Safeguarding Of Cultural Heritage Research Articles

Luci E Ombre: The Bright and Dark Sides of International Heritage Law

The article discusses the achievements of international legal regimes for the protection and safeguarding of cultural heritage, focusing on the regimes created under the auspices of UNESCO. It argues that, even though there are many achievements of these regimes, and that these should be celebrated, each major achievement (bright side) casts a shadow (a dark side), which comes to show the unintended consequences of international heritage law. The dark sides often stem from an over-reliance on the law as a vocabulary for articulating heritage matters, while overlooking the limitations of the law as a discipline and a tool in the constantly-changing realm of heritage. The article calls for a more self-aware international heritage law, one that is willing to consider both the lights and the shadows of these regimes.

"Es un ejemplo no solamente para los de su raza qom sino para toda la juventud formoseña". El patrimonio cultural inmaterial y la música indígena en la controvertida política formoseña

We analyze recent cultural policy in the province of Formosa, Argentina, regarding indigenous intangible cultural heritage, particularly the music of the Toba or Qom. Our hypothesis is that the provincial government has strategically instrumentalized these cultural policies in order to create the image of an administration that ideologically endorses global discourses imposed on democracies (such as “multiculturalism” and “the safeguarding of cultural heritage”). At the same time this legitimizes a provincial imaginary of “being Formoseno” that identifies itself as “multicultural” but on the other hand invisibilizes contemporary indigenous people, masking conflicts and inequalities.

Italian Fashion History and Cultural Heritage: Data for a Tourist Guide

The essay wants to introduce a mapping base, currently in progress, relative to museums, archives of fashion, costume galleries, present in Italy, such as constituent elements for the construction of a tourist guide, dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of knowledge Italian heritage, as well as a possible offer to create new spaces for Heritage and Tourism . The data presented here are drawn from the research “Galleries of Costume and Fashion History Museum: Italian Opportunities for International Tourism and Local Development”, planned in Rimini Campus University of Bologna. The general plan of research was officially presented during the 5th International Congress “Science and Technology for the Safeguard of Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranea Basin”, Istanbul Turkey 22-25 November 2011. Given the current research, the general outlines of the project and some initial data provided by the work of historians are provided below without claim of completeness. Some online archives and fashion history museum on themes developed in this paper are: - http://www.moda.san.beniculturali.it/wordpress/ - http://www.imprese.san.beniculturali.it/web/imprese/home;jsessionid=6DFD70C634C40988ED2F021974A84D77.sanimprese_JBOSS - http://www.ibc.regione.emilia-romagna.it/wcm/ibc/menu/istituto/04attivita/13progetti/prog/tessuti.htm - http://www.uffizi.firenze.it/musei/?m=costume - http://www.museoferragamo.it/ - http://fortuny.visitmuve.it/ - http://www.museodeltessuto.it/ - http://www.museodellalana.it/ - http://www.cultural.it/musei/borsalino.asp - http://www.museopoldipezzoli.it/collezioni/tessili.html - http://www.museimazzucchelli.it/collezioni/museo-moda.html - http://www.incampania.com/beniculturali.cfm?s=5&Menu_ID=211&Sub_ID=217&Info_ID=4187 - http://www.emigratisardi.com/musei-artigiani/museo-costume-tradizionale.html

Atmospheric aerosol monitoring as a strategy for the preventive conservation of urban monumental heritage: The Florence Baptistery

The over time a knowledge of atmospheric aerosol composition near monuments has become an increasingly important issue in preservation strategies. Concerning the protection of outdoor monumental heritage against urban air pollution, scientific works have mainly focused on the composition of background urban aerosol. In the literature the importance of atmospheric pollutant monitoring close to monuments is not yet sufficiently emphasized. In order to fill this gap, the atmosphere in proximity of the Florence Baptistery was monitored throughout 2003. Aerosol samples were collected close to two of the three doors, characterized by different exposures to pollutant sources. The non-carbonate carbon and soluble ions in the total suspended matter were measured. The paper presents and discusses the comparison between the analytical data obtained from the different sampling sites on the same monument. The results obtained may provide a contribution to the formulation of guidelines for a suitable safeguard of cultural heritage. ► Aerosol monitoring near monument adopted as preventive conservation strategy. ► Close to the Florence Baptistery TSP was continuously monitored throughout 2003. ► The results show different aerosol composition nearby the two Baptistery doors. ► Non-carbonate carbon at Northern door is almost always higher than at Southern one. ► Protection of cultural heritage constitutes a priority for all countries.

O Decreto-Lei n.º 140/2009 como instrumento para a salvaguarda do património cultural e o reconhecimento do papel do conservador-restaurador em Portugal

O Decreto-Lei n.º 140/2009 como instrumento para a salvaguarda do património cultural e o reconhecimento do papel do conservador-restaurador em Portugal

Compositional analysis of fluorinated and unfluorinated acrylic copolymers

The monomeric components of a series of lattices suitable as protective coatings for the safeguard of cultural heritage, and containing unfluorinated and partially fluorinated acrylic units were determined by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Their identification was possible on the basis of a good knowledge of the degradative behavior, also gained through the direct study of different reference fluoropolymers, which enabled to distinguish between monomers and monomer-related products of degradation. All the samples were identified as copolymers of an acrylic unit, either partially fluorinated or unfluorinated, with a methacrylic unit. Only in two cases different amounts of styrene as monomeric component were also identified.

Detecting and mapping detachments in mural paintings by non-invasive acoustic technique: measurements in antique sites in Rome and Florence

The most frequent cause of damage in mural paintings, and particularly in antique frescos, is represented by the presence of detachments. An accurate diagnosis of damages and the successive evaluation of consolidation treatments are fundamental for the protection of many masterpieces. A special apparatus for the detection of detachments in mural paintings has been realised in the framework of the Italian Special Project “Safeguard of Cultural Heritage” in order to satisfy the above objectives. A novel non-invasive acoustic technique displays in acoustic images the presence of surface anomalies such as detachments and fractures. A set of laboratory tests were carried out, employing artificially-made models of detachments, in order to validate the novel acoustic method, and two studies were performed on the XIII century frescos in the little church of St. Passera in Rome, and on the XVI century frescos painted by Giorgio Vasari in his house in Florence.

Cooperation between UNESCO and Japan in the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage

(2004). Cooperation between UNESCO and Japan in the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage. Museum International: Vol. 56, No. 4, pp. 32-39.

Thermal analysis in cultural heritage safeguard: an application

Damage layer formation on buildings is due to the deposition of atmospheric pollutants and their interaction with the underlying materials. The composition of black crusts is therefore closely related to the characteristics and levels of pollution in the surrounding environment. Thus, the study of its constituents is of fundamental importance in planning strategies for the protection and conservation of monuments and historic buildings. Damage layers have been shown to be primarily composed of carbonaceous particles embedded in gypsum, pointing to the overwhelming role of combustion-derived air pollution in their formation. The identification and evaluation of elemental carbon and other carbon species constituting the non-carbonate fraction of total carbon is required in investigating the damage on historic buildings in urban areas. The removal of organic carbon is a critical step in the analytical methodologies used for the measurement of elemental carbon. The paper describes a study performed on black crust samples from historic buildings of two Italian towns, on which the carbon compound discrimination was achieved by applying an analytical methodology based on thermal analysis.

PGA and structural dynamics input motion at a given site

The computation of the representative ground motions, to be used as input for the dynamic analyses of a structure at a particular site, can be approached by several methods. The choice of the approach depends on two factors : the data available and the type of problem to be solved. This paper reports the experience of the authors in approaching a specific case study: the Southern Memnon Colossus, located in Luxor, Egypt. The results are of interest when the hazard analysis estimation in developing countries and the safeguard of cultural heritage are concerned. Monuments have to be treated as important structures, due to their historical and economical value. Hence, standard procedures of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for the seismic classification of common buildings have to be disregarded. On the other hand, the consequences of the collapse of a monument are not comparable to those related to structures such as nuclear power plants and large dams, for which the deterministic seismic hazard analysis provides a straightforward framework for evaluation of the worst case ground motions. An “intermediate” approach, which requires a lower amount of input data with respect to the deterministic one, is adopted. Its stochastic component can capture significant characteristics of earthquakes, primarily the frequency contents which depend on the magnitude (often referred to as the earthquake scaling law).

The coastal cultural heritage facing coastal management

This paper is concerned with the role of cultural heritage in coastal areas, including land belts and coastal marine waters in the prospect of operating sustainable development-aimed strategies. It is a part of the investigations carried out in the framework of the Progetto Finalizzato Beni Culturali (Special Project Safeguard of Cultural Heritage) convened by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR, the Italian National Research Council). Essentially, it aims at contributing to the discussion on how the mise-en-valeur of the coastal cultural heritage may be framed within integrated coastal management programmes. In this view, the discourse on the coastal cultural heritage runs along this pathway: (i) global (climatic) change and globalisation are assumed to be the key components of the external environment with which the coastal area interacts; (ii) the conceptual framework of coastal management, as it can be deduced by the background guidelines from Agenda 21 (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, UNCED), is considered; (iii) the legal framework, which the coastal area is characterised by, is taken into account by focusing on its implications on the management patterns. At this point, attention is concentrated on the role of cultural heritage in the framework of integrated coastal management approaches. It is considered, how this pivotal component of the coastal area has been dealt with bythe intergovernmental organisations. Special consideration is attributed to the European Code of Conduct for Coastal Management Zones, since it considers the ecological patrimony and cultural heritage as giving shape to a unique ethically-endowed reality, which materialised through landscapes and seascapes. The final step consists of the design of a tentative Code of Conduct for Coastal Cultural Heritage consisting of some background and operational principles.

Small angle neutron scattering investigation of microporosity in marbles

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements have been carried out on different marble and limestone samples, of relevance to cultural heritage safeguard, to investigate the micropore size distribution. Different varieties of marble have been studied using a CaCO3 single crystal as a pore-free reference. A series of red scaglia limestone samples has also been studied, obtaining in this case identical SANS cross sections for specimens issued from a modern quarry and for samples issued from an historical building. The micropore volume distribution functions, obtained from the SANS data, are compared with porosimetry results.

Coastal cultural heritage: a management tool

Two parallel processes have marked coastal realities in many parts of the world. The former process consisted in the design and the dissemination of integrated coastal management programmes and actions consistent with the prescriptions from Agenda 21, and from the relevant guidelines by inter-governmental and local organisations. The latter one consisted in the increasing importance that coastal cultural heritage has acquired either in the social perception of coastal reality, and in the prospects of driving coastal systems towards sustainable development. Hence, the need of framing the coastal cultural heritage into coastal management programmes, strategies and actions tailored to the principle of integration, which is the key word of the Agenda 21 approach, has come to the fore, and gained importance. To meet this need, the Guidelines for management of coastal cultural heritage, dealing with conceptual and methodological frameworks, and designing operational approaches were worked out for the use by decision-makers, managers and planners on the local scale. The Guidelines, which by now are available in the Italian language, have multimedia features and interactive properties, and are available in a CD-ROM format. They were devised in the framework of the Progetto Finalizzato Beni Culturali (Special Project for the Safeguard of Cultural Heritage) convened by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (the Italian National Research Council). This paper aims at introducing their relevant background stimuli, their features, and their cardinal use criteria.

Non-destructive investigation of microporosity in marbles by means of small angle neutron scattering

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements have been carried out on different marble and limestone samples, of relevance to cultural heritage safeguard, to investigate the micropore distribution in the size range between 10 and 1000 Å. Different varieties of marbles have been studied using a CaCO 3 single crystal, pore-free, as a reference. A series of red scaglia limestone samples has also been tested obtaining for this material, very reproducible results. Namely identical SANS cross-sections are found for specimens issued from a modern quarry and for samples issued from a historical building. Furthermore, the micropore volume distribution functions obtained by Fourier transformation of the SANS data are in accordance with porosimetry results for pore sizes larger than approximately 500 Å. The results of SANS measurements carried out to try and distinguish close and open microporosity are also reported.

THE FUTURE OF THE PAST AT THE URBAN LEVEL: ACHIEVING URBAN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING WITH ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

The definition of a city, given by the Italian Treccani Encyclopedia, is: “Town of considerable extension, with buildings arranged more or less regularly, in such a way as to form roads of easy transit, paved, equipped with public services and whatever else is necessary to offer favourable conditions for social life (the concept of the city is linked to that of a multiplicity of functions of various origins and nature, economic, social, cultural, religious, administrative, health, etc., gathered in one place and for this reason is not conditioned by the number of inhabitants)”. The city is, therefore, defined in relation to its possibility to promote social life. In these terms, consequently, the research carried out by urban planning can focuses on public health, the exploitation and use of the territory as a resource (meaning the territory in all its natural and man–made dimensions), focuses on the interest of man, as an individual and as a social being. An urban health approach considers cities as the modal form of human living and recognizes that such a commonly felt exposure must, by definition, influence much of what we do and how we do it. The future of Cultural Heritage is the main topic of the documents, rules and charters in charge to ensure its conservation. Cultural Heritage is a locution related to the natural or anthropogenic assets that are necessary to conserve and safeguard a group's identity. Nowadays, the focus of the activities related to the safeguarding of Cultural Heritage has a wider horizon, including, also the well-being of a single individual and of a group. Well-being means that people must find in the common good, which cultural heritage is, the object and the cause of wellness while living in a community or alone. The concept of a common good must be understood and linked to the possibility of increasing the well-being of everyone for whom it is necessary to invest part of the common and social resources. In order to reach these arguments, the paper aims to analyse the restoration and the conservation in relationship not only with the need to transfer to the future generation the traces of the past as an imperative condition, but also assuming the social, and economic value of assets that are common goods able to improve the well-being of the citizens.

3rd International Congress on 'Science and Technology for the Safeguard of Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean Basin' Alcala de Henares, Spain, July 9-14, 2001

3rd International Congress on 'Science and Technology for the Safeguard of Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean Basin' Alcala de Henares, Spain, July 9-14, 2001

Analysis of art objects using a portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometer

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis is a non-destructive technique widely used in the study of works of art. It can detect elements having atomic number > 15 (phosphorus) and supplies only semiquatitative results, yet it can be helpful in a very wide range of applications. The ENEA Unit for the Safeguard of Cultural Heritage has acquired considerable experience in XRF analysis, investigating more than 500 works of art including easel and mural paintings, mosaics, glasses, ceramics and bronzes. Using XRF analysis sometimes it is possible to detect undocumented pigments or to characterize traditional materials better. This technique of analysis also allows the investigation of impurities of elements having medium or high atomic number, in some cases such impurities can help to establish the provenance of the materials or to characterize differences in the same work due to restoration or to the presence of unoriginal parts. On glass, XRF can identify the nature of the colouring substances and opacifiers. A large number of measurements can be collected for statistical processing and comparison, which is very important, in particular, in the case of mosaics, and yields information which may not be evident if only a single measurement is considered. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Excavation and Rescue Operations: What to Preserve and Why

The major economic outlay that goes into the excavation, conservation and presentation of an archaeological site justifies the question, ‘Why should a society underwrite this expenditure and what should it expect in return?’ In other words, as Christos Doumas points out, the philosophy of site preservation should be clearly defined and understood so that public policy aims at both safeguarding of cultural heritage and protecting society from pointless effort and expense. The author is a professor in the Department of History and Archaeology at the University of Athens.