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Biodiversity conservation is impossible without empowerment and benefit to local communities. This happens through a cultural landscape that supports sustainable human and natural communities. We report on a 3-year project to help four local communities sustainably create semi-natural ecosystems in an area under threat in south Jerusalem that is a candidate World Heritage site. One part of the project involved biodiversity assessment with local participation and resulted in the designation of the area as a protected area. A second part of the project reported here focused on enhancing ecosystem services via enhancement of ecotourism, agricultural production, and marketing in eco-friendly ways all done via community participation. This agroecological approach for 80 farmers in four communities enhanced their production of organic health produce, marketed their products, while learning about local biodiversity (benefiting more than 500 individuals). This happened via agricultural inputs and capacity building (by professionals and by exchanging knowledge). The socioeconomic status of women cooperatives was also improved through the project creating sustainable income and empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal areas are currently exposed to numerous hazards exacerbated by climate change, including erosion, flooding, storm surges, and other sea level rise phenomena. Mediterranean countries, in particular, are facing a constant shrinking of coastal areas. This region also hosts significant cultural heritage assets, including several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The present research demonstrates a methodological approach to assess the current and future exposure of Mediterranean coastal areas and heritage assets to Sea Level Rise using open access data regarding elevation, vertical ground motion, and Sea Level Change factors (e.g., ice sheets, glaciers, etc.). The future projections regard 2050 and 2100 and are based on RCP scenarios 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5. The datasets used include Copernicus GLO-30 DSM, the European Ground Motion Service's dataset on Vertical Ground Motion, the Sea Level Change Projections' Regional Dataset by NASA, and a hybrid coastline dataset created for the present research purposes to assist in delineating the study area. The research results demonstrate that Greece, Italy, and France's mainland and cultural heritage assets already face SLR-related hazards but are expected to be further exposed in the future, always taking into consideration the high level of uncertainty regarding SLR projections and RCP scenarios' hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Virtual Archaeology Review is the property of Virtual Archaeology Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study looks at the prioritisation of development projects and the consequential devaluation of cultural heritage in the case of the Kawo Amado Kella defensive wall in Wolaita, southern Ethiopia. The study region has several cultural, natural and combined world heritage sites, although the location is practically unknown on a regional and national level. The area is one of Ethiopia's most culturally rich regions, and the wall was discovered at an ancient location near the Omo River. The Wolaita people live in the Omo River basin and have a rich cultural heritage and over time the defensive wall has suffered from various man-made and natural forces. This study focussed on the maintenance and conservation challenges of the Kawo Amado Kella defensive wall and used a qualitative ethnographic research approach with purposive sampling to understand the significance of the wall on a regional and national level as well as internationally. The results of the research are presented in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the onset of conflict in Syria in 2011, several heritage sites have suffered partial or complete destruction. The ancient city of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2013, alongside five other Syrian heritage sites. Between 2015 and 2017, Palmyra experienced the loss of nearly 40% of its historic buildings and landmarks. The site's remote location and ongoing armed conflict pose additional challenges in accessing and preserving it. This paper introduces an interactive online platform employing 360° media to document and disseminate information about the world heritage site of Palmyra. The platform contributes to the safeguarding process of Palmyra, facilitating public engagement and interaction with the site. It also has potential applications for other sites in Syria and beyond. The platform allows users to explore both archival and current information of damaged historical monuments and buildings, revealing their layered histories before and after demolition. Employing interactive 360° media, similar to applications like Google Street View, the platform offers a reality-based digital environment. Users can virtually move into different buildings or follow specific pathways within the site, accessing archival information and documentation about particular monuments and buildings along their journey. This project serves as a unique informational resource for decision-makers and policy planners, aiding in the understanding of the site and the development of relevant strategies and recommendations. It also proves beneficial as an educational tool. The collective understanding fostered by this platform is expected to positively influence post-conflict restoration and reconstruction plans, making it an invaluable asset for research and educational purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India, one of the most dynamic ancient civilizations, possesses a multitude of historical artifacts, with 37 of its notable architectural structures recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Yet, the ever-changing climate, especially air pollution, expedites the natural deterioration of historic sites and diminishes their aesthetic appeal, causing socio-economic damage. With this in mind, the current study aims to offer a logical scientific foundation for the implications of air pollution, seasonal shifts, and COVID-19 on 14 significant historical places in India during the year 2019-20. Delhi, among the cities most severely affected by atmospheric pollution, recorded an alarming air quality index (AQI) of 102–141, which can intensify the risk of cultural sites to corrode and deteriorate. Analysis reveals that the winter season had elevated levels of NO2 and particle pollution (PM2.5, PM10), whereas summer had the higher levels of O3. Throughout the 5-month lockdown period, ozone levels exhibited an elevation, contrasting with the reduction observed in other air parameters. Notably, there was a substantial 70% decrease in particulate matter concentration, which had previously remained stable over the course of the year. Variations in geographic locales and anthropogenic influences contribute significantly to the dose-response statistics, revealing an unprecedented elevation in corrosion risks to historical limestone and sandstone structures across target sites. Moreover, the research addresses available Governmental initiatives, and effective strategies designed to safeguard heritage sites against the corrosion and material degradation, offering a comprehensive exploration of protective measures. Thereby, the current research is centred on establishing a foundational understanding of the impact of air pollution on cultural heritage, utilizing a comparison to the year with the lowest air pollution levels, which can aid policymakers in enhancing risk management and implementing a robust national mandate for the preservation of cultural heritage sites against corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persepolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in south-western Iran, dates back to more than 2500 years ago, and is colonized by a great diversity of lichen-forming fungi. A survey of the lichen-forming fungi revealed a species abundant in different areas of the cultural site, which turned out to be a new species of the genus Circinaria. The new species, Circinaria persepolitana , is introduced and described on the basis of morphological and molecular data. Circinaria persepolitana is characterized by having a crustose thallus, rimose to areolate, usually with bullate areoles, with an olive green to olive-brown surface and angular to elongate areoles in the marginal zone. Phylogenetic analyses including other species of the genus showed that the new species is phylogenetically close to C. mansourii , C. ochracea and C. reptans. We propose a new combination of Circinaria reptans (Looman) Sohrabi, Owe-Larsson & Paukov. The bioweathering capacity of the new species was also analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, examining the interface between the lichen thallus and the lithic substratum to assess its potential threat to the conservation of heritage surfaces. We found this species to be a potential biodeteriogenic agent, as thalli were closely attached to the lithic substratum and biogeophysical and biogeochemical changes at the rock surface could be associated with the colonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the significance of the Temple of Bel in the history of Palmyra, highlighting key aspects of its design and development. It reviews the measures taken by the archaeological authorities during the French Mandate (1920–1946) to manage and conserve the monument, such as relocating the local community outside the archaeological site far from the sanctuary and the implementation of repairs to the cella. Finally, it discusses the damage wrought by ISIS in 2015 to Palmyra, which included the partial destruction of the temple using explosives, and revisits the work of the specialists who examined this structure after it was destroyed. In order to preserve Palmyra's cultural legacy, the relevance of the cella's future conservation needs as a priority are underscored, not simply for the World Heritage Site, but within the wider context of Syria and the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The M'Zab Valley, located in Ghardaïa in southern Algeria, was classified by UNESCO as a world heritage site in 1982. The M'Zab valley has benefited from numerous restoration, rehabilitation, and consolidation projects to ensure the preservation of its monuments and historical sites. This article focuses on social sustainability, a key element of sustainable development and a crucial component of cultural heritage protection. The study aims to identify and assess social sustainability in two fortified villages (Ksour) in the M'Zab Valley. The research uses the case study method in the M'Zab valley's unique social context, taking into account several indicators: social networking, safety, and security, sense of attachment, quality of the home, and quality of life, measured through a survey of 200 households. Results show that the indicator that locals value most is "quality of housing", whereas "participation" is less significant. Only 5.0% of residents of Al-Atteuf and 7.0% of those in Beni-Isguen express a need to leave or change residences. This article also contributes to highlighting the Mozabite community's advantages and challenges, especially after the social and cultural changes that society has undergone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage, or the World Heritage Convention (1972), is now considered the most remarkable international tool to protect and identify the shared heritage of humans. Inscription of a site on the World Heritage List is a function of regulations that are specified by the 1972 World Heritage Convention and its operational guidelines. According to the convention, the member states selected sites within their geographical expanse as nominees to enter the world heritage list according to the regulations of the convention. In the years that followed the formation of the convention, the increasing influence of politics made many countries see the world heritage list as a tool to achieve their political, economic, and cultural goals. Thus, the selection of the sites is now a function of multiple factors that make the process of inscription complicated and, in some cases, costly. The present study aimed to answer the following question: "What factors influence the selection of site processes for inscriptions on the world heritage list?" The goal was to identify the explicit and implicit factors so that more successful and cost-effective decisions could be taken from a domestic policy perspective. As a result, the influential components were identified and explained by a descriptive-analytical investigation of the texts related to the convents and a select group of 10 countries with distinguished performance in the process using content analysis, and their relationships were interpreted. Investigations showed that the factors that influenced the process were placed in three layers: the central layer was the requirements of the convention, the middle layer was the constraints of inscription, and the prioritized themes, and the external layer was the factors that influenced the method of selection adopted by countries that included items ranging from their governmental structure to their macroscale policies in the international arena (among others). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dunhuang is a unique art treasure and a world heritage site. In order to organise and manage Dunhuang cultural heritage resources, this article studies the classification of Dunhuang murals in different dynasties, and explores the topic distribution characteristics and evolution rules of them. First, image features are extracted through scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) and Canny and scale-invariant feature transform (CSIFT), a visual dictionary is generated through the k -means clustering algorithm, and the term frequency–inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) vector is calculated and combined with the colour feature vector extracted via hue, saturation and value (HSV). Second, Dunhuang mural images are collected and the support vector machine (SVM) classifier is built. Finally, the knowledge graph-based topic maps are constructed, and graph theory is introduced to analyse the topic distribution and evolution of Dunhuang murals in different dynasties. The results show that the Dunhuang murals of different dynasties can be effectively classified through the bag of words, HSV and support vector machine (BOW_HSV_SVM) based on their visual features. Through topic maps, the topic distribution characteristics and evolution rules of Dunhuang murals with the dynasties are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the conservation problems of the cave of Altamira, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, Spain, due to the effects of moisture and water inside the cave. The study focuses on the description of methods for estimating the trajectory and zones of humidity from the external environment to its eventual dripping on valuable cave paintings. To achieve this objective, several multisensor remote sensing techniques, both aerial and terrestrial, such as 3D laser scanning, a 2D ground penetrating radar, photogrammetry with unmanned aerial vehicles, and high-resolution terrestrial techniques are employed. These tools allow a detailed spatial analysis of the moisture and water in the cave. The paper highlights the importance of the dolomitic layer in the cave and how it influences the preservation of the ceiling, which varies according to its position, whether it is sealed with calcium carbonate, actively dripping, or not dripping. In addition, the crucial role of the central fracture and the areas of direct water infiltration in this process is examined. This research aids in understanding and conserving the site. It offers a novel approach to water-induced deterioration in rock art for professionals and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analysed the implications of gentrification processes in the historical centres of Querétaro and Campeche, Mexico, designated UNESCO World Heritage sites, and their relationship with food practices. From these case studies, we observed tourist offerings' impact on residents' daily lives, as they disrupt a set of procedures and knowledge linked to local food consumption and preparation modes. In the analysed streets, we observed how the food offerings, primarily directed at visitors, present an experience of cosmopolitanism and status focused on the global palate; consequently, the prices of ingredients and food increase, limiting accessibility for residents. The research design employed in this study to analyse gentrification and its impact on food practices was based on ethnography, a strategy derived from anthropology, where participant observation and in situ relationships with interlocutors have been fundamental. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ABE: Advances in Building Education is the property of Departamento de Tecnologia de la Edificacion, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The tomb of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, is considered one of the most important monuments of Iran. Its advanced state of deterioration motivated the need to carry out a study focused on analyzing the possible damage caused by the presence of soluble salts, and to assess the suitability of an electrokinetic treatment for their extraction. Preliminary diagnostics carried out on stone samples taken from the tomb confirmed that it is affected by the action of soluble salts, and especially by the presence of nitrates and sulfates. The effectiveness and possible harmful effects caused by electrokinetic treatment were evaluated, under laboratory conditions, using the same limestone that makes up the tomb. The obtained results show that this treatment, in a short period of time, reduces the ionic content, reaching high percentages of anion extraction, without causing any damage, which indicates that it is suitable for this type of stone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This review gives panorama of heritage digitization in China and categorizes digital twin techniques into six levels to address three specific tasks. • Terrestrial LiDAR and VR are the most prevalent digital twin technologies for decades, while sensor-based monitoring is recently prompted by policy incentives and legislations. • Most digital twin projects are dominated by public sectors, i.e., cultural management authorities, universities, and research institutes. • Efficient data utilization and the seamless integration of diverse data sources within cross-disciplinary collaborations are still challenging. Recent decades have witnessed digital twin as a toolkit to collect, process, and utilize graphical, spatial and other attribute data of cultural heritage. It has been widely applied on cultural world heritage sites in China, which have significant differences in ages, types, materials, and history of maintenance and conservation. Although specific cases are reported previously, a comprehensive overview is still lacking. This paper explores the association between digital twin and heritage conservation, classifying digital twin techniques into six levels to tackle three tasks: data acquisition, visualization and application. It systematically reviews Chinese heritage digitization practices, considering variations in complexity and purposes, and demonstrates typological and chronological characteristics as well as the composition of stakeholders. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food, a result of local production and consumption, influences by culture, race, and ethnicity. It provides multisensory experiences that can be observed, expressed, smelled, tasted, and touched. However, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the batik industry and its practitioners in Sangiran Regency. Batik, an historic fabric of Indonesia, is an integral part of Sangiran, an Indonesian World Heritage site highlighting its origins. Drawing on the theory of Briggs (2005. The use of indigenous knowledge in development: Problems and challenges. Progress in Development Studies, 5 (2), 99–114) on indigenous knowledge, this field note explores the significance of batik filling, specifically within the daily lives of batik crafters. This study, conducted in Indonesia, has provided valuable insights from the perspectives of these individuals. Through a three-month ethnographic work, it was discovered that batik filling symbolizes not only an artistic element but also the culinary traditions of the Javanese community. Additionally, it emphasizes the pivotal role of pengobeng, who are predominantly women, in forming a profound connection to daily life through their memories. The results showed that batik filling serves as a medium for food nostalgia in women, asserting their presence and importance within the batik industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a holistic guiding methodology for the development of a geospatial tool to be used for the documentation, planning, smart management and dissemination of a country's network of historic hiking trails. To deal with the challenges and to ensure the sustainability of a historic site, geospatial documentation merging authoritative and crowdsourced data and a WebGIS-based spatial analysis is necessary. Geospatial data collection should include professional field surveys, professional and crowdsourced photographic documentation and video recording of the existing historic walking/hiking trails. A geodatabase, structured using relational model technology, including vector spatial entities (feature classes), mosaics (raster) and tabulated data (geodatabase tables), should be developed on a commercial or open platform; in this case, the ArcGIS Pro is used. Entities with embedded descriptive information and metadata for the technical, legal, historical, and administrative context may then be created. An object-oriented data model is needed to connect spatial and descriptive information. Spatial and descriptive queries or correlations between attribute fields of spatial entities must be enabled for specialized information retrieval by either experts or users. Next, a web GIS application to present the developed geodatabase in a visually appealing and informative way is created. It should integrate 2D maps with built-in tools and should support advanced functionalities, such as: (i) pop-ups that display brief information and images about specific spots along the trails; (ii) dynamic visualization of the vertical profile of each trail; (iii) multimedia information about landmarks, natural features and scenic viewpoints. Finally, the tool includes a feedback service and continuous efficiency monitoring and assessment, and enables adjustments, if and where needed. The tool is tested and used for 10 historical walking/hiking trails of the archaeological and Holy Site of Meteora, Central Greece. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The network, with a total length of 35 km, leads to six monasteries, still active since the 12th century, passing by gigantic rocks and beautiful natural landscapes. The site is famous globally and the greater area is continuously overcrowded with visitors. The tool is anticipated to be used for the documentation and management of the whole walking/hiking historic trail network of Greece in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vineyard landscapes are an excellent example of cultural landscapes that represent the interactions between nature and culture, providing many of them with a unique heritage value. This study takes a critical approach to the nomination processes of World Heritage vineyard landscapes, focusing on the practical application of the eligibility criteria and the key concepts of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), authenticity and integrity. A detailed comparative study of the nine specific vineyard cultural landscapes included in the World Heritage List has been conducted based on three primary sources: the Nomination Files, the Advisory Bodies Evaluations and the minutes of the World Heritage Committee meetings with the decisions to inscribe or not to inscribe the sites. A systematic analysis of the many recommendations issued by ICOMOS to the States Parties and their comparison with the Committee's decisions has provided insight into the evolution of perspectives. In turn, these have given rise to a discussion regarding several aspects: inscription categories, names and surface areas of the properties, duration of the process, OUV and attributes that embody said value, authenticity and integrity, boundaries and management plans. Thus, this paper will shine a light on the difficult subject of identifying outstanding heritage specificities and linking OUV to the territorial conservation and management of living rural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this study is to understand influences of bulk structure of geomaterials on water storage and transfer, in order to assess durability and climate change impact on the UNESCO world heritage sites in Alexandria, Egypt. This study deals with the responses of water towards the physiochemical and physicomechanical behaviours of Calcarenitic rocks, that are utilized in Greek and Roman monuments at Alexandria. Many vulnerable archaeological sites [2.3–2.5 m above mean sea level (M.S.L)] are identified at Alexandria, specifically at the Eastern Harbor, El-Shatby the Greek necropolis and Moustafa Kamil Roman tombs and addition to the Roman Catacombs of Kom El-Shoqafa which excavated with deepth − 18 m from the land surface. These UNESCO heritage sites suffer climate change impact (heavy rains and sea water rising) as well as multiple geoenvironmental and geophysical hazards. In this study a general outline of the various tests, surveys and analyses is presented, highlighting the most important issues related to the durability and climate change impact. This paper represents the comprehensive in-situ, field and laboratory surveys and tests undertaken in these outstanding world heritage sites. The field testing program comprises various geotechnical and geophysical field and laboratory tests aiming to define the physical, mechanical and dynamic properties of the hard soils/soft rock materials of the archaeological sites where these outstanding monuments are excavated and constracted. By analysis of linear correlations, some essential mechanisms should be underlined, which may connect the macrostructure to the microstructure of the geomaterial. A systematic method of analysis clearly appeared and emphasized the role of the bulk structure (i.e. grain size, grain contact, specific area, pore shape and microporosity) on petrophysical and petromechanical behavior of rock materials. The study revealed that the petrophysical and geomechanical properties of Calcarenitic rocks are influenced by size, shape, packing of grains, porosity, cement and matrix content, all controlled strongly by depositional fabric and postdepositional processes. The accurate analysis of the physiochemical and physicomechanical behaviours of Calcarenitic rocks that are utilized in Greek and Roman monuments at Alexandria allowed us to define the pathology of these monuments and to estimate the durability, climate change impact and ultimate geostatic loads that they can survive under their present geoenvironmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on previous research that claims tourists' perceived authenticity is an antecedent to place attachment, this study explored the relationship between the two theoretical constructs. Specifically, the mechanism between perceived authenticity, place attachment, and loyalty was empirically tested. The data were collected at Kaiping Diaolou and Villages, and the Old Town of Lijiang, two UNESCO heritage sites in southern China. Contrary to previous studies, the findings indicate that (1) perceived authenticity can be an antecedent to place attachment, (2) across both sites, tourists' perceived authenticity of architecture or intangible heritage exhibited various effects on different components of place attachment, (3) the constituents of place attachment significantly influence loyalty, and (4) place attachment mediates between perceived authenticity and loyalty. This study provided a refined understanding of the dynamics between perceived authenticity and place attachment and offered practical implications for heritage management and marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heritage values are receiving more attention today than they have ever before. Many international and local conventions, as well as legislations, deal with the conservation and valorization of heritage values. Among these, the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (UNESCO, 1972) and the International List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO, 2003) are particularly important. This subject is also becoming more meaningful in the field of tourism. Ambitious tourists put an authentic environment first, and cultural tourism based on intellectual interest is one of the most dynamically developing types of tourism products (Gonda, 2016). One of the fundamental characteristics of a cultural landscape is change, which is reflected in the natural landscape and also in the features that fill the spaces. However, the changes that have taken place in recent decades have not only led to the loss of diversity of cultural and historical habitats. These have also resulted in a blurring of the images that characterize a region, with the consequent loss of aesthetic values and identity. The Bavarian example examined in my study is an attempt to map and record the current state of the Bavarian cultural landscape and to define recommendations for the various sectors as a guide for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to present a methodology for setting priorities among interventions in the old city center of Florence, going from the conservation to the regeneration of its heritage. The proposed methodology is based on specific methods of analysis of degradation and parameters for the optimization of construction costs. The methodology can be considered an additional part of the Management Plan of the site of the Historic Center of Florence (adopted for the first time in 2016 and now updated with the inclusion of a buffer zone) that "represents an important tool for the conservation and enhancement of the Heritage and is also a source of address for the choices that the Administration is called to adopt regarding the use of the city and its spaces". The application of the method, in addition to being in harmony with some of the action projects of the second macro-area of the new Management Plan, also has points of contact with the provisions of the Municipal Operational Plan that provides for a reinterpretation of the existing building heritage. From the monitoring of individual buildings, aimed at their preservation, we will move to study the relationships that promote the creation of joint construction sites, thus optimizing costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Segmentation and visualization of three-dimensional digital cultural heritage are important analytical tools for the intuitive understanding of content. In this paper, we propose a semantic segmentation and visualization framework that automatically classifies carved items (people, buildings, plants, etc.) in cultural heritage reliefs. We also apply our method to the bas-reliefs of Borobudur Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Indonesia. The difficulty in relief segmentation lies in the fact that the boundaries of each carved item are formed by indistinct soft edges, i.e., edges with low curvature. This unfavorable relief feature leads the conventional methods to fail to extract soft edges, whether they are three-dimensional methods classifying a three-dimensional scanned point cloud or two-dimensional methods classifying pixels in a drawn image. To solve this problem, we propose a deep-learning-based soft edge enhanced network to extract the semantic labels of each carved item from multichannel images that are projected from the three-dimensional point clouds of the reliefs. The soft edges in the reliefs can be clearly extracted using our novel opacity-based edge highlighting method. By mapping the extracted semantic labels into three-dimensional points of the relief data, the proposed method provides comprehensive three-dimensional semantic segmentation results of the Borobudur reliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper shows the results of the research activities carried out by the Department of Engineering at the University of Palermo (Italy), which assessed the application of the Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) methodology through a Scan-to-BIM approach to two local churches belonging to the medieval period. This project was motivated by a renewed interest from the city administrators towards the conservation of cultural heritage dating back to the Arab-Norman domination in Sicily since one of the two buildings was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 2015. The morpho-typological style of the churches has been acquired by high-detailed 3D surveys, which provided the base for two HBIM models suited to render the peculiarity of these buildings at their best. The BIM environment allowed both the geometrical representation of all the architectural elements and their further enrichment with the integration of non-geometric data and semantic signification through a knowledge-based workflow. This process led to a hierarchical organization of two high-accuracy digital replicas and to the creation of a database containing all of the architectural items typical of the Arab-Norman style, aimed to share the awareness of its conservation and to match all of the Cultural Heritage requirements. In the future, the features in this database can be shared with other specialists as reference objects for further studies on cultural heritage sites in the UNESCO list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation focused on the deterioration of the walls in the hypogeum of "San Pietro Barisano" rupestrian church, located in the Matera-Sassi (Southern Italy), one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. The study evaluated the biocide activity of a mixture of natural glycoalkaloids (GAs) extracted from the unripe fruit of Solanum nigrum and applied to clean a hypogeum wall surface in the church affected by bio-patinas. The analyzed bio-patina, collected before treatment and, at pre-established times, after treatment, showed changes in chemical composition detected by XPS, accompanied by visible discoloration and biological activity variation. The biocidal action of the glycoalkaloids mixture, directly employed on the wall surface, was effective after about four weeks for most bio-patina colonizers but not for the fungal species that can migrate and survive in the porosities of the calcarenite. Consequently, the cleaning procedure requires the integration of fungicidal actions, combined with the consolidation of the surfaces, to obtain complete bioremediation and avoid subsequent biological recolonization. SEM images and associated microanalysis of pretreated bio-patina have revealed the biocalcogenity of some autochthonous microorganisms, thus preluding to their eventual isolation and reintroduction on the wall surface to act as consolidants once the bio-cleaning phase has been completed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the petrographic and textural characterization of some ornamental limestones widely used in UNESCO World Heritage Sites in northeastern Italy, and the assessment of the main decay factors present in the environment where they are employed. Eleven carbonate building materials have been here considered, all commonly present in the built environment of northeastern Italy: two different varieties of Vicenza Stone (Nanto and Costozza), of Verona Stone (Red and Brown Verona), of Asiago Stone (Pink and White Asiago), and of Chiampo Stone (Ondagata and Paglierino), the Istria Stone (Orsera), the Aurisina Stone, and the Botticino Stone. The Carrara marble is also considered, and used as a reference material for the determination of the grain-size distribution. Stone durability was measured by accelerated aging tests which reproduced freeze–thaw and salt crystallization cycles, among the main causes of deterioration in the region. Petrographic and textural features of these carbonate rocks as well as their porosity resulted to strongly influence their deterioration rate, and their knowledge is, therefore, essential when trying to predict stone decay as a function of the local environmental forcings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (EICP) and microbially-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) techniques represent emerging trends in soil stabilization. However, the impact of soil density on biomineralization, particularly in historical earthen sites, remains unclear. This study compares the consolidation effects of EICP and MICP on cylindrical samples (10 cm × 5 cm) with three densities (1.5 g/cm3, 1.6 g/cm3, and 1.7 g/cm3) derived from the soil near the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site of Suoyang Ancient City, Gansu Province, China. Results showed that calcium carbonate production increased across all densities through bio-cementation, with higher densities producing more calcium carbonate. MICP-treated specimens exhibited larger increases in calcium carbonate production compared to those treated with EICP. Specimens with a density of 1.7 g/cm³ showed a wave velocity increase of 3.26% (EICP) and 7.13% (MICP), and an unconfined compressive strength increase of 8% (EICP) and 26% (MICP). These strength increases correlated with the generation of calcium carbonate. The findings suggest that biomineralization can be effectively utilized for in situ consolidation of earthen sites, emphasizing the importance of considering soil density in biologically-based conservation technologies. Furthermore, MICP shows potential advantages over EICP in providing stronger, compatible and more sustainable soil reinforcement. [Display omitted] • Higher initial soil densities lead to greater CaCO 3 production via bio-cementation. • 1.7 g/cm³ specimens show significant increases in wave velocity and strength after treatments. • The reinforcement effects and compatibility of MICP are superior to EICP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This effort to leverage the brand recognition of World Heritage properties and heritage in general toward broader sustainable development goals dates to at least 2015 when the World Heritage Convention adopted a policy on integrating a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the Convention. ©Ken/Global Heritage Fund On the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of UNESCO's adoption of the World Heritage Convention, the heritage community should reflect on what it has achieved. Now, climate change contributes to structural erosion, while migration from rural to urban areas hampers community-driven conservation. [Extracted from the article]

Because of the political and religious disagreements in Mali, the protection of the country's world heritage sites (WHSs) has been a constant agenda of state-parties to the World Heritage Convention (WHC). To avoid irreversible damage and loss of these valuable national heritages, appropriate action is needed at every level for their conservation and preservation. Significant attention has been directed at understanding the relevance and benefits of WHSs to the economic sector specifically, but, there has been relatively little academic and policy research on the destruction and looting of WHSs especially in Timbuktu, Mali. This is the gap this study intends to fill. This calls for serious questions regarding what precipitated and led to the destruction of Timbuktu's cultural heritage. What is the significance of Timbuktu's WHSs to the Malians? How should government authorities respond to the destruction of the sites? Finally, against the background of the destruction of the Timbuktu WHSs, how can the WHSs be preserved and protected? This study critically interrogates insurgents' attacks on the WHSs, with the motive of developing a sustainable template suitable for forestalling potential attacks by Islamic/jihadist insurgents, or any other insurgents for that matter, in other locations in Mali, using the attacks in Timbuktu as a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of TUBA-KED: Turkish Academy of Sciences, Journal of Cultural Inventory is the property of Turkish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper considers a problematic dynamic in the protection of natural World Heritage properties for sites that also possess significant cultural assets, but that fall short of the World Heritage designation 'outstanding universal value' standard for cultural significance. The destruction of cultural heritage places in natural settings is a global concern and we use an Australian case study to illustrate the argument that cultural assets located within natural properties should be given an allied protection status. We argue that protection problems arise, represented by a nature/culture binary trope, despite significant progress in using more holistic approaches, as exemplified by cultural landscapes. To demonstrate our argument, we consider controversy surrounding a development proposal within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA), located in the state of New South Wales, Australia. We find that a development proposal to raise a storage dam wall triggers significant problems for protecting both natural and cultural heritage features across the GBMWHA landscape and, in this context, we recommend a reconsideration of the rigid natural/cultural heritage binary of World Heritage classifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heritage is a profoundly political field of practice. We draw on the case of Libo Karst, a component of the World Heritage listed South China Karst, to analyse the ways in which politics has permeated the work of heritage from the global to the local and from authorised regimes to community practices. The study is based on interviews conducted between 2013 and 2020 with Chinese officials and local residents to understand the experience of World Heritage nomination, inscription, conservation practice and benefits. The study considers three interlinked matters. Firstly, the Libo Karst World Heritage nomination as shaped by local policy, pragmatism and a desire to nurture pride. Secondly, nomination as a 'natural site' and the neglect of important cultural values, the consequence of which has been a significant impact on the cultures and experience of local residents. Thirdly, that local residents living within the boundaries of the World Heritage site have, in most instances, not benefited economically and socially and, since 2007, have born the burden of conservation actions and practices. We suggest that these matters of concern arise from the inadequacy of community engagement in developing a World Heritage nomination and implementing an equitable and participatory management system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore whether local planning culture influences the effectiveness of heritage impact assessment (HIA) and we discuss the legitimacy of ICOMOS, the international advisory body to UNESCO on cultural heritage. We examined the HIA processes for two proposed infrastructure projects that potentially could affect the Defence Line of Amsterdam World Heritage site in the Netherlands. We interviewed key stakeholders involved in decision-making about these projects, and found that the Dutch planning culture positively influenced the effectiveness of the HIA processes. The interviewees predominantly discussed the substantive and transactive effectiveness of the HIA processes in that they praised the practitioner for facilitating a clear, inclusive and transparent process and having a solution-oriented mindset, which is common practice in the Dutch planning culture. However, in contrast to the Dutch planning culture, the role of ICOMOS was perceived as opaque and a 'black box', although this did not decrease its legitimacy among the key stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residents are an integral stakeholder in any tourism destination and understanding their sentiments on any tourism activity within their locality is very critical. Although local people are the most affected by tourism development at such places, there is a deficit of research on the local communities' perceptions on the impacts of and changes to their communities due to World Heritage Site (WHS) operations. Thus, the study sought to assess residents' sentiments towards cultural heritage tourism at Chongoni Rock Art Heritage sites. Data were collected from 35 respondents who were purposively selected from three villages surrounding the WHS. Data were thematically analysed and the main theme that emerged was a lack of community involvement in tourism activities at the sites which has destroyed heritage assets. The findings contribute to the extant literature on local communities' participation and perceptions of tourism development at WHS. The study recommends residents' participation as one way of empowering the local community and enhancing economic benefits from tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to shed light on the risks to the cultural heritage in Yemen and the damage caused to it as a result of the political and armed conflict. It also aims to review the role played by UNESCO and international organizations and its response to protect the Yemeni cultural heritage, especially during this conflict. The study depends on the descriptive approach based on the analysis method, which helped collect the required data that shed light on the cultural heritage in Yemen, monitor the conditions and challenges facing the heritage, and provide appropriate proposals to ensure protection it in the future. The study concluded that despite Yemen's diverse cultural heritage, it faces several problems due to the transformations and wars that were intensified in light of the internal war that affected all the elements of the cultural heritage. And the resulting destruction of heritage sites, including world heritage sites, in addition to the infringements, robberies, and looting facing the heritage by extremist groups or by international parties specialized in smuggling the heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourists' attitudes, especially when searching with a cultural tendency, can influence the tourism experience in cultural heritage tourism. Based on the cultural contact theory and tourist involvement theory, we try to reveal the tie or the relationship between local culture and tourism. Here, we define cultural tendency as the extent to which tourists positively intend to learn about the culture of the destination. Then, we examined the roles of cultural tendency, involvement, tourist experience, and satisfaction in heritage tourism and proposed a tendency–involvement–experience (TIE) model. Using a questionnaire with tourists in Mogao Caves, a world heritage site, we found that cultural tendency through involvement enhanced tourism experience and satisfaction. Moreover, the tendency of different cultures had various effects on tourists' experiences. Prior knowledge did not play a moderating role on the relationship among cultural tendency and involvement. The findings underscore the importance of cultural tendency in creating experiences, and heritage tourism must address tourists' preferences for a better experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World Heritage sites have been widely studied due to their position in attracting tourists. However, while small heritage sites do not match the popularity of World Heritage Sites, they can have many socio-economic benefits for local communities and help to transfer knowledge of the past to the next generation. Despite these potentials, small heritage sites have been relatively overlooked by researchers. This study, for the first time, conceptualizes the notion of small heritage site and examines the barriers to sustainable tourism development of small heritage sites in the historic city of Shiraz in Iran focusing on the views of various stakeholders and analyzing their responses to the challenges they face. Using a social constructionist frame and thematic analysis, data from interviews with 15 heritage tourism stakeholders – selected through purposive sampling – were analyzed and challenges were categorized into six themes of policy and planning, knowledge, resources, desire, marketing activities and awareness. The results revealed that the themes of policy and planning were the most commonly referred to issues by the participants. Given the scarcity of studies conducted in the area of small heritage sites, the findings of this study provide constructive suggestions for sustainable heritage tourism development in Iran and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Cultural heritage digitization facilitates the preservation of culturally valuable objects, entities, or items into a digital form allowing more comprehensive and concurrent access to such objects. It becomes more significant for overcoming the constraints associated with physical access, especially during turmoil, disasters, and pandemics like COVID-19, where physical interactions are almost restricted. Covid-19 restrictions and resultant social distancing protocols impacted nearly every facet of human life. Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums, and heritage sites across the globe were also affected as they were closed for the general public. Therefore, the study explores the importance of making diverse cultural heritage information available online and accessible to the broader user community and provisions for data security through proper backups, setting user privileges, and maintaining necessary updates. Design/Methodology/Approach The study selected Pasargadae world heritage site in Iran as the study area by analyzing the database maintained and available for consultation. Further, the study attempts to highlight the advantages associated with the digitization of cultural items, including manuscripts, images, monuments, sites, etc. It also highlights prerequisites for managing such information online effectively using digitization. Findings Given the state of cultural heritage in Iran, digitization is still in the infancy stage. It is necessary to develop well-equipped policies, technological infrastructures, including high-speed internet, scanning machines, high-resolution digital cameras, and servers with high capacity processing for digitization. Besides, adequate funding and significant management concerns are needed to address various ethical and privacy issues, including copyright concerns associated with Iran's cultural heritage digitization process. Originality/value The work is a thorough attempt towards surveying Pasargadae world heritage site to understand the basic requirements for creating an online information delivery portal through the digitization of rich cultural heritage sites for enabling access even in virtual mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pampulha Modern Ensemble is an urban complex located in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, whose metropolitan context is highly problematic due to the pressures of urban dynamics, impacts from urban development and the need to manage changes and preserve architectural and landscape attributes that have led to its recognition as World Heritage. This article is part of a larger study that investigates the community's recognition of the values conferred by experts on that complex's cultural landscape as a world heritage site. Due to the restrictive conditions imposed by the COVID 19 pandemic, an online questionnaire with open access to the general public was used as an instrument for the field research to collect primary data from the community. The analysis of the answers obtained from the questionnaire pre-test, object of this article, demonstrates the recognition of landscape elements and of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble that contribute to its enjoyment and that characterize it as a differentiated landscape in the context of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pampulha Modern Ensemble is an urban complex located in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, whose metropolitan context is highly problematic due to the pressures of urban dynamics, impacts from urban development and the need to manage changes and preserve architectural and landscape attributes that have led to its recognition as World Heritage. This article is part of a larger study that investigates the community's recognition of the values conferred by experts on that complex's cultural landscape as a world heritage site. Due to the restrictive conditions imposed by the COVID 19 pandemic, an online questionnaire with open access to the general public was used as an instrument for the field research to collect primary data from the community. The analysis of the answers obtained from the questionnaire pre-test, object of this article, demonstrates the recognition of landscape elements and of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble that contribute to its enjoyment and that characterize it as a differentiated landscape in the context of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a World Cultural Heritage site with sacred landscape featuring an exceptional range of Buddhist art and architecture, much attention has been focused on the sustainable development of Bagan (Myanmar). Particularly, the monitoring of landscape surface subsidence and monument instability is of great importance to the protection and development planning of the Bagan heritage site. In this study, we applied high resolution TerraSAR-X imagery acquired from 2019 to 2020 for deformation monitoring based on the small baseline subset (SBAS) and persistent scatterer synthetic aperture radar interferometry (PSInSAR) approaches. We identified several hotspots and pagodas with displacement anomalies linked to land cover change and previous earthquakes. The cross comparison between SBAS and PSInSAR and the precision of height estimates derived by PSInSAR indicated a millimetric precision of the derived deformation products. The combination of the two multi-temporal SAR interferometry approaches satisfies the two-scale monitoring requirements from landscapes to monuments, particularly for large-scale World Heritage sites. The non-contact monitoring method has potential when traditional methods using field accessibility and surveillance are constrained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a deep learning-based reconstruction method for three-dimensional (3D) cultural heritage objects, which are destroyed or disappear and thus are unavailable for 3D scanning to create digital archives. The proposed reconstruction method uses a single monocular photo and predicts its depth values based on a monocular depth estimation network. While most recent studies have focused on scenes with sharp (high-curvature) edges and large depth differences, such as indoor and outdoor scenes, the proposed method is designed to exert its performance on scenes with small depth differences and soft (low-curvature) edges. The key idea is to involve the soft edges as guidance information in the depth estimation network. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method by applying it to the hidden reliefs of the Borobudur temple, a UNESCO world heritage site. The hidden reliefs were buried behind stone walls and are no longer visible. The 3D information of the reliefs can only be estimated from their old monocular photos. We achieved 97 % reconstruction accuracy for validation data. We also integrate the reconstructed hidden reliefs with 3D scanned data of the visible regions and execute see-through visualization for the integrated data. This visualization can simultaneously show us both visible regions and invisible regions of the temple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manifold photographic reportages and books about Asmära published in Europe, mainly since 2000, and the 2017 nomination of the city as World Heritage Site, have disseminated its iconic buildings dating from the colonial period (1890-1941) worldwide. Eritrean singers and songwriters have dedicated many songs to Asmära, which are shared worldwide through video platforms. Are the images of the city conveyed by songs and videos similar to the ones internationally proposed, or not? The contribution aims at outlining the issue of shared heritage in the contemporary context, by focusing on Eritrean points of view on Asmära and resorting to the local cultural production in the fields of music and video-making. The goal is to chronologically and topographically broaden the internationally shared image of Asmära and to include narrations by its own inhabitants and by people who acknowledge the city as the main place of both their memories and their cultural roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates World Heritage (WH) perception from the perspective of children, both as physical representations in space and as experiences and understandings of place. The Little Artists Exhibition serves as a case study. This exhibition was a global call initiated by UNESCO inviting children between 6 and 12 years old to draw a WH site that matters to them. More than 500 children participated in the online exhibition and posted their artwork on Instagram. By proposing a mixed visual and qualitative text analysis method for the assessment of children's drawings and narratives, this paper captures both children's perceived image and values of WH. Results show that children express a holistic perception of heritage combining built, natural, and intangible assets. Correspondingly, findings from the qualitative text analysis highlight: (1) children's historic and aesthetic appreciation of WH; (2) children's emotional and experiential association with built heritage and natural landscape; (3) children's inspirational and imaginative stories; and (4) heritage as a social construct in the minds of children. We discuss our findings by reflecting on their conceptual contributions as they speak to broader debates on WH and associated values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Remote Sensing is the property of Editorial Office of Journal of Remote Sensing & Science Publishing Co. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article analyzes the centuries-old process of ancient Chinese wall paintings genesis from the Han period to the Tang, Song and Yuan periods. The iconographic concept and execution technologies of the Han period funeral wall paintings, the Tang and Song period religious Mogao paintings and the Tang and Yuan period funeral paintings are analyzed. The genesis of ancient Chinese wall paintings was to change the philosophical and religious direction, the gradual inclusion and dissemination of iconography along with mythological and religious plots of realistic stories from the life of the emperor, the nobility, soldiers in battle, ordinary people in scenes of work, the appearance of portrait images of historical figures. The canonical foundations and thematic genres of Chinese painting, common to paintings on wall, paper and silk, gradually formed. There was a departure from the Han prefabricated funerary "stone fresco", where the painting was modeled in relief, towards the planar frescoes of the Tang and Song eras, the colour palette, plot, compositional construction gradually became more complicated, the level of detail increased. Ancient Chinese wall paintings are an integral part of traditional Chinese art, as evidenced by the inclusion of the most famous sites in the UNESCO World Heritage List. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Relaciones Internacionales (1699-3950) is the property of Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain, International Relations Studies Group (GERI) Law Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Across Europe, coasts are drastically being changed to adapt to relative sea level rise, which will influence coastal landscapes and heritage in many ways. In this paper, we introduce a methodological starting point for analysing the ways in which landscape architects and spatial planners engage with coastal landscapes and coastal heritage in the context of current climate adaptation projects. We test these methodologies by applying them to the Marconi dike strengthening project in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. This city's dike fortification is an interesting case, as it offers many opportunities for re-designing heritage. The city borders the Wadden Sea area, a tidal mudflat area protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its natural and geological heritage values. The area also consists of a rich cultural landscape, which is overlooked in the public image and in local policy. We conclude that landscape architects and planners should strengthen not only the dike, but also the interpretation of the past that dominates policy and political debates in the area. We also find that the existing heritage production model of Ashworth and Tunbridge can provide some useful structure for understanding and contextualizing spatial planning for climate change as a way of doing heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]