Heritage

Towers, as monumental structures with profound cultural and religious significance, have been constructed throughout Chinese history. These buildings are now undergoing natural deterioration and anthropogenic damage, making detailed material studies essential for their conservation. Technical analysis of ancient bricks not only reveals historical manufacturing techniques but also helps in the evaluation of seismic performance, thereby providing vital information for the protection and restoration of ancient towers. This study investigated bricks from 13 ancient towers located in Shaanxi and Sichuan Provinces, China, particularly within the Guanzhong Basin, spanning approximately a millennium from the Sui to the Ming Dynasties. Utilizing techniques like SEM, XRF and XRD, we analyzed the microstructure and composition of the bricks to provide reference data for historical research and future restoration. The results indicate that regional variations had a significantly greater influence on the bricks than temporal changes during this period. Bricks from Shaanxi’s ancient towers exhibit higher Ca content and a more porous, loose microstructure compared to those from Sichuan’s towers. These characteristics merit careful consideration when assessing the weathering resistance of these historic towers and planning future conservation and restoration efforts. Full article

This article examines the roles of stewardship, ownership, and public participation in the conservation of architectural heritage from the perspective of the Theory of Complex Property Rights (TCPR). The analysis addresses three research questions: (1) What is the role of property rights and private owners in the conservation of architectural heritage? (2) Who can be the best-suited owner or serve as the best steward of architectural heritage, how should such an owner or steward be selected, and how should rights and responsibilities be allocated? (3) What role should advocates of architectural heritage play in its conservation? The study applies TCPR to two case studies involving threatened heritage assets: Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House in the United States and the Buzludzha Monument in Bulgaria. The findings demonstrate that successful conservation depends less on formal ownership status than on the allocation and exercise of management and control rights. Effective conservation is most likely when such rights are exercised by actors who place a high value on architectural heritage and possess the capacity to mobilize financial, organizational, and professional resources. The article introduces the concepts of the best-suited owner and the best steward and argues that property rights should be allocated through Coasian processes that favour actors capable of ensuring the long-term preservation and sustainable use of heritage assets. The analysis also highlights the important role of heritage advocates and non-governmental organizations in heritage governance and conservation. Full article

Lielvārde-type patterned sashes are among the most recognisable symbols of Latvian cultural heritage, yet reliable information on their chronology, dyes, and dyeing technologies remains limited. This study investigates the red wool yarns of five historical Lielvārde-type patterned sashes from Latvian museum collections. The study combines UPLC–DAD/MS dye analysis, ICP–QQQ elemental analysis, reflectance-based colourimetric measurements, experimental dyeing, and the analysis of historical sources. The analytical results identified cochineal-derived anthraquinone compounds consistent with Mexican cochineal (Dactylopius coccus Costa) in all analysed samples. Elemental analysis revealed the presence of both aluminium- and tin-based mordanting systems, while experimental dyeing demonstrated that the bright red shades characteristic of the historical textiles were achieved by combining tin mordants with cream of tartar. The identification of tin provides the first analytical evidence for the use of tin-based mordants in historical Latvian peasant textiles. Historical sources further document the availability of cochineal, mordants, and imported textile materials in the Baltic region during the nineteenth century. The combined analytical and historical evidence indicates that the production of the analysed sashes was closely connected to broader European networks of trade, knowledge exchange, and technological development. The results also call for a reassessment of previously proposed dates and support a production period in the second half of the nineteenth century, most likely between the late 1850s and the 1870s. The study contributes new knowledge on historical dyeing technologies and the circulation of imported dyestuffs in the eastern Baltic region. Full article

This study presents the first technical examination of Ring Around the Rosie (ca. 1908), an easel painting by the Greek artist Symeon Savvidis (1859–1927). Despite Savvidis’ significance within Greek modernism, little is known about his materials and working practices from a scientific perspective. To address this gap, the painting was analysed using VNIR hyperspectral imaging (HSI), portable Raman spectroscopy, and handheld energy dispersive X ray fluorescence (h-EDXRF). The integration of imaging, molecular, and elemental data enabled the identification of several pigment classes, including cobalt blue, ultramarine, lead chromates, ochres, lead white, and a tentative Cu-As green pigment, while also providing information on their spatial distribution across the surface. HSI classification and the examination of a representative NIR image revealed relationships among the coloured passages and suggested the widespread use of a cobalt-containing background paint. The results further indicate that several compositional elements may have been applied directly over previously, although the absence of stratigraphic information prevents definitive conclusions regarding paint layering and mixtures. Overall, the study demonstrates the value of combining HSI, Raman spectroscopy, and h-EDXRF for the non-invasive investigation of artists’ materials and highlights the contribution of technical studies to a broader understanding of Savvidis’ artistic practice and modern Greek painting traditions. Full article

This article compares urban planning affecting historic buildings in Berlin and Stockholm. It examines some cases of preservation, demolition and reconstruction of historic buildings: the Hansa Quarter and the Palace of the Republic in Berlin, and Sergels torg with the House of Culture and Vällingby in Stockholm. Today, while Berlin has opted for reconstruction in several cases, Stockholm is preserving the status quo achieved by the large-scale demolitions during the 1950s and 1960s. Different historic approaches in urban planning are subsumed under the categories “architecture as wellbeing” and “the automotive city.” The policy cycle serves as a framework for a qualitative content analysis of debates on urban planning in both city councils. The article tests the hypothesis whether war destructions present in Berlin, but not in Stockholm, can explain the lack of plans for reconstruction of historic buildings in Stockholm. The examination of historic developments and current legislation on German and Swedish cultural policy and the case studies of the above-named buildings yield the result that the hypothesis is proven wrong. Instead, possible explanations for the lack of will to reconstruct in Stockholm are Swedish legal tradition since the 19th century, which provides little and weak protection to historic buildings, and the “people’s home” ideology shaping the Swedish self-perception as a modern nation. International legislation on monument protection such as the ICOMOS-ICCROM Guidance on Post-Disaster and Post-Conflict Recovery and Reconstruction (2023), which becomes ever more encompassing, will perhaps introduce a future policy change. Full article

Wood-reinforced rubble walls (so called timber-laced masonry), which were widespread in South Arabia and East Africa in the architecture of the first millennium BC, can be easily reconstructed in terms of their wall structure. They were mostly used for the construction of multi-story buildings, as evidenced by ancient sources. However, what has been lacking until now are static analyses of the load-bearing systems, which could provide information about how the wall systems and their individual components functioned. In Yeha, in the Ethiopian highlands, the Grat Be’al Gibri palace, which was equipped with such a wall system, is being investigated as part of an Ethiopian–German archaeological research project. This is the largest known palace-like structure from the early first millennium BC in South Arabia and East Africa. The special feature of the construction of its walls is that the beams integrated into the masonry were installed exclusively horizontally. There are many indications that this must have been a multi-story building, even though only parts of the ground floor have survived. Based on its virtual three-dimensional reconstruction, investigations of two representative wall elements in the supporting structure will be carried out using the finite element method under consideration of material uncertainties and by applying various failure mechanisms of the present structural components. The load resulting from multiple factors is applied purely vertically, and the masonry is defined as a homogeneous material, taking into account uncertain material parameters. The numerical simulations show that the variation in wood parameters has very little influence on the result and that a multi-story building was feasible with the present wall constructions. It can be concluded from the carrying reserves that an exceptional load must have caused the system failure. This is consistent with the fact, that the building was completely destroyed by a devastating fire in ancient times. By this interdisciplinary collaboration and by using modern simulation techniques, key questions in archaeology and building history can be answered and assumptions can be confirmed or refuted. Even if it is not certain that the ancient builders fully exploited the structural potential of the wall construction presented here to its limits, it is certain that they were able to develop highly efficient building structures and create impressive architecture through experience and the transmission of knowledge. Further research can now follow based on these findings. Full article

Language tourism combines language learning with cultural exploration and offers new opportunities for engaging visitors with local linguistic heritage. Recent advances in Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have enabled the development of immersive tourism experiences; however, their application to low-resource dialects remains limited. This paper proposes TalkCorfiota, a conceptual framework that integrates AR, conversational AI, geolocation services, and cultural storytelling to support language tourism experiences centered on the Corfiot dialect. Drawing upon situated learning, experiential learning, and digital heritage perspectives, the framework conceptualizes dialect learning as a form of heritage interpretation through which visitors engage with local identity, collective memory, and place-based cultural narratives. The proposed architecture combines location-aware cultural exploration, AR-enhanced contextual interaction, and AI-supported conversational engagement within a unified tourism ecosystem. The framework is supported by a structured linguistic resource developed during the course of this study from publicly available repositories of the Corfiot dialect. The primary contribution of this research is the conceptual design of the TalkCorfiota architectural framework, which is the foundation for future development and evaluation on AR- and AI-supported language tourism applications for low-resource dialects. Full article

Cultural heritage institutions continue to face significant challenges in addressing neurodivergent access needs, while a principled framework linking inclusive design and artificial intelligence in heritage remains underdeveloped. This article proposes and explores the transfer of a dual Universal Design for Learning (UDL 3.0)–International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework from education to cultural heritage. The framework was examined within an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme in Naples, Italy, through an exploratory mixed-methods pilot design combining pre/post questionnaires with thematic analysis of participants’ open-ended reflections. Findings suggest that the programme supported a qualitative reframing of accessibility from a predominantly physical-access model toward a broader understanding encompassing sensory, cognitive, communicative, and participatory dimensions. Site visits to Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the MANN emerged as especially important in prompting critical reflection on the gap between heritage value and accessibility practice. Quantitative patterns also indicated preliminary gains in participants’ self-efficacy in applying UDL/ICF principles and in reflecting on AI ethics in heritage, although these findings remain exploratory given the small sample size and pilot design. The article contributes a conceptual and pedagogical framework for inclusive AI in cultural heritage and discusses its implications for accessibility governance, conservation-constrained settings, and future co-designed research. Full article

This article examines the Golan Archaeological Museum as a site where archaeology, museum pedagogy, and political power intersect in producing historical knowledge. Established after the Six-Day War and inaugurated shortly after Israel’s 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, the museum emerged from archaeological practices conducted alongside military occupation and territorial consolidation. Drawing on archival documents, excavation reports, museum display analysis, and theories of visuality and heritage, the article argues that the museum functions as a continuation of wartime practices of erasure through curatorial and pedagogical means. The study shows how archaeological material is selectively transformed into a narrative of continuous Jewish presence in the region, while Islamic and Syrian histories are marginalized or rendered invisible despite their substantial presence in the archaeological record. Through exhibition design, visual framing, and educational mediation, the museum constructs a singular historical narrative that aligns archaeological evidence with contemporary territorial sovereignty. The article contends that the museum operates not only as a cultural institution but also as an agent of political visuality, shaping the boundaries of historical consciousness, democratic representation, and public memory in a contested landscape. Full article

This study examines the extent to which Spanish brewing companies disclose sustainability- and CSR-related information through their corporate websites, interpreting such communication as a sustainability-oriented disclosure practice that may symbolically contribute to the institutional visibility and public recognition of culturally rooted productive activities. In this context, the brewing industry is understood not only as a relevant economic activity, but also as a heritage-based productive sector linked to production traditions, technical knowledge, gastronomic culture, and territorial identity. The empirical analysis applies content analysis to the websites of 106 Spanish brewing companies using 24 indicators grouped into four dimensions: general, social, environmental, and economic. The results reveal a low overall disclosure level (22.46%), suggesting that corporate websites remain underused as tools for transparency, accountability, and strategic sustainability communication. General information is the most visible dimension, while economic disclosure is the weakest; among the substantive dimensions, social information appears more frequently than environmental and economic content. These findings suggest that limited digital disclosure may reduce the institutional visibility and public projection of the brewing sector as a culturally rooted productive activity. The study contributes to the literature by linking non-financial disclosure with the recognition of heritage-based productive activities embedded in territorial identity. Full article

The aim of this paper is the analysis of the main elements of the patinas of an outdoor bronze monument by using portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) equipment designed and assembled at the University of Salento. Thanks to the versatility of the ED-XRF portable apparatus, we carried out a scan based on a limited set of measurements that was representative of the studied surface of the monument before the restoration in a relatively short time and in a completely non-invasive way. We investigated the concentrations of copper, zinc, lead, chlorine, iron, tin and sulphur in the statue dedicated to the emperor Caesar Augustum, which was created in 1935 and later placed in Brindisi (Apulia, Southern Italy). Moreover, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were carried out for a sample of patina in order to identify its chemical composition. The information obtained can be helpful for restoration work on this statue and possible future monitoring. Full article

Sustainable agricultural development in natural heritage sites poses a challenge, requiring food security without compromising the conservation of ecosystems and their outstanding universal values (OUV). The Galapagos Islands, recognized as a Natural World Heritage, have problems of scarce water and arable land, compounded by anthropogenic pressures such as high population and tourism growth and dependence on food imports. The objective of this research is to evaluate the environmental impacts of implementing agricultural greenhouses in the Galapagos by applying a traditional environmental matrix alongside a UNESCO World Heritage approach, integrated with a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, to formulate strategies for strengthening local agriculture without compromising ecosystems. This study employed a semi-quantitative methodological approach, integrating three key aspects: (i) a baseline of agricultural information and water availability on the islands; (ii) an integrated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approach to greenhouse implementation; and (iii) sustainable agricultural development and environmental impact mitigation strategies. The results of the traditional EIA and the UNESCO approach through the OUV showed negative impacts classified as insignificant to moderately significant. For the evaluated design, these impacts can be managed through the active participation of academia, the community, and government entities. However, their scalability depends on a more in-depth analysis of the potential long-term risks associated with the availability of natural resources, microplastic pollution, and the use of agrochemicals. Among the proposed strategies, the importance of monitoring water and soil quality and of agricultural and environmental education campaigns in the community was highlighted. This study presents agricultural greenhouses as well-known alternatives for food self-sufficiency, adapted to the realities of the island territory and the objectives of ecosystem conservation. The proposed methodological approach can be applied in protected areas to promote conservation and sustainable agricultural production. Full article

Granite is a major lithology of stone-built cultural heritage across East Asia, the Iberian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent, Egypt and Italy. Long regarded as durable, it nonetheless undergoes mineralogical, microstructural and macroscopic alteration through pathways that are mechanistically universal yet regionally distinctive in expression. This review synthesizes granite weathering within a multianalytical framework spanning mineralogy, microstructure, geochemistry, environmental drivers and conservation science. Mineral-specific reactions—feldspar hydrolysis, biotite oxidation coupled to clay-mineral genesis, iron-bearing transformations driving surface coloration, quartz-mediated thermal microcracking and accessory-mineral pathologies—are examined as coupled processes governing macroscopic decay. A suite of complementary analytical methods, including non-destructive, minimally invasive and laboratory-based techniques, delivers mechanistic and prognostic resolution unattainable by any single method. Two case settings—the tenth-century rock-carved Buddhas of Gyeongju Namsan and the urban granite of Jongmyo Shrine, Seoul—illustrate how integrated diagnostics resolve coupled decay on natural outcrops and how cumulative atmospheric exposure is recorded in monument-scale fabrics. Chemical weathering indices, environmental controls and conservation implications are unified into a single framework, and key gaps—standardization, time-resolved diagnostics, climate projection, multi-omics coupling, consolidant durability and machine learning—are articulated as a research agenda for granite heritage science. Full article

The removal of spray paint vandalism from contemporary mural paintings and Street and Urban Art represents one of the most challenging operations in conservation practice, particularly when the unwanted layers are chemically similar to the original pictorial materials. Conventional cleaning methodologies often show limitations on rough and heterogeneous surfaces, where the risk of irreversible alteration of the original paint film increases. This study proposes tunable cleaning systems based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–borax double-network hydrogels modified with biopolymers and loaded with nanostructured fluids for controlled and sustainable removal of spray-paint vandalism. Laboratory investigations, including solubility tests, qualitative assessment of mechanical properties and cleaning trials on representative mock-ups, were carried out to evaluate the stability, adaptability and cleaning performance of the most promising systems, including laboratory-prepared PVA-based formulations and commercial Peggy Nanorestore gels©. The optimized cleaning systems were successfully applied in situ on the mural Nido di Vespe in Rome, achieving a controlled reduction of the vandalism layer while preserving the integrity of the original surface and confirming the applicability of these systems under real conservation conditions. Full article

The intensification of the urban heat island effect poses a critical threat to the preservation and habitability of compact historic districts. The Alameda de Hércules in Seville exemplifies this vulnerability, where the intersection of heritage protection and extreme Mediterranean summers limits conventional climate adaptation. This study conducts a multi-temporal evaluation of the square’s climate resilience, spanning from its configuration prior to major 21st-century renovations to its current state and future projections, proposing future interventions. By integrating advanced microclimatic simulation and high-fidelity energy modeling, the research assesses a dual-function strategy: the improvement of the thermal environment while implementing non-intrusive photovoltaic pavements (PVPs) for energy generation. Environmental parameters, including air temperature, mean radiant temperature (MRT), and the universal thermal climate index (UTCI), were analyzed alongside the renewable energy potential of the site’s mobility infrastructure. Four heritage-sensitive interventions were tested: PV-integrated bicycle lanes, shading canopies, reflective pavement, and permeable paved grass. The results demonstrate that the canopies and paved grass zones can lower surface temperature up to 3.7–4.3 °C, reduce UTCI stress up to 2.3–3.0 °C, and decline MRT up to 10.6 °C. These values correspond to the maximum reductions achieved in specific zones. However, the PVP can locally increase surface temperature by about 4.7 °C and the reflective pavements increase MRT by around 10.4 °C, while generating an estimated annual energy yield of 174.19 MWh. The analysis under future climate projections suggests that these strategies remain equally effective under future scenarios. These findings confirm that PV-integrated urban surfaces offer a viable, reversible, and replicable approach to retrofitting historic public spaces, harmonizing climate-adaptive cooling with decentralized energy production without compromising the site’s cultural significance. Full article

This study examines the challenges of conserving and enhancing geological and historical cultural heritage in urban areas of the southern Apennines, focusing on the Basilicata region in Southern Italy. The area’s complex geological evolution has produced diverse landscapes shaped by outcropping lithologies with different characteristics. Many urban centers are surrounded by rugged terrain where geological and geomorphological features remain visible and accessible. The research analyzes several urban geosites through four case studies: Pietragalla, Laurenzana, Brienza, and Lagonegro, located in northeastern and central Basilicata. These sites display significant geological features closely connected with historical structures and urban development, offering strong potential for geoheritage interpretation. By combining a bibliographic review of geological and socio-cultural contexts with detailed field surveys, site-specific features and potential threats can be identified. The main objectives are to document and analyze geological characteristics, assess conservation conditions, and propose geoconservation measures for protection and sustainable use. The study also supports valorization strategies, promoting sustainable geotourism and increasing public awareness. The results emphasize the importance of integrating restoration actions with educational initiatives to ensure sustainable management, provide guidelines for site enhancement, encourage community involvement, and show how valorization of urban geological heritage can strengthen identity and support heritage conservation. Full article

The use of gamification is growing within the field of architectural heritage, with applications in conservation, exhibitions, educational programming, and other dissemination mechanisms for interpretation. However, existing applications remain terminologically scattered and formally heterogeneous, lacking clear conceptual definitions or consistent evaluative criteria, making relevant practices difficult to identify, delimit, and compare, while risking misclassification or inconsistent conceptual judgment. Architectural Heritage Gamification (AHG) is proposed here as a distinct research object. Through conceptual alignment, historical contextual analysis, and review-based examination of the literature, this paper clarifies the need for AHG and develops a working definition accompanied by inclusion and exclusion criteria. AHG cannot be identified solely by media form, product form, or interaction intensity, but should instead be judged in relation to architectural centrality, the presence of identifiable gamification mechanisms, the extent to which architectural logic shapes mechanism formation, and normative conditions such as heritage interpretation and public responsibility. AHG is defined here as a design practice in which gamification elements are selected, organized, and judged within architectural heritage contexts on the basis of architectural logic and under the constraints of heritage interpretation, in order to support protection-oriented public understanding, participation, and meaning-making. Full article

This study presents a meta-analysis of relatively high-resolution paleohydrological proxies derived from geological archives in Sardinia and in the Italian Peninsula–Sicily over the last 2000 years, with particular emphasis on the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Little Ice Age (LIA). The investigated climate proxies, ranging from annual-decadal to centennial resolution, include terrestrial and marine sediment cores, glaciers, pollen spectra, speleothems, lake-level fluctuations, as well as sedimentary and geomorphological inventories. Such datasets were analyzed through holistic and stratigraphic approaches along West–East and North–South transects across the central Mediterranean. Limited temporal resolution and incomplete stratigraphic continuity of several paleoclimatic records from the investigated regions thwart full reconstructions of paleohydrological trends. Nevertheless, the presented meta-analysis has enabled: (1) the recognition of reliable paleoclimatic correlations between the two regions, which exhibit long-lasting anti-phase hydroclimatic trends (wetter conditions in Sardinia and drier conditions in central Italy during the MWP, with the opposite pattern during the LIA); and (2) the identification of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) as the primary driver of these paleohydrological variations. The significance of this anti-phase pattern is discussed in the context of the North–South and West–East climatic dipoles identified in the Mediterranean region during the middle to late Holocene. Furthermore, we assessed the potential of the investigated paleohydrological network to: (1) compare reconstructed hydrological patterns with mean temperature and precipitation records derived from empirical and model-based climate reconstructions in southern Europe and the Mediterranean; and (2) identify gaps in data coverage that currently limit our understanding of high-resolution spatiotemporal hydrological variability and dynamics.The hydroclimatic pattern in Sardinia and in the Italian Peninsula–Sicily has exhibited marked spatio-temporal divergences, with major hydroclimatic transitions coincident with well-known solar minima over the last millennium, thus suggesting a possible cause-and-effect relationship. The interpretations presented in this study provide a framework for understanding how changes in the paleoclimatic variability of water resources may have influenced different regions of Italy since the Middle Ages, potentially affecting societal transitions as well as historical and socioeconomic dynamics. Comparison of the multidecadal-to-centennial reconstructions of paleohydrological patterns is presented for both areas, pending the development of new, higher-resolution, and more precisely dated proxies from the Italian records. Their importance is emphasized in order to improve reconstructions of past climate variability and to enhance assessments of future climate trajectories. Full article

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based spatial analyses have become an important tool for prehistoric research globally. Sri Lanka holds a distinctive prehistoric record in South Asia, supported by extensive investigations. In contrast, the systematic applications of GIS analyses for prehistoric studies on the island are comparatively limited. This study examines the spatial distribution of prehistoric sites in the Kegalle district, where recent documentation suggests it differs from previous estimates. The study identified 16 new prehistoric sites, bringing the total to 22, including six already documented, representing the first GIS-based systematic expansion of the prehistoric site inventory in this district in six decades. Three analyses, Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), Least-Cost Path (LCP), supported by 3D terrain modelling and corridor analysis, were applied to examine site distribution and modelled movement potential. KDE results provided a preliminary spatial visualization showing higher site density around the Ma Oya basin and the Seethawaka Ganga, a tributary of the Kelani River basin; given the small sample size (n = 22), these patterns should be treated as survey coverage indications rather than confirmed settlement distributions. LCP indicated valley-oriented modelled movement potential, intermediate elevation site distribution and key topographic convergence points across the landscape. Corridor analysis identified low-gradient valley routes as probable topographic movement zones along the modeled least-cost paths. The integrated results suggest a preliminary pattern of valley-oriented site distribution and topographically favorable movement terrain concentrated around the Ma Oya and Kelani River basins, treated as exploratory spatial indications pending validation through future systematic survey and radiocarbon dating. This study presents one of the first systematic applications of an integrated GIS-based analytical framework for prehistoric spatial analysis in Sri Lanka, suggesting how such approaches can generate testable hypotheses and provide actionable guidance for future archaeological fieldwork in regions where comprehensive chronological data remain limited. Full article