Cultural heritage

About: Cultural heritage is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 28201 publications have been published within this topic receiving 273875 citations. The topic is also known as: cultural assets & cultural goods.

Cultural Heritage Studies with Mobile NMR.

Abstract: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) provides in situ information about selected isotope densities in samples and objects, while also providing contrast through rotational and translational molecular dynamics. These parameters are probed not only in NMR spectroscopy and imaging but also in nondestructive materials testing by mobile stray-field NMR, the unique properties of which are valuable in cultural heritage studies. We present recent progress in the analysis of cultural heritage with mobile 1 H NMR stray-field sensors, for which the detection zone is outside of the NMR magnet. Prominent applications include the analysis of stratigraphies in paintings and frescoes, and the assessment of material states changing under the impact of aging, conservation, and restoration.

Review Article "Valuating the intangible effects of natural hazards – review and analysis of the costing methods"

Abstract: The "intangible" or "non-market" effects are those costs of natural hazards which are not, or at least not easily measurable in monetary terms, as for example, impacts on health, cultural heritage or the environment The intangible effects are often not included in costs assessments of natural hazards leading to an incomplete and biased cost assessment However, several methods exist which try to estimate these effects in a non-monetary or monetary form The objective of the present paper is to review and evaluate methods for estimating the intangible effects of natural hazards, specifically related to health and environmental effects Existing methods are analyzed and compared using various criteria, research gaps are identified, application recommendations are provided, and valuation issues that should be addressed by the scientific community are highlighted

Digitally Mediated Iconoclasm: the Islamic State and the war on cultural heritage

Abstract: This paper puts forward the new analytical framework of ‘Digitally Mediated Iconoclasm’ (DMI) to analyse and interpret iconoclastic acts that are experienced through the propaganda (videos, social ...

Decolonizing the Archaeological Landscape: The Practice and Politics of Archaeology in British Columbia

Abstract: In British Columbia, Canada, the practice ofarchaeologyhas been strongly influenced by issues of First Nations rights and the ways government and industry have chosen to address them. In turn, this situation has affected academic (i.e., research-based) and consulting (i.e., cultural resource management) archaeology, which have had to respond to changes in the provincial Heritage Conservation Act (HCA) and to the implementation of archaeological overview assessments (AOAS) and traditional-use studies (TUSs).' Protocols also encourage or require archaeologists to consult with First Nations regarding project design and implementation. However, the regional archaeological site assessment strategies and predictive models that are part of the process of heritage resource management have been viewed by First Nations as having mixed results, often falling short of either achieving a representative view of past land use activities (and a deeper understanding of their meaning) or adequately recognizing and protecting valued sites. While the consultation process has been politically motivated, it does encourage archaeologists to consider new research directions regarding past land use and its meaning. Worldwide, the incorporation of Indigenous explanations of past land use has often been used to verify existing theories based on objective observations of the archaeological record. Traditional knowledge provides archaeologists with essential information for locating and interpreting both individual archaeological sites and the larger social, settlement, and subsistence patterns they reflect. On the other hand, paying closer attention to traditional knowledge may lead to challenges of those theories or at least offer alternative explanations or greater awareness of non-Western ways of thinking about landscapes. Furthermore, what has often gone

Crypto collectibles, museum funding and OpenGLAM: Challenges, opportunities and the potential of non-fungible tokens (NFTs)

Abstract: Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) make it technically possible for digital assets to be owned and traded, introducing the concept of scarcity in the digital realm for the first time. Resulting from this technical development, this paper asks the question, do they provide an opportunity for fundraising for galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM), by selling ownership of digital copies of their collections? Although NFTs in their current format were first invented in 2017 as a means for game players to trade virtual goods, they reached the mainstream in 2021, when the auction house Christie’s held their first-ever sale exclusively for an NFT of a digital image, that was eventually sold for a record 69 million USD. The potential of NFTs to generate significant revenue for artists and museums by selling effectively a cryptographically signed copy of a digital image (similar to real-world limited editions, which are signed and numbered copies of a given artwork), has sparked the interest of the financially deprived museum and heritage sector with world-renowned institutions such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Hermitage Museum, having already employed NFTs in order to raise funds. Concerns surrounding the environmental impact of blockchain technology and the rise of malicious projects, exploiting previously digitised heritage content made available through OpenGLAM licensing, have attracted criticism over the speculative use of the technology. In this paper, we present the current state of affairs in relation to NFTs and the cultural heritage sector, identifying challenges, whilst highlighting opportunities that they create for revenue generation, in order to help address the ever-increasing financial challenges of galleries and museums.