Academic literature on the topic 'Conservation Cultural Heritage'

Rural cultural heritages have great potential to develop, thus they need to be conserved. Conservation Village Model is a community program in forest conservation area that is combined and implemented in cultural heritage field and be called Cultural Heritage Village Model. This research contributes to the development of conceptual framework for cultural heritage conservation with the community engagement basis in the rural area. This research is literature research that focuses on the concept and framework of Cultural Heritage Village Model. The research stage began from collecting literatures. Analysis method used in this research is a qualitative method. This article will integrate data about Conservation Village Model and cultural heritage conservation. The result of this research is the emergence of Cultural Heritage Village Model concept including its vision and mission, basic principles, village model criteria, activity stages, activity focus, and Cultural Heritage Village Model succeed criteria.

Singapore and Hong Kong are two geographically small economic powerhouses in Asia. In recent years both cities have been attempting to develop their tourism economies by communicating their unique cultural heritages to global tourists. While heritage culture-based tourism practice may help conserve a destination's cultural heritage, its development accelerates the change of the local society; and in the process the authenticity of the cultural heritage of the destination may be lost. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the efforts adopted by Singapore and Hong Kong to communicate their cultural heritages through the tourism developments. It focuses on three questions: (1) Do the inherent contradictions between conservation and change associated with tourism development constitute threats or resources for heritage tourism development? (2) What are the major issues in the process of portraying the past in the present for heritage tourism development? (3) What implications may be drawn, by studying these issues, for the tourism industries in their planning, conservation and promotion efforts to develop heritage tourism?

A National Coalition for Cultural Conservation may be the outcome of a four-day conference sponsored in May by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, if recommendations that grew out of the conference are followed. Nearly a decade after Congress requested a report on the protection of "intangible" aspects of American heritage (see Cultural Conservation: The Protection of Cultural Heritage in the United States. Ormond Loomis, coordinator. Washington: American Folklife Center, 1983), 150 professionals met to assess the state of cultural conservation and devise a plan for its future.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to suggest an approach to cultural heritage management as an inhabited cultural landscape in a context of urban planning. Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a review of academic literature on the topic of cultural heritage conservation. Findings – This paper supports an approach to management of cultural heritage as a cultural landscape, defining it as a multivalent social phenomenon with tangible and intangible dimensions, spatial, and temporal scales. The cultural landscape approach continues the discourse on heritage values and emphasises the importance of recognition of social value and hence a wider stakeholder participation in the process of heritage management. This approach allows enhancing both intangible and tangible dimensions of cultural heritage and, therefore, encourages a more inclusive consideration of diverse cultural heritage values (encompassing social and environmental categories, e.g. well-being, health). Originality/value – The proposed cultural landscape approach to heritage management, as a culturally significant, inhabited, and changing landscape, enables a more comprehensive view on the interrelations of cultural heritage with other social and environmental categories and enhances the understanding of different values of cultural heritage. This approach could be particularly useful for strategic development at city planning level and in large construction or infrastructural projects.

Abstract. With the rapid urbanization and the sharp increasing of the amount of official identification cultural heritages, the Chinese government and public are paying more attention to the regional comprehensive preservation, exhibition and utilization of the cultural heritages in recent years. “General Plan for Regional Cultural Heritage Preservation” offers a new systematic conservating solution for the cluster of cultural heritages in an administrative region. For the past few years, lots of new spatial information technologies have been applied in the preservation of cultural heritages, which tremendously improved the level and effectiveness of cultural heritage recording, management, monitoring and exhibition. This article will focus on discussing the methods and applying prospect of the technologies of geographic information system, 3D laser scanning, photogrammetry modeling in general planning for regional cultural heritage preservation and utilization.In recent years, with the continuous development of cultural heritage preservation in China, an increasing number of provinces and cities began to organize General Plans for regional cultural heritage preservation (hereinafter called "General Plan"), through which local governments are able to control the risk and improve the preservation level of cultural heritage (IAH, 2004).This paper will introduce the working framework of the General Plan and the core problems to be solved, and then analyze the application mode and prospect of spatial information technology in the General Plan.

The pursuit of cultural heritage conservation is particularly problematic in China as the country has been undergoing substantial changes in its governance processes in the post-reform era. As the regime becomes less authoritarian and more pluralized, a multitude of stakeholders (both state and non-state), are now involved in promoting, constructing, challenging and safeguarding a variety of meanings and values in heritage. This thesis incorporates an urban governance lens to examine the policy and practical problems in conserving urban built heritage in contemporary China. This approach offers a new perspective in understanding the distribution of authority and power between the state and society as well as its effect on the management of public affairs. The reconfigurations of the role of the state, market and civil society have ushered in a new phase of urban politics that have enormous implications for built heritage conservation practices. As a result of reforms, conventional stakeholders have assumed new roles in politics; meanwhile, an increasing variety and number of new stakeholders connected to the non-state sector have also emerged; and their relationships and interactions with the state have become increasingly complex. An urban governance perspective draws attention to the new arrangements embedded in these relationships, which have profoundly impacted the decision-making processes in conservation, re-shaped the interpretation of heritage values, re-defined the scope of heritage and re-thought the use of heritage in Guangzhou. By employing a case-study approach, this thesis provides a detailed analysis of the conservation efforts undertaken by various stakeholder groups in Guangzhou in the post-reform era. Guangzhou is one of the country’s designated historic cities; it is also the provincial capital of Guangdong and has experienced rapid marketization over the past three decades. Three district-specific cases are selected to provide an in-depth analysis on the changing relationships among concerned stakeholders. The case of Shamian Island demonstrates the rigidity and constraints of central-local relation; while the case of Xinhepu discloses the evolving state-market relation. Finally, the case of Enning Road examines the rise of non-state stakeholders and their power struggle against the state. These cases were selected because each of them covers a particular heritage aspect that is directly related to the three-pronged national conservation hierarchical framework. The findings in the three cases respectively reveal the intricacies of conservation politics: the bureaucratic politics in the management and conservation of designated heritage; the struggle between state and society over what legitimate type of history is considered as “national” history and the maintenance of its local significance; and the operation-cum-conservation of heritage assets by market forces in China’s transitional economy. The findings of this thesis contribute to a broadened understanding of the changing roles and functions of the state, market and civil society in China’s transitional period; thus revealing the major deficiencies in the existing institutional and managerial frameworks for built heritage conservation in Guangzhou. This thesis also documents the impacts and outcomes of the actions of various state and non-state stakeholders on the prospect of built heritage conservation at an urban scale in China.
published_or_final_version
Geography
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy

Biodeterioration is any irreversible change in the properties of a material caused by the activity of organisms belonging to different systematic groups. Microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae and lichens) are considered one of the most important biodeteriogens, thanks to their ability to colonise the surface of both organic and inorganic artworks. Cultural heritage biodeterioration commonly results from the complex interaction established by different kind of microorganisms co-existing simultaneously and the substrate. But then, microorganisms can also be considered biological agents rich in virtues; in fact, they can be used for the conservation of stone works of art. The potential of microorganisms for effective bioremediation of deteriorated cultural heritage materials is gradually being unveiled, and promising results of this methodology have been obtained in field sites. As a consequence, it should not come as a surprise that conservators are forever asking microbiologists how advances in biotechnologies could contribute to the conservation of heritage. The aim of this work was to investigate the two sides of microorganisms in the cultural heritage conservation, starting from some case-studies. In particular the objectives were to:  characterise the microbial communities on parchment manuscripts together with the study of the microbial airborne communities and the environmental physical conditions in close proximity to where the manuscripts are stored, suggesting some general guidelines for the correct management of historical documents;  reduce the biological treatment time and assess the effects of a chemical and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) co-treatment for the bioremoval of black crusts and grey deposits on a marble statue;  broaden the fields of application of biocleaning technologies on stone conservation, proposing a valid alternative to the traditional cleaning methodologies for the bioremoval of synthetic polymers from stone monuments. The first step to assess the microbiological risk of a cultural heritage object is to identify the entire microbial community colonising art objects, using non-invasive sampling, or sampling that needs only small amounts of material. Most of the literature dealing with microbial spoilage on documents use invasive sampling methods and culture approaches for the identification of the species causing spoilage. However, traditional culture methods can be time-consuming, do not always succeed in isolating microbial agents, and do not necessarily provide exhaustive information on the real microbial community load because only a small fraction of the microorganisms can be cultivated. In addition, aerobiological investigations of conservation environments are also helpful in choosing interventions aimed at establishing the sources of contamination and preventing the microbiological deterioration of artworks. During the last decade, in fact, the environmental conditions of the museum exhibition facilities and storage areas have been shown to be the most crucial factor, concerning the preservation of collections and artifacts. Until now few microbiological studies have been conducted on parchment. Chapter 3 reports the evaluation of the microbial risk for the conservation of seven 16th century manuscripts written on finely illuminated parchment. The aims of the work were: (a) to clarify any relationship between the presence of an active microbial community and discolouration, (b) to study microbial air quality and environmental conditions in the repository, and (c) to investigate the relationship between airborne and surface-associated microbial communities. For the first time, the microbial community on historical parchment has been investigated by both non-invasive sampling and fully culture-independent approaches, coupling an aerobiological monitoring of the repository by an exclusively biomolecular approach. On discolouration putatively caused by microbial colonisation, two non-invasive sampling techniques were chosen: nitrocellulose membrane and fungi-tape. The nitrocellulose membranes were gently pressed onto the surface of the manuscripts to collect the cells; the DNA was directly extracted from the membrane and culture-independent molecular approach based on PCR-DGGE was adopted to fully characterise the surface-associated communities. Fungi-tape was chosen for investigating the spatial distribution of microorganisms, staining the tape with two fluorescent dyes (SYTO9 and Fluorescent Brightener 28, to label bacteria and chitin in the walls of fungi, respectively). Epifluorescence microscopy observations of the tape samples, coupled with ATP assay on the surfaces of the manuscript, showed a low contamination level and that the discolouration was not related to currently active microbial colonisation. The airborne microflora was sampled with a MAS-100 portable bioaerosol sampler, for monitoring the microbial loads, and the AGI-30 impinger, for fully characterising airborne communities with culture-independent molecular methods. Potential biodeteriogens, as the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, and microorganisms ecologically related to humans, as Candida sp., were found, suggesting the need to control the conservation environment and improve handling procedures. The proteololytic activity of A. fumigatus, often isolated from libraries and museums, represents a potential risk for library materials; besides all these potential deterioration effects, A. fumigatus is an opportunistic human pathogen. Air microbial loads and thermo-hygrometric measurements showed that the repository was not suitable to prevent parchment microbial deterioration, suggesting the environmental remediation of the repository and the routine monitoring of air. In addition to microorganisms, other important causes of stone deterioration are physical and chemical agents; a chief factor in the weathering of stone monuments is the atmospheric pollution. Sulfur dioxide is one of the major gaseous components of polluted atmospheres in urban areas; when dissolved in water, sulfur dioxide forms sulfurous acid, which is oxidised to sulfuric acid, that attacks stone resulting in the formation of gypsum. During the crystallization of gypsum, airborne organic pollutants, carbonaceous particles and dust are accumulated at the surface of buildings and trapped in the mineral matrix, resulting in the formation of the black crusts. The black crust formation causes a heavy decay phenomenon, due to solubilization and recrystallization of calcium sulfate. Mechanical and chemical treatments are traditionally adopted for the black crust removal, but they are not always selective; moreover, when there are different weathering forms on a stone surface, it is difficult to use a single cleaning procedure. In this respect, an enormous contribution in the preservation of stonework can come from the microbial world. In Chapter 4 the removal of sulfate-based crusts from stone artworks using an alternative cleaning technology employing the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is discussed. SRB reduce sulfate to gaseous hydrogen sulfide and, in the last decade, they have been effectively used for the removal of gypsum and black crust. This biological methodology has been proven to be an effective cleaning procedure if compared with the traditional cleaning techniques. However, some concerns still remain: it is a time-consuming process when the crust is thick, and it is not clear how the biotechnological approach can fit within a complex conservation treatment. To address these challenges, the effects of an SRB strain (Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris ATCC 29579) coupled with the non-ionic detergent Tween 20 pretreatment was studied on a stone column affected by black crusts. Stereomicroscope observations, X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy analyses were performed. The coupling of the two cleaning treatments removed the black crust without affecting the original sound marble, with 38% reduction in cleaning time. The combined method was later applied to the one-century-old artistic marble statue, a funeral monument realized by Lina Arpesani in 1921 in memory of ‘Neera’, the poetess Anna Zuccari. The chemical, mineralogical and morphological analyses confirmed that the statue was weathered by sulfate-based crusts and grey deposits. A barium sulfate layer was found in the black crust stratigraphy, most probably deriving from an undocumented conservation treatment employing the barium hydroxide technique. The detergent Tween 20 used alone effectively removed the grey deposit, but not the black crust. However the co-treatment synergy resulted in the complete removal of the black crust layers, with the added advantage, compared to the biocleaning alone, of fewer biological applications and a 70% reduction in total cleaning time, but still retaining all the advantages of the biocleaning approach. Bacteria were also able to reduce the barium sulfate being completely removed by the microbiological method. Over the past decades, synthetic resins have been applied on stone monuments, both as consolidants, protectives and adhesives, to enhance their long-term preservation. Although it is generally thought that synthetic resins are less prone to chemical, physical and biological deterioration than other organic products, there are some reports in the conservation of cultural heritage literature claiming the contrary. The chemical degradation of synthetic polymers include changes in chemical structure, reduction or increase in molecular weight due to chain scission and crosslinking respectively. Microorganisms are also able of degrading synthetic resins, producing enzymes that can attack the resins, causing changes in the viscosity, pH and colour of polymer emulsions. At present, the traditional way for removing a degraded synthetic polymer is the use of mixtures of solvents, that pose some health risks. In Chapter 5 a method to select bacteria able to remove synthetic polymers from cultural heritage surfaces is proposed; synthetic polymers, in fact, can act as a growth substrate for microorganisms. The ability of five bacteria to attack Paraloid B72, the most commonly used polymer in conservation treatments, was evaluated by optical and scanning electron microscopy observations, weight loss measurements, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetric analysis. As all these techniques have proved to be very useful techniques in both polymer science and microbiological investigations, they were applied to evaluate naturally aged Paraloid B72 susceptibility to bacteria. Pseudomonas rne (PA01), P. stutzeri (ATCC 23856), P. putida (DeFENS collection, isolated from wastewater treatment plant), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25404) and Bacillus licheniformis (DeFENS collection, isolate from a biodeteriorated acrylic painting on canvas by a contemporary artist) were the test bacteria used as inocula for biodegradation tests. Although none of the bacteria were able to attack Paraloid B72, the methodology developed can be applied to select other bacteria with this ability. Therefore the results offer insightful guidance to a better design of bioremoval experiments of synthetic resins used in conservation. Biotechnology has been proved promising for a selective and environmental/health safe approach in the cultural heritage field, for the removal of altered layers on stone monuments. Consequently, each study that relates with the use of viable microorganisms for bioremoval is an advance in the cultural heritage conservation field. In conclusion, this project shows that: • non-invasive sampling coupled with selective molecular techniques have proved effective for an exhaustive investigation of both stained surfaces of historical documents and air quality of the repository where the documents are stored, and very useful for their correct management; • bioremediation techniques, using SRB, can fit within a complex conservation treatment using a soft detergent Tween 20, resulting in homogeneous, satisfactory and rapid removal of black crusts; • bioremediation techniques, promising in the cultural heritage preservation, can be implemented, opening new horizons of applications, e.g. the removal of synthetic coatings from stone monuments. Biotechnology for the preservation and restoration of culturally relevant artworks not only deals with the identification of the living organisms by molecular-based techniques but also with the development of bio-based methodologies that contribute to the biocleaning of weathered artworks. Presenting three exemplary case-studies, this thesis makes a contribution to cultural heritage preservation and restoration.

Bone degradation can be determined by the demineralisation processes affecting the tissue both in vivo and ex vivo. Bone mineral density can decrease during ageing but also due to a series of other factors such as bone disorders. Nevertheless, the demineralisation can also occur in archaeological sites, due to soil environmental conditions that can undermine the long-term preservation of bone, or due to incorrect storage conditions. The approaches for the treatment of osteoporotic bone have included biomaterials able to promote bone repair. For bone and related materials in cultural heritage conservation, consolidation is often achieved with polymers which, however, can create damage in the long-term. In this thesis, new systems based on nanoparticles have been investigated for the mineralisation of collagen and for the consolidation of deteriorated bones, with emphasis on demineralised materials. Different inorganic nanoparticles were developed and their application was studied on simplified collagen models to evaluate their biocompatibility during the engineering of nanoparticle/collagen scaffolds. Mineralising tests in SBF were performed on partially mineralised collagen to observe if nanoparticles embedded in collagen scaffolds enhance further mineralisation. It was concluded that HA nanoparticles increased the mineral content, while CaCO3 nanoparticles demonstrated poor interaction with collagen. During the evaluation of their biocompatibility, alkali NPs tended to interact with collagen by creating a coherent layer of protection. Ca(OH)2 were therefore selected for the consolidation of artificially demineralised bones. The results demonstrated an increase in the mechanical strength of demineralised bone after the carbonation reaction. Carbonated Ca(OH)2 nanoparticles also acted as a protective layer preventing the degradation of collagen during accelerated ageing. The final chapter investigated the application of Ca(OH)2 nanoparticle dispersions for the deacidification of canvas, an already accepted practice in paper and wood conservation, and its long-term preservation effects after artificial ageing. An additional step looked at the applicability of the deacidification step during a standard conservation protocol.

This thesis shows how heritage conservation can engage in cultural work. In the course of preserving an object, it can reveal social patterns and stimulate dialogue about representing the past. At the same time, the cultural "findings" can enter into the physical intervention of conservation. The aim is to use a more participatory process of conserving material culture that simultaneously opens up relationships between communities and objects, while enabling people to take greater control over elements of their environment. Such a practice has potential for creating culture and community in the process of conserving objects and cultural sites. It expands the focus of conservation from its product to its process. In so doing it addresses heritage industry critics that charge conservation of freezing inauthentic versions of the past to sustain elite ideological control or facilitate commercial exploitation. The "participatory conservation" of the Kamehameha I monument in North Kohala, Hawai'i, provides the case-study basis for the research. Commissioned in 1878 to commemorate Captain Cook's "discovery" of the Hawaiian Islands and promote a western style monarchy, the monument lends itself to revealing complex and contested meanings. The image of Hawaii's first monarch is a cultural hybrid; he stands in the posture of a Roman emperor while wearing highly symbolic feathered garments of Hawaiian sovereignty. Over the monument's history, the community deliberately altered its physical appearance by painting it in life-like colours. The monument physically deteriorated, with surface elements obscured by the heavy layering of paint. Conservation of the monument proceeded through ethnographic and other methods of qualitative methodology, combined with archival research, materials analysis, and technical intervention. The project shows how complex networks of symbolic meaning can become an intrinsic part of the conservation process. Participatory conservation is proposed as a conservation method that is applicable to other circumstances and world settings.

This study deals with the preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity in gas and aqueous media of undoped and doped TiO2 nanopowders and thin films. Nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 of 25 nm size with a 1 at. % dopants were successfully prepared by the cost effective sol gel method as powders, and applied on glass substrates with spin coating method. Techniques such thermal analyses, XRD, SEM, DLS, XPS, UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopy were used in order to characterize the obtained materials from a morphological, optical and structural point of view. Degussa TiO2 P25 nanopowder was used as a reference. Photodegradation experiments indicated that NO2 and MO solution can be degraded in gas phase and in the aqueous TiO2 suspensions respectively. A comparison of the photocatalytic efficiency of undoped and doped TiO2 immobilized onto substrates versus catalysts in suspended form is reported. Photocatalysis is a very promising method to face most of the problems connected with the increasing environmental pollution, and titanium dioxide, in its anatase crystallographic phase, which is one of the most investigated photocatalytic material and to be perfectly compatible with every day human activities.

The main subject of the thesis is planning &ldquo
cultural routes&rdquo
as a method for conservation of cultural and natural heritage areas at regional scale. Defining a framework of conceptual principles which should be considered in spatial planning of cultural routes and regional networks constitutes the major aim of the thesis. Within the scope of the study, a new developing concept recently, cultural routes are discussed as a tool for sustaining historic and local values of rural and archaeological landscapes. In this respect, the study is structured in two main parts. Firstly, conceptual background on the issue is discussed as the development of cultural route concept, definitions declared by international organizations working on the issue and principles of route planning. Secondly, based on the conceptual research, basic concepts and principles for route planning process is discussed through a case study. The case study for the thesis is selected as the Kas- Kekova region in Antalya, known as the Central Lycia in antiquity. Depending on the assessment of region&rsquo
s cultural landscape, the study is resulted by description of a spatial and conceptual framework for planning of a cultural route network in the region. Through areas rich in cultural and natural heritage, planning routes and networks at regional scale could be used as an effective tool for presenting and sustaining multivalent character of the place, and leading economic sectors which have effect on heritage.

Our neglected heritage faces the risk of destruction after a while. To be able to avoid this, our cultural heritage should be dealt with the sustainable conservation approach. Today, use with new or original functions is recommended as a sustainable conservation approach. However, the use of cultural heritage should be dealt with through an approach in a way that conserves, not exploits them. The aim of the study is to explain adverse use of cultural heritage and the use of them by conserving over the examples. In the extent of the study, it is aimed to determine whether function damages the building, not whether the building provides the functional necessities. In this study from different cities three samples, which are being used with new function or original function has been chosen. The values carried by the samples and the effect of the function on these values were determined. The sample whose values are less or not affected has been used preservingly; the sample whose values were adversely affected was considered as not preserved. It is observed that two of three examples were used by conserving and the other one had problems about conservation. According to this, although the use of cultural heritage in its original function or in new function for sustainable conservation is very crucial, it becomes an ethical problem when the use exploits the cultural heritage beyond conservation purpose.

The Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council (Martuwarra Council) has prepared this document to engage widely and to articulate its ambitions and obligations to First Law, customary law and their guardianship authority and fiduciary duty to protect the Martuwarra’s natural and cultural heritage. This document outlines a strategic approach to Heritage Conservation and Management Planning, communicating to a wide audience, the planning principles, key initiatives, and aspirations of the Martuwarra Traditional Owners to protect their culture, identity and deep connection to living waters and land. Finer granularity of action items required to give effect to this Conservation and Management Plan for the National Heritage Listed Fitzroy River Catchment Estate are outlined in section 7 and which will be more fully explored by the Martuwarra Council in the coming months and years.

Historic building restoration and renovation requires sensitivity to the cultural heritage, historic value, and sustainability (i.e., building physics, energy efficiency, and comfort) goals of the project. Heat recovery ventilation can contribute to the mentioned goals if ventilation concepts, and airflow distribution is planned and realized in a minimally invasive way. Compared to new buildings, the building physics of historic buildings are more complicated in terms of hygrothermal performance. In particular if internal insulation is applied, the need for dehumidification is needed for robust and risk-free future use, while maintaining the building’s cultural value. As each ventilation system has to be chosen and adapted individually to the specific building, the selection of the appropriate system type is not an easy task.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), existing European buildings consume about 40% of the total energy consumption in Europe. For this reason, in the last decades, several energy policies have been directed to deep renovation of the existing stock (as last 2018/844). Considering that more than one quarter of all European buildings were constructed before the 1950s, we can assume that many of them are of cultural, architectural, social and heritage values, hence in need of special attention for conservation purposes.