity, making it ideal for non-destructive testing (NDT). DS finds applications in diverse fields such as material inspection, fluid property research, medical diagnostics, cultural heritage restoration, and military defense. The conventional temporal phase-shift (TPS) method encounters limitations in dynamic tests, leading to the introduction of the spatial phase-shift (SPS) method. However, SPS is restricted by aperture size, impacting the phase map quality. The spatial light modulator (SLM) introduces a novel approach to DS system development, enabling quantitative shearing adjustments through precise SLM control. Existing DS systems using traditional phase-shift technology rely on interferometers and struggle to achieve high-quality phase maps with a single exposure. The proposed high-performance DS, leveraging both SLM and a micro-polarizer camera, overcomes this limitation, facilitates single-exposure phase map evaluation with the polarization phase-shift technique, and eliminates the need for a tiny aperture, enhancing light beam utilization and phase map quality.

Publication of materials about the Russian­Ukrainian war in the professional scientifical journals on cultural studies in 2023

The purpose of the article is to establish the main directions in the coverage of the Russian-Ukrainian war in the articles in the scientific journals on cultural studies and their heuristic perspectives.
 The methodology combined bibliometric, classical bibliographic and cultural approaches. The elements of comparativism made it possible to compare the analyzed cultural works with coverage of the topic of full-scale Russian aggression in the publications in the Ukrainian scientific journals on historical sciences.
 The results. The specific weight of scientific journals which placed such publications and the specific weight of articles on similar topics among 199 specifically cultural articles in 16 journals were determined. The experience of combining them into separate rubrics had been evaluated. 7 main thematic groups had been distinguished according to the keywords of the considered works: 1) Art; 2) Cultural identity; 3) Cultural policy; 4) Preservation and restoration of cultural heritage; 5) Transformations of the cultural landscape; 6) Burial and commemoration; 7) Forced migrants. It had been indicated that these articles only recorded certain socio-cultural phenomena or trends, which, however, refer either to the actualization or to the reconceptualization of more general problems — the multidimensionality of the Ukrainian identity and the cultural and artistic landscape, the peculiarities of the national memorial tradition, and ultimately, the post-colonial status of Ukraine.
 The scientific novelty. This article is the first historiographical review of culturological articles, that highlighted the topic of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
 The practical significance. The materials of this ar-ticle can be used in the scientific and public discussions, and for preparation of educational programs as well.

CULTURAL HERITAGE VISUALIZATION AND VIRTUAL RESTORATION - PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND LIDAR FOR STONE SLAB HOUSES AND OLD PAIWAN INDIGENEOUS SETTLEMENTS, TAIWAN

Abstract. When large scale of UAV photogrammetry and Lidar for mapping a Taiwanese aboriginal settlement with stone slab houses has been carried out, terrestrial 3D photogrammetry and scanning are applied to middle and small-scale recording individual buildings to get architectural form with decorations in detail . When constructing the basic data of cultural assets, especially in the mountain area, it is necessary to apply new technology to carry out efficient and accurate settlement mapping works. In this paper, taking an old Paiwan aboriginal settlement an example, a detailed examination of a stone slab house with three different 3D techniques is put into practice. The 3D data can be further used for digital archive, virtual presentation, and data query through network resources. The results of this study show that, in a large-scale of settlement surveys, aerial surveying technology is efficient for constructing the topography of a settlement and provides competent and spatial information of authentic landscape form, while terrestrial photogrammetry and scanning for middle and small scales record individual buildings to provide more details of architectural forms. They both together construct authentic landscape and architectural form of a settlement and furthermore are able to reveal the hidden settlements of archaeological sites under dense forests. The application of 3D technology, greatly increasing the efficiency and accuracy of mapping and recording, is very much helpful for visualization, virtual restoration, and conservation of indigenous settlements cultural heritage, especially in such high and steep forest.

Cultural Synergy: Participatory Innovation in Maintaining the Sustainability of Muaro Jambi Temple

Purpose of the study: This research aims to see how the community participates in efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of Muara Jambi Temple.
 Methodology: The method used in the research is a qualitative method with a naturalistic qualitative type. The locations in this research are the Jambi Cultural Heritage Conservation Agency as the manager and Muara Jambi Village, Maro Sebo District, Muaro Jambi Regency, Jambi Province. Qualitative methods rely on qualitative data, which can take the form of interviews, participant observation, field notes, or document analysis.
 Main Findings: The results of this research show that the community already has awareness in preserving the cultural heritage of Muarajambi Temple, which can be proven by the existence of a community founded by the people of Muarajambi Village with awareness of the importance of protecting the environment around Muarajambi Village and the Muarajambi Temple environment. Several forms of community participation, in this case the participation of ideas/thoughts, are considered to be still low because they are not channeled enough. This has not been fully implemented due to a lack of coordination or approach between the community and managers. Various efforts have been made by the management and the community, including protection in the form of restoration, development and utilization of cultural heritage, which can be done through direct promotion or through social media, and Muarajambi Temple is also a scientific, religious, social and cultural institution.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: The synergy between local culture, participatory innovation and the character of love for one's country is a strong pillar in maintaining the sustainability of Muara Jambi Temple, proving that preserving cultural heritage is a reflection of togetherness and unity in preserving heritage for future generations.

The use of numerical models within the BIM environment, for the issue of Cultural heritage restoration. Buildings designed until 1940 in Albania

The study is related to the historical and architectural heritage of the city of Tirana, based on the period of Italian influence until 1940. The stock of these buildings represents an interesting case, in terms of research, since they are close to the 100th anniversary after the construction and have great values for the city, as well as architectural heritage. The lifespan of these objects depends on interventions over the years, conservation, updating with digital monitoring technology and the inclusion of BIM and h-BIM tools in the treatment process. It is important to mention that the building does not only need facade maintenance and refinishing, but by getting to know its fragile parts we can have a seismic retrofit strategy ready. Specifically, this research focuses on several digitization processes, 3D models, simulation and intervention proposals. One of the main aspects is the communication between computer models, dealing with the FEM numerical model and the architectural model inside and outside the BIM environment, reducing the gap between them and without major data loss. After analyzing the collapse scenarios, it is intended to increase the accuracy of seismic retrofit interventions, with the sensitivity that belongs to a cultural heritage object. The application of numerical models for legacy objects presents a challenge since the complexity of handling an old building, the parameters of materials, calibrations and approaching the real response of the building in a seismic situation is known. Applications through BIM tools and files with numerous numerical data tend to make a contribution to the field of seismic engineering and heritage restoration in Albania. Variants with proposals on seismic retrofit strategies for protected buildings will be given at the end of this study.

Digital Transformation of Preservation and Restoration of Ukraine's Cultural Heritage

Digital transformation of the preservation and restoration of Ukraine's cultural heritage plays a key role in the national and patriotic education of the people and in ensuring the country's territorial integrity. As a result of the war in Ukraine, a significant number of cultural sites were damaged and destroyed. Therefore, there is a need for their digital registration and further restoration through the use of digital technologies. The article aims to study the principles of digital transformation and possible improvement of the quality of the cultural level in Ukraine and to define the Ukrainian idea through the dissemination of culture, in particular, through educational activities. Given the current trends in the penetration of digital technologies into all spheres of life, their use in the cultural sphere can help boost morale and serve as a tool to combat Russia's expansive cultural rhetoric. The article focuses on the peculiarities of digital transformation, the main means of its implementation, and possible further development. The results of the study indicate the need to use digital technologies as a tool for reconstruction and a means of information protection of the most important cultural sites. The article draws attention to the public administration policy and the problems of financing cultural monuments and objects as the main means for possible further digital transformation. The findings of the study may be useful for further analytical research on the use and implementation of digital transformation of cultural heritage in Ukraine.

Use of Organic Dyes to Color the Metakaolin‐Based Geopolymer: A Physico‐Chemical Characterization

AbstractGeopolymers or inorganic aluminosilicate polymers have attracted great interest for their high versatility. The use of geopolymers for cultural heritage restoration purposes is mainly related to ancient buildings. No cases in the literature report the synthesis of colored geopolymers for painting or mosaic restoration. In this preliminary study, the suitability to synthesize colored geopolymers is investigated by the use of organic pH indicator solutions as dyeing agents for white metakaolin‐based geopolymers cured at 25 °C and aged for 56 days. The physicochemical properties are analyzed by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), pH, ionic conductivity (IC), integrity, and weight loss tests.

Perception of Digital Restoration and Representation of Cultural Heritage -Focusing on Simulation and Simulacra

Perception of Digital Restoration and Representation of Cultural Heritage -Focusing on Simulation and Simulacra

(Digital Presentation) Application of Plasma Cleaning in the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage

The chemical reactivity of metals at inappropriate climate conditions can be a threat to metallic cultural heritage. It is known that oxygen plays an important role in the corrosion and decay of metallic objects. Oxide formation is among the most prevalent destructive phenomena in this field. The metallic archaeological objects lose their original shape due to the oxide layer that develops on their surface. Among physical-mechanical and chemical techniques used in the past to remove the oxide layer from these antiques, Cold plasma technology has been proposed as a novel safe method to successfully achieve this goal. In a plasma medium, which can be formed by an electrical discharge, chemically reactive species exhibit a unique behavior in response to the injected gas type, electrical and chemical parameters, etc. This special behavior aids in achieving the user's goal through physicochemical phenomena. In this study, Hydrogen gas, with its reductive character, in the plasma phase provides free radicals of Hydrogen reacting to the copper oxide layer on ancient coins. As a result of this plasma reduction reaction, separation of the oxide layer from the copper surface is achievable. This phenomenon which is called Plasma cleaning, is a type of etching. Plasma cleaning does not destroy surface structure and information contained within metallic heritage artifacts. The feasibility of this non-destructive cleaning method has been investigated for the preservation and restoration of ancient copper coins dating back roughly 300 years ago. These ancient copper coins were exposed to a cold hydrogen plasma for 120 minutes. Results show that Tenorite and Spertiniite formed on the surface of coins have been successfully removed. The black color of Tenorite, a type of copper oxide, gives a dark appearance to copper coins' surface, and Spertitnite, as a copper hydroxide, exhibits a blue-green color on copper coins. According to the results, after 2 hours of hydrogen plasma treatment, not only these green spots have been removed, but also the dark appearance of the entire surface of the coin has been reduced. This amount of clearance is a good result considering the untreated area. Moreover, Figure 1 illustrates the coin's surface using SEM (A) before and (B) after Hydrogen plasma treatment. These images were obtained at a 200x magnification from the surface. In contrast to Figure 1(A), which had heavily polluted surfaces, case B's dark pollution has been removed, reducing the amount of darkness on the coin's surface. This study shows the efficacy of Plasma cleaning for the preservation and restoration of ancient copper coins. Figure 1