Search

• Systematic overview of the most common project management risks and challenges. • Good practice examples and guidelines for project planning. • Complexity of cross-disciplinary project setting. • Integrated qualitative research methodology. • Project organization and team communication. The concept of cultural heritage has been increasingly enlarged over decades. Many professions are invited to work together in a holistic attempt to preserve inherited tangible and intangible assets. This complexity brings more challenges in organization of collaborative conservation works. Since 1960s project management approach has become prevalent way in which contemporary, non-routine tasks are organized, despite of the industry. A survey was conducted in order to examine how increased complexity of cross-disciplinary setting influences project management challenges and risks in heritage conservation. The findings of the survey outline that there is a number of challenges/risks associated with extremely cross-disciplinary setting of conservation projects, while the practice already provides some useful references how these can be managed and mitigated. This paper offers systematic overview of the most common challenges/risks, some good practice examples and guidelines observed among countries of former Yugoslavia region, which could be further investigated in a call for a tailored approach aimed to reduce project management risks in collaborative conservation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant criteria for choosing materials (consolidants and protective coatings) for the conservation of the built cultural heritage were gathered from the literature and by consultation with experts working on the preservation of cultural heritage. Ten criteria were chosen from these, and a questionnaire was prepared and sent to stakeholders in the cultural heritage conservation domain in order to evaluate, score and rank the importance of the proposed criteria. Based on the results obtained a decision support tool was developed, aimed at conservators and other stakeholders, to help them to make sustainable decisions with regard to the selection of conservation materials for treatment of the built cultural heritage. Performance characteristics and health and safety were identified to be the most important criteria. A preliminary decision can be made based on these two criteria, however, reversibility, minimum intervention and re-treatability are also of very high importance and additional information about these characteristics of the material are required to support decisions. Information about environmental performance, peer recommendation, the application techniques, the price and availability of the materials, which are also integrated in decision support tools, can help conservators and stakeholders to reach a final decision on interventions. The study also provides feedback for the manufacturers of conservation materials. For the users of material, it is very important that the manufacturers clearly identify key characteristics (i.e. criteria) on the product, including those related with environmental performance of the materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Analysis of the state-of-the-art non-linear storytelling applications that are currently in use in the cultural heritage domain. • Design and evaluation of a prototype computational model that fuels audience engagement and collaboration of cultural organizations. • Assessment of the developed prototype model (with its associated strategy and policy-planning) in terms of users' acceptance and its adoption as future/standard part of digital-city services in the semantic web. • SWOT analysis as a result of a qualitative and a quantitative evaluation, pointing out strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the proposed model. Abstract Cities are complex, networked and continuously changing social ecosystems, shaped and transformed through the interaction of different interests and ambitions. They are linked to places, where various aspects of past events are projected and expressed by means of personal memories and narrations (urban memory), representing a promise for future: a vision of freedom, creativity, opportunity and prosperity. At the same time, technology is currently promoting unprecedented changes in urban areas, which are often marked as smart city developments. This paper studies the history of cultural and creative industries, bringing forward the dedicated digital storytelling strategies that promote active audience engagement in urban cultural heritage. A collaborative model is proposed and analyzed (in multiple perspectives), aiming at providing an integrated manner for heritage documentation, management and dissemination. The development deals with the Digital City of Thessaloniki, Greece, a big city, not a boundless one, rich in culture, but with rather poor heritage management mechanisms. The research focuses on theoretical and practical aspects for the citizens' collection and interpretation of "digital heritage" documents (artifacts, places, etc.), resulting in a model that fuels audience engagement and collaboration of cultural organizations. Model-design is validated through state-of-the-art review and formative evaluation processes (both qualitative and quantitative), with an associated SWOT analysis that points out strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Although the proposed methodology has been adapted to the needs of a particular (digital) city, the current paper goes beyond a case study, as it brings forward novel technological and methodological guidelines, which could be successfully deployed in districts with similar cultural, geographical, and technical features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, cultural heritage planning and decision-making operate under considerable climate, political, and financial uncertainties and constraints. Consequently, decision-makers are often left making value-laden judgments of what to preserve, restore, and maintain in their best judgments, which can leave them open to criticism for not protecting the cultural resources most important to various and diverse stakeholder groups. Thus, a transparent and robust process to optimally maintain cultural heritage values for present and future generations is needed. We address this knowledge gap by developing a novel, transparent, and value-based measurement framework for assessing relative “historical significance” and “use potential” of diverse historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places (United States). Measures of historical significance include: the association of a building with the purpose of a NPS site's foundation, the current physical condition of a building, the building's historic character, and National Register listing criteria. Specific measures of use potential consider the importance of historic building's operational, third party, visitor, interpretative, and scientific uses. The application of the framework is presented using a subset of buildings located within two separately listed historic districts at Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina. The framework focuses on the current status of the cultural resource's significance and use potential while acknowledging that corresponding attributes, metrics and weights can change over time and should be regularly updated. It is hoped that the historical significance and use potential framework can assist the decision-makers and stakeholders, and better inform both the cultural heritage management and allocation prioritization for climate adaptation planning when it is applied in tandem with climate change vulnerability assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Holy Aedicula of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was surveyed by ground penetrating radar in correlation with an architectural analysis, following a methodology suited for built cultural heritage assets. The construction layers of the building were revealed. Remnants of the original monolithic Aedicula were identified and comprise of two rock blocks surrounded by a masonry dating mainly to the 1810 construction phase. Results indicate that parts of the 11th century structure may have been retained in the 1810 reconstruction, such as the lower part of the masonry of the north side of the Chapel of the Angel. The south rock block appears to be fractured and the influence of two pillars that support the dome of the burial chamber and which are based on the rock block is assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ancient city of Byblos (Jbail, Lebanon) provides one of the primary examples of urban organization in the Mediterranean world. This multimillenary city bears an exceptional testimony to the beginnings of the Phoenician civilization. The site covers an area of 10 ha located along the coast. The present paper deals with the synthetic mapping of the archaeological site and its environment using remote sensing techniques. Very high-resolution imagery is vital for monitoring any archaeological site in its widest context. In the specific case of Byblos, the comparison of the Orbview 3, Ikonos 2 and Geo-Eye 1digital data indicates that a spatial resolution of about half-a-meter is necessary for archaeological purposes and particularly for mapping the walls and the buildings. The use of Corona archive acquired in 1970 allows mapping the archaeological site and its coastal environment before the Lebanese civil war. This multitemporal approach allows us to evaluate the sensitivity of the archaeological site to external factors, such as the coastal erosion, the cliff degradation, and the urban growth. It also helps to better plan the improvement of the site for touristic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a real-time monitoring system is presented to be used for environmental parameters measurement in tourist caves that can be employed for getting a sustainable tourism. The system allows the registration of a lot of metadata (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, CO2, atmospheric pressure, rain, presence and visitor count) and it shows them via the Internet in real time anywhere. The system reports the data registered and stored as metadata in a database online. In the ”El Soplao” Cave in the North of Spain, this system, permits a high level of control and security of the influence of visitors on a day to day and the temporal evolution to medium and long term. These measurements allow developing a sustainable and profitable system where heritage management and tourism exploitation acquire a subordinate commitment to the welfare of the natural asset (Cave-Mine “El Soplao”); the alteration of the fragile microclimate inside the cave can damage or destroy the specific geologic formations that make the touristic cave. After the visits, the company managing the cave takes in charge monitoring the environmental parameters of the cave to regulate future visits. The temperature in the cave has ranges between 11 and 13.5 °C, a seasonal quasi-periodic maximum variation of ± 0.5 °C and depending on the temperature outside the cave and number of visitors; it is difficult to associate one with another because both happen in the same month. The relative humidity is around 70–95%, it has no correlation with the number of visitors accessing the cavity. The CO2 concentration in air is around 400–1000 ppm; it has a clear correlation with the number of visitors and cave area (the deepest present's higher level CO2). In conclusion, a cave is visited as long as its microclimate is maintained, thus the real-time system developed has been conceptualized for monitoring over time the relationship between the cave environment and a sustainable tourism. Monitoring can help to preserve the specific geologic formation and therefore to keep the touristic interest of the cave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses an ordered logistic regression (logit) model to assess the vulnerability of ancient burial mounds to human activity in the Kazanlak Valley, Bulgaria. This model yields probabilities of damage to burial mounds subject to changing conditions, based on the present condition and situation of a large dataset of mounds ( n = 773), as estimated through direct visual assessment. Results for the Kazanlak Valley indicate that changing land use (conversion of pasture to arable land) and depopulation or de-urbanisation (increased distance to the nearest city, town, or village) represent two anthropogenic factors that degrade burial mounds. These factors likely represent threats from ploughing related to annual agriculture, and looting fostered by the decreased scrutiny associated with remoteness. After an initial survey to acquire the requisite data, local cultural heritage personnel can use this approach to predict quickly and continuously how mound vulnerability will respond to changing circumstances, and then direct resources to the most vulnerable monuments. Unlike typical predictive modelling for cultural heritage management, use of a logit regression on a large dataset quantifies the probable impact of changing circumstances on monuments without relying on site location models, prior knowledge of specific hazards, or forecasts of future development. This approach can be applied widely, wherever sufficient observational data are available. Our results also provide a reminder that agriculture is not wholly benign, and that depopulation – not just urban sprawl – can threaten cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural heritage (CH) documentation tasks usually involve professionals from different knowledge areas, which implies not only a huge amount of information and requirements, but also a very heterogeneous set of sources, data structures, content and formats. Geographic information systems (GIS) have been used extensively by cultural heritage specialists, but this is just working around the real problem: there is no specialized software for CH professionals to document their work in 3D. In this paper, we present software named Agata that allows specialists to interact in real time with high resolution polygonal models, and to annotate different raster and vectorial information directly onto them that might be useful for current or future research. Moreover, these annotations can be exported in a standard format that allows researchers from other disciplines that might be interested in the dataset to access such information easily. The system is able to manage and annotate not only on buildings or archaeological sites, but also sculptures or paintings directly into the 3D dataset of any CH physical element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preservation and risk mitigation of built cultural heritage require the use of reliable tools which enable to give a better insight into the complex behaviour of these structures, by providing a correct diagnosis of their health conditions, and to identify potential vulnerabilities in order to prevent the risk of damage and to design in advance adequate retrofit solutions. The present paper describes an extensive experimental/numerical investigation campaign carried out on the Church of Monastery of Jerónimos in Lisbon in accordance with an iterative multidisciplinary approach and with the purpose of assessing the health state of one of the most prominent Portuguese monument, in light of future prevention actions. Special stress is given to the diagnostic procedure which includes and details in situ and laboratory testing, dynamic identification, continuous structural health monitoring and analysis of environmental effects on the static and dynamic behaviour of the church. The structural performance of the temple under conditions of gravity loading is analysed as well and potential collapse mechanisms are identified. The results are compared with the actual response of the temple allowing to evaluate its safety level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological and historical remains of great value are emerging from melting snow and ice across the globe as rising temperatures and changing weather patterns lead to the degradation and decline of snow patches, ice sheets and glaciers. Rescuing the heritage remains that exist within some of these sites is a serious challenge for cultural heritage management (CHM) systems and regimes in a number of ways. This paper is a review of some of these challenges. It begins with an overview of the geographical and chronological distribution of glacial archaeological sites and finds from around the world. The institutional CHM context within which this sub-discipline has emerged is described, as are some of the difficulties associated with managing frozen heritage sites and finds. An overview is also given of some of the field and methodological responses that have been applied in different regions until now. Finally, a number of management related issues in need of special attention in the future are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future climate change is likely to pose significant challenges for heritage management, especially in landscape settings, such as river valleys as the magnitude, intensity and nature of geomorphological processes alter in response to changing threshold conditions. Industrial landscapes afford particular challenges for the heritage community, not only because the location of these historic remains is often intimately linked to the physical environment, but also because these landscapes can be heavily polluted by former (industrial) processes and, if released, the legacy of contaminants trapped in floodplain soils and sediments can exacerbate erosion and denudation. Responding to these challenges requires the development of methodologies that consider landscape change beyond individual sites and monuments and this paper reports the development of such an approach based on investigation of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, Derbyshire, UK. Information on geomorphological evolution of the Derwent Valley over the last 1000 years, a time period encompassing the last two periods of major climatic deterioration, the Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age, has been dovetailed with archaeological and geochemical records to assess how the landscape has evolved to past landscape change. However, in addition to assessing past evolution, this methodology uses national climate change scenarios to predict future river change using the CAESAR-Lisflood model. Comparison of the results of this model to the spatial distribution of World Heritage Site assets highlights zones on the valley floor where pro-active mitigation might be required. The geomorphological and environmental science communities have long used predictive computer modelling to help understand and manage landscapes and this paper highlights an approach and area of research cross-over that would be beneficial for future heritage management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few years, the Internet of Things (IoT) is evolving through a new definition of this paradigm describing a system of cooperating Smart Objects (SOs). An SO can be defined as a physical digital object augmented with sensing, processing, storing and networking capabilities. The key role of such objects resides in the capabilities they have to make physical environments intel- ligent so as to provide novel services to people. Cultural Heritage domain and in particular its fruition and enjoyment perspectives can profitably benefits of such technologies since it characterize a domain where different aspects have to be considered: people enjoyment, cultural items fruition, valorisation and tutelage of spaces and artworks. In this paper we present an ongoing project, named ( TrUST - Transport with Ubiquiotus and Smart Technologies ) and developed within DATABENC, a high technology district for Cultural Heritage management, in collaboration with the Mobility Transport Company (ANM) of Naples. The project exploits the Internet of Things technologies in order to enable a novel fruition metaphor inside the transport coaches. Deploying a SO with GPS and WiFi capabilities, users can enjoy of multimedia content about the cultural heritage that surrounds them during a trip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural heritage (CH) sites are threatened from a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors. Innovative and cost effective tools for systematic monitoring of landscapes and CH sites are needed to protect them. Towards this direction, the article presents a multidisciplinary approach, based on remote sensing techniques and Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis, in order to assess the overall risk in the Paphos district (Cyprus). Paphos region has a great deal of archaeological sites and isolated monuments, which reflect the long history of the area, while some of them are also listed in the UNESCO catalogue of World Cultural Heritage sites. Several natural and anthropogenic hazards have been mapped using different remote sensing data and methodologies. All data were gathered from satellite images and satellite products. The results from each hazard were imported into a GIS environment in order to examine the overall risk assessment based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. The results found that the methodology applied was effective enough in the understanding of the current conservation circumstances of the monuments in relation to their environment as well as predicting the future development of the present hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing body of research on the concept of adaptive capacity, there is an absence of research which investigates adaptive capacity in the field of cultural heritage management. Climatic changes have potentially serious implications for the historic environment, which is itself a non-renewable resource. Cultural heritage sites can be particularly sensitive to severe weather events and to changes in climate, both due to direct impacts on built structures, archaeology and designed landscapes, but also due to changes in visitor behaviour and the potentially adverse implications of adaptive measures on heritage significance. This research investigated the adaptive capacity of the management of cultural heritage sites in the UK. The research methodology and a final conceptual framework of adaptive capacity relevant for heritage management are presented in this paper. An initial framework of adaptive capacity was developed through an examination of key literature, a scoping study and a questionnaire survey. This was then tested and refined through the assessment of adaptive capacity at three UK World Heritage Sites, the analysis of national and international policy and interviews with stakeholders at the national and international level. The process of analysis and development of a revised conceptual framework gave insights into some of the challenges of investigating adaptive capacity. The key determinants of adaptive capacity in the final framework, found to affect the capacity to adapt to climate change at cultural heritage sites, are cognitive factors, leadership, learning capacity, access to information, authority and resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New generations of dark matter detection experiments require extreme low levels of background radiation in order to verify complex particle physics theories. Ancient lead ingots from shipwrecks provide the necessary shielding material to perform these experiments due to their low intrinsic radioactivity, difficult to achieve by modern materials or commercial means. This situation generates a debate between two different perspectives: The preservation of cultural heritage or its use in scientific fundamental research. In this Article we present the scientific implications of the use of salvaged Ancient lead for dark matter searches as well as the consideration on underwater cultural heritage management. We finally highlight the three main dilemmas on the issue and articulate their analysis using the three main cultural heritage mainstays: (1) benefit of the humankind, (2) scientific interest and (3) commercial exploitation of the underwater cultural heritage. We conclude that the use of Ancient lead in dark matter experiments does not contravene the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, the foremost international legal reference for the protection of underwater cultural heritage. However, to prevent the uncontrolled utilization of the non-renewable Ancient lead we recommend the use of alternative shielding materials such as tungsten and a case-by-case benchmark against commercial ultra-low-alpha lead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Orkney archipelago has a rich heritage that includes the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, Viking settlements, harbours supplying Hudson's Bay Company ships, and the wartime naval base of Scapa Flow. This rich history has left its mark on the seabed but accurate maps showing the location and character of surviving seabed archaeology do not exist to the same extent as for archaeology on land. ORCA Marine was commissioned by Historic Scotland to work with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland in interrogating marine data sets to enhance historic environment records of Orkney Waters and the Pentland Firth. These waters were prioritised for their history of maritime activity and to help guide planning and developments in an area highlighted by the Scottish Government for marine renewable energy. A variety of recent and legacy datasets, including wreck databases; sonar data gathered by public sector bodies; aerial photography; seabed cores; Admiralty charts; and local knowledge, were examined for their effectiveness in discovering and interpreting marine cultural heritage cost-effectively. A methodology was developed that enabled marine cultural heritage information to be quickly assimilated within the national and regional inventories for dissemination online. Polygonisation of records resulted in GIS-based shapefiles identifying site extents, and areas of archaeological potential in relation to wrecks, submerged prehistoric landscapes, anchorages and fishing areas. Substantial gaps in data coverage were identified and areas of the seabed have been surveyed at resolutions that are sufficient to detect large upstanding remains such as iron shipwrecks but insufficient to identify smaller archaeological features. Other geophysical datasets have been created at a resolution detailed enough to allow the recognition of smaller anomalies but in some cases processing of the data has removed small anomalies of interest to archaeologists. Intensively used marine areas often contain the most artefactual remains such as historic ports being developed to service the marine renewable industry. Zones of high wave and tidal energy favoured for renewable energy devices include navigation channels and hazards where a large number of wrecks are documented. Transmission cable routes cross deep water where 20th-century wartime losses occurred. Planning and development of infrastructure relating to renewables may also interact with significant built heritage and archaeology on the foreshore and coast edge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We study the production of heritage in the former Saxon village of Viscri, Romania. [•] Transylvanian Saxon heritage is promoted by foreign experts as a tool for tourism. [•] Locals are expected to follow a Western model of heritage management. [•] We analyze the reactions of the local people of Romanian and Roma ethnicity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article offers the author's insights regarding the review of Chris McMorran to his book "Cultural Commodities in Japanese Rural Revitalization." The author states that McMorran claims that the specificity of work he produced in response to the circumstance will limit its readership to few specialists. He relates that McMorran found a contradiction in his assertion that cultural resources should be managed in order to yield a return.