Search Results (39)

As a carrier of civilization, cultural heritage reflects the dynamic relationship between humans and their environment within specific historical contexts. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368–1912 CE), the Yangtze River Basin was one of the most prominent regions for economic and cultural activities in ancient China. The cultural heritage of this period was characterized by its dense distribution and continuous evolution. Considering the applicability bias of modern data in historical interpretation, this study selected four characteristic variables: population density, agricultural productivity, technological level, and temperature anomaly. A hierarchical Bayesian model was constructed and change points were detected to quantitatively analyze the driving mechanisms behind the spatiotemporal distribution of cultural heritage. The results show the following: (1) The distribution of cultural heritage exhibited a multipolar trend by the mid-period in both Dynasties, with high-density areas contracting in the later period. (2) Agricultural productivity consistently had a significant positive impact, while population density also had a significant positive impact, except during the mid-Ming period. (3) The cultural calibration terms, which account for observational differences resulting from the interaction between cultural systems and environmental variables, exhibited slight variations. (4) The change point for population density was 364.83 people/km², and for agricultural productivity it was 2.86 × 10⁹ kJ/km². This study confirms that the differentiation in the spatiotemporal distribution of cultural heritage is driven by the synergistic effects of population and resources. This provides a new perspective for researching human–land relations in a cross-cultural context. Full article

The Tigris-Euphrates basin hosts a diverse assemblage of native aquatic plants vital to the region’s ecological and cultural heritage. However, decades of hydrological alterations, pollution, salinity intrusion, habitat destruction, and climate change have caused significant declines in aquatic plant species diversity. This review compiles historical and contemporary information on key native aquatic plant species, assesses their current conservation status, identifies major threats, and provides recommendations for their protection. Sensitive submerged and floating species, including Vallisneria spiralis, Najas marina, and Potamogeton spp., have been particularly affected, with many now being rare or locally extinct. Although restoration efforts in the Mesopotamian Marshes have partially restored some wetlands, aquatic plant conservation remains largely overlooked. We propose targeted recovery plans, integration of aquatic plants into wetland management, enhancement of water quality measures, and increased cross-border hydrological cooperation. Protecting native aquatic flora is essential for maintaining the ecological integrity and resilience of the Tigris-Euphrates basin. Full article

Traditional villages (TVs) and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) serve as dual carriers for the living transmission of agrarian civilization, with their spatial compatibility being crucial for the sustainable development of cultural ecosystems. Existing research shows deficiencies in quantitative analysis, multidimensional driving mechanism interpretation, and spatial heterogeneity identification. This study establishes a three-phase framework (“spatial pattern identification–spatial relationship analysis–impact mechanism assessment”) using nationwide data encompassing 8155 TVs and 3587 ICH elements. Through the comprehensive application of the spatial mismatch index, Optimal-Parameter Geographic Detector (OPGD), and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model, we systematically reveal their spatial differentiation patterns and driving mechanisms. Key findings: First, TVs exhibit a “three-primary-core and two-secondary-core” strong agglomeration pattern, while ICH shows multi-center balanced distribution. Significant positive spatial correlation coexists with prevalent mismatch: 65% of China’s territory displays positive mismatch (ICH dominance) and 35% displays negative mismatch (TV dominance). Second, the spatial mismatch mechanism follows a “weakened natural foundation with dual drivers of socio-economic dynamics and cultural policy momentum”, where the GDP, tertiary industry ratio, general public budget expenditure, number of ICH inheritors, museums, and key cultural relic protection units emerge as dominant factors. Third, core drivers demonstrate significant spatial heterogeneity, with economic factors showing differentiated regulation while cultural policy elements exhibit distinct regional dependency. The proposed “economy–culture” dual governance approach, featuring cross-scale analysis methods and three-dimensional indicator system innovation, holds practical value for optimizing cultural heritage spatial governance paradigms. Full article

The sustainable preservation of archeological heritage located in rural and coastal regions requires more than technical interventions; it necessitates the awareness and active participation of local communities. However, community involvement in heritage management in such areas remains limited. This study aims to analyze the levels of cultural heritage awareness, conservation tendencies, and tourism-related expectations among local residents and visitors in the Magarsus Archeological Area, located in the Karataş district on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The study was conducted in three phases: a literature review, field observations, and a structured survey conducted between June and August 2022 with 510 participants (280 local residents and 230 domestic visitors from surrounding provinces). The data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 through descriptive statistical methods, complemented by cross-tabulation and chi-square analysis to identify patterns across demographic variables. The survey results not only reflect general perceptions about heritage and tourism but also offer critical insights into how the rural and coastal character of the site shapes conservation attitudes and tourism behavior. The findings reveal nuanced perceptions, including strong symbolic appreciation for heritage and general openness to tourism, alongside concerns about cultural and environmental risks. While the local community prioritizes the potential for economic benefit, many participants also emphasized the importance of safeguarding local traditions, crafts, and culinary heritage. Nevertheless, concerns were expressed regarding the risks posed by uncontrolled tourism, including environmental degradation, erosion of cultural identity, and the commodification of heritage values. Based on these insights, the study introduces a governance approach built upon three interlinked pillars: community-based participation, environmental sustainability, and tourism practices aligned with cultural values. The proposed approach aims to support the inclusive and sustainable management of Magarsus and other rural and coastal archeological landscapes with similar characteristics. Full article

Traditional settlements are vital carriers of Chinese agricultural civilization yet face mounting challenges in protection and inheritance amid rapid urbanization. Taking ancient Huizhou as a case study, this research analyzes the spatial distribution patterns of cross-provincial traditional settlements and constructs a multi-level heritage corridor network through circuit theory modeling and space syntax analysis. The study reveals a “small aggregation, large dispersion” spatial structure shaped by natural geography and socio-cultural dynamics. Simulation of multi-path cultural flows and network analysis show that high betweenness corridors concentrate along the northeast–southwest axis, promoting efficient cultural circulation, while low betweenness areas highlight gaps in direct connectivity. Closeness analysis identifies She County as the cultural core with a single-center radial structure, though internal fragmentation persists. Based on these findings, the study proposes a “three-core-driven, two-axis linkage, multi-source synergy” protection strategy to strengthens the spatial integrity and resilience of the heritage network. This research not only provides a systematic framework for the holistic conservation of Huizhou settlement heritage but also offers methodological references for the protection of traditional settlements in broader regions. Full article

The preservation of built cultural heritage (PBCH) plays a vital role in fostering economic development by stimulating and revitalizing urban spaces. This study, conducted in the Portuguese cities of Lisbon and Porto, evaluated the impact of PBCH on urban economic growth, emphasizing the roles of cultural legacy and urban revitalization as serial mediators. Employing a cross-sectional, quantitative approach grounded in a hypothetico-deductive methodology, data were collected from 633 tourists aged 18 to 73 years (57.2% female) via a structured questionnaire. The findings demonstrated that PBCH, cultural legacy, and urban revitalization significantly contribute to regional economic development. Moreover, cultural legacy partially mediates the relationship between heritage preservation and urban revitalization, indicating a positive indirect effect. A serial mediation mechanism—where two mediators operate in a specific causal order, linking the independent variable (PBCH) to the dependent variable (economic development) through cultural legacy followed by urban revitalization—was identified. A comparative analysis of the indirect effects highlighted that cultural legacy has a stronger mediating influence than urban revitalization alone, although the combined serial effect proved to be the most substantial. This research underscores the critical role of PBCH as a driver of economic progress, facilitated through its intertwined relationships with cultural heritage and urban renewal, offering valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders in urban development Full article

The border effect on heritage protection, shaped by historical and physical factors, contributes to the formation of socio-territorial systems, particularly in relation to productive landscapes. This study focuses on the Portuguese–Spanish border between Andalusia and Extremadura, a region where inter-regional dynamics mirror international tensions due to the coexistence of differing legislative frameworks. The area is characterized by shared agricultural and ecological systems and fragmented transport networks, which complicate territorial integration. Methodologically, the study involves a selection of seven municipalities based on demographic vulnerability and rural identity, followed by historical and spatial analysis using legal sources, historical dictionaries, and digital platforms for heritage mapping. One of the key components was the identification and documentation of historical mills linked to the Ardilla River and its tributaries, using a combination of official heritage databases and user-generated platforms like Wikiloc and local websites. The twenty-one mills found highlight a significant presence of unprotected yet generally well-preserved mills that exemplify the agricultural and industrial legacy of the region. These assets, often overlooked in formal inventories, underline the potential for cross-border heritage recognition and call for a rethinking of protection strategies through the lens of cultural landscapes and community engagement. Full article

Traditional villages are vital repositories of China’s historical and cultural heritage. To enhance protection precision, this study develops a novel risk assessment framework integrating three dimensions: the natural environment, tangible heritage elements, and disaster prevention infrastructure. The framework mainly uses GIS spatial analysis and SPSS-based statistical modeling. It integrates traditional dwelling density as a key factor in vulnerability zoning by depicting assessment units with weighted vulnerability indicators. The study overlays kernel density maps of traditional buildings with natural hazard susceptibility data. This enables classification of villages and clusters into hierarchical disaster prevention tiers (core, key, and general zones). Core zones, characterized by high-density heritage structures and elevated flood risks, require structural reinforcement and ecological engineering, while key zones employ adaptive protection technologies. By incorporating traditional building density as a weighted vulnerability indicator, the framework enables hierarchical disaster zoning through spatial coupling of kernel density maps and flood susceptibility data. Taking the results of Lingshui Village as an example, an individual analysis was made, and the elements of the village were identified. Fourteen traditional villages in Mentougou District were graded and partitioned. Correlation examination of zoning findings and property damage, as well as an independent evaluation of categorization results and degree of calamity, demonstrated a correlation between the two. Therefore, empirical validation in Beijing’s Mentougou District demonstrates the efficacy of this approach. The methodology further establishes cross-village collaborative defense mechanisms under a “conservation–development–protection” paradigm, aligning administrative boundaries with spatial agglomeration patterns. The study establishes a hierarchical disaster prevention evaluation system and a regional technical pathway to bridge individual and cluster-level protection. Finally, by synergizing traditional dwelling conservation with ecological resilience, it explores bidirectional optimization between cultural heritage preservation and disaster prevention efficacy. Full article

The rich history of the olive tree is deeply connected to the heritage of the Mediterranean region. There are olive trees that are still productive and their age has been calculated by the use of methods of increment core sampling, radiocarbon dating (C14) and luminescence dating (OSL) to be over two thousand years old. However, the age of these trees is not usually known and it is not easy to calculate. As a result, deciding whether an olive tree is monumental is a rather complicated task. The goal of this paper is to present the design and implementation of an intelligent system that uses multi-criteria decision-making to evaluate olive trees and make the decision of whether they are monumental. This information is further used by a system to decide whether an olive grove is monumental or not. The methodology is implemented in a cross-platform application called “Olea App”. The system evaluates different olive trees and evaluates trees and olive groves to select the one that is considered the best to be promoted. The system uses and combines three different multi-criteria decision-making theories, namely, analytical hierarchy process (AHP), simple additive weighting (SAW), and multicriteria optimization and compromise solution (VIKOR) and evaluates olive trees based on tangible and intangible criteria. The method proposed was used to evaluate trees in the Ionian Islands and has proven very effective. The cross-platform application could be used by other researchers to evaluate their olive trees and groves if they cannot apply methods for the estimation of the tree’s age such as the methods of OSL. This work introduces a novel, technology-driven solution for the identification, evaluation, and preservation of monumental olive trees. By integrating scientific, cultural, and technological perspectives, the study provides a sustainable and accessible methodology to ensure these ancient natural landmarks are protected for future generations. The Olea app represents a significant advancement in heritage tree conservation, offering a structured, transparent, and scalable approach to preserving olive tree ecosystems while supporting sustainable tourism and economic incentives for their protection. Full article

More than half the world’s population live in cities¹. According to UN Habitat, we are rapidly approaching the time when five billion people will live in cities, and by 2050 this could be 7.5 billion, with much of the growth concentrated in the global south. The context for this paper is how urban growth is linked to notions of community values which cross-link to concepts of heritage. Urban places are where the majority of the world’s population lives and will increasingly do so. Inextricably linked to this proposition is that urban places are where community memories, identity and sense of place are inherent, and here is the link with heritage. What do these paces mean to us? Are there regional, national and international differences? Parallel with these ideas of urban heritage is the sense of place and attachment people have for green spaces in cities and the incremental loss of green spaces. This prompts the question of how this phenomenon has stimulated scholarly and professional attention on the concept of greening cities. Underpinning the inquiry is an understanding of how urban green growth has become regarded as critical to the well-being of people in urban areas. Central to such concerns is the role of people and their social and cultural values which shape how they see their cities. Notable also is how there has been growing concern for urban conservation since the 1990s and the need to understand cities as people spaces, not just collections of buildings. Discourse on cities as spaces for people has its roots in, and builds on, a paradigm shift in innovative thinking and concepts in the twentieth century which has continued into the twenty-first century. Mindful of this background, the paper opens with a review of the historical background to these concerns on the premise that the past is not always a foreign country². It then moves into consideration of heritage values and the role of landscape and what we mean by values. This consideration is central to the paper and moves into an overview of the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach as new approaches and tools for urban conservation came into play. Full article

Henan Province, a significant cultural heritage province in China, has abundant tangible cultural heritage resources distributed across the region. Watersheds are the fundamental geographical units that have consistently supported human production and subsistence activities from ancient times to the present. Analyzing the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of tangible cultural heritage resources of the watersheds in Henan Province is of great importance for its macro-level preservation, value promotion, and sustainable development. This research focuses on the 421 major historical and cultural sites protected at the national level in Henan Province, utilizing GIS spatial analysis techniques such as kernel density estimation, nearest neighbor index, Thiessen polygons, spatial auto-correlation analysis, and geographically weighted regression to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of tangible cultural heritage across different watersheds in the province. The results indicate the following: (1) The cultural heritage sites in Henan Province exhibit an overall clustered distribution. Within specific watersheds, such as the Jindihe River, Huaihe River, and Baihe River, the cultural heritage distribution is relatively sparse, displaying a random distribution pattern. (2) The cultural heritage distribution forms two high-density centers and one high-density distribution belt, exhibiting a tendency to align along lower-grade rivers. (3) The distribution of cultural heritage shows significant spatial auto-correlation, with high-value areas (hotspots) concentrated at the watershed intersections of the Yiluohe River, Weihe River, and Yinghe River. (4) Elevation, precipitation, GDP from the tertiary sector, museum density, and proximity to the nearest historical and cultural cities are the primary factors influencing the spatial differentiation of cultural heritage within each watershed. Moreover, there is significant spatial heterogeneity between different watersheds. Lastly, specific strategies for the sustainable preservation and utilization of cultural heritage in Henan Province are proposed, including differentiated preservation approaches, strengthening the preservation of water-related cultural heritage, promoting sustainable cultural tourism development, and establishing mechanisms for cross-regional cooperation. Full article

Ancient paintings, as a vital component of cultural heritage, encapsulate a profound depth of cultural significance. Over time, they often suffer from different degradation conditions, leading to damage. Existing ancient painting inpainting methods struggle with semantic discontinuities, blurred textures, and details in missing areas. To address these issues, this paper proposes a generative adversarial network (GAN)-based ancient painting inpainting method named RG-GAN. Firstly, to address the inconsistency between the styles of missing and non-missing areas, this paper proposes a Regional Attention-Style Transfer Module (RASTM) to achieve complex style transfer while maintaining the authenticity of the content. Meanwhile, a multi-scale fusion generator (MFG) is proposed to use the multi-scale residual downsampling module to reduce the size of the feature map and effectively extract and integrate the features of different scales. Secondly, a multi-scale fusion mechanism leverages the Multi-scale Cross-layer Perception Module (MCPM) to enhance feature representation of filled areas to solve the semantic incoherence of the missing region of the image. Finally, the Global Context Perception Discriminator (GCPD) is proposed for the deficiencies in capturing detailed information, which enhances the information interaction across dimensions and improves the discriminator’s ability to identify specific spatial areas and extract critical detail information. Experiments on the ancient painting and ancient Huaniao++ datasets demonstrate that our method achieves the highest PSNR values of 34.62 and 23.46 and the lowest LPIPS values of 0.0507 and 0.0938, respectively. Full article

Architecture is the stone book of history, and the evolution of architectural styles showcases a non-verbal history constructed through images. As an important part of China’s historical and cultural heritage, the architectural forms and styles of Tibetan Buddhist temples were initially modeled on Tang dynasty temple architecture and gradually evolved into the most significant architectural types in regions such as Tibet and Qinghai in China. Religious architecture has also played a significant role in shaping regional cultural landscapes. Existing research on Tibetan Buddhist temples is primarily focused on qualitative studies of individual temple buildings. This research takes the spatiotemporal evolution of architectural styles of Tibetan Buddhist temples as an entry point and, for the first time, employs ArcGIS technology to visualize the spatial and geographical distribution of Tibetan Buddhist temples from the 7th to the 18th century, establishing a comprehensive academic vision that encompasses both historical stratification and cross-regional spatial correlations. By analyzing the cultural symbolic features embodied in the construction styles of Tibetan Buddhist temples and the visual characteristics reflected in their decorative arts, we propose two spatiotemporal dimensions for the formation and transmission of Tibetan Buddhist temple architectural styles: “Westward Transmission” and “Eastward Diffusion”. Firstly, from the 7th to the 9th centuries, the architectural style and construction techniques of Tang dynasty Buddhist temples were transmitted westward along the Tang–Tibet ancient road, integrating with local Tibetan elements to form the Tubo architectural style, which was further refined into the “Sino–Tibetan Combined Style” with strong visual characteristics around the 13th century. Subsequently, along with the spread of Tibetan Buddhism, this temple architectural style underwent an eastward diffusion from the 13th to the 18th century, reaching regions, such as Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, and Beijing, presenting a spatial gradient from west to east in the geographical dimension. On this basis, in this research, we construct a historical evolution mapping of Tibetan Buddhist temple architectural styles based on bidirectional transmission, attempting to elucidate that the intrinsic driving forces are religious and the cultural identity that guided the bidirectional transmission mechanism of these architectural styles under the historical context of the formation and dissemination of Tibetan Buddhism from the 7th to the 18th century. Full article

Following the completion of the Great Wall Resource Survey in 2012, numerous landscape heritage resources along the Great Wall remained undiscovered, highlighting the limitations of conventional survey methods. This study aimed to conduct in-depth investigations of Great Wall signal sites through digital fieldwork methods, unveiling a crucial signaling structure—the auxiliary beacon—and presenting genuine historical scenes of the Great Wall signal network. Through the retrieval of the image database of the entire Great Wall and the utilization of UAVs (drones) for low-altitude remote sensing surveys, 252 auxiliary beacon sites were identified in diverse environments (e.g., deserts, mountains, plains) in Xinjiang, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Ningxia, and other 10 regions. These case studies enable the categorization of layout types and the proposal of reconstruction hypotheses for the signal network of the Great Wall of China. The findings demonstrate that the beacon fire signals are not lit on the beacon tower tops, but through the ignition of various signals by auxiliary beacons, expressing pre-arranged information. Beacon towers and auxiliary beacons together form an efficient signal network along the Great Wall. This study explores how to use digital survey methods to unearth unknown landscape heritage resources of the Great Wall, enhancing the accuracy of observation for cross-regional and large-scale cultural heritage. Full article

Cultural tourism (CT), which enhances the economic development of a region, aids a country in reinforcing its identities, enhancing cross-cultural understanding, and preserving the heritage culture of an area. Designing a proper tourism model assists tourists in understanding the point of interest without the help of a local guide. However, owing to the need for the analysis of different factors, designing such a model is a complex process. Therefore, this article proposes a CT model for peak visitor time in Riyadh, a city in Saudi Arabia. The main objective of the framework is to improve the cultural tourism of Riyadh by considering various factors to help in improving CT based on recommendation system (RS). Primarily, the map data and cultural event dataset were processed for location, such as grouping with Kriging interpolation-based Chameleon (KIC), tree forming, and feature extraction. After that, the event dataset’s attributes were processed with word embedding. Meanwhile, the social network sites (SNS) data like reviews and news were extracted with an external application programming interface (API). The review data were processed with keyword extraction and word embedding, whereas the news data were processed with score value estimation. Lastly, the data were fused, corresponding to a historical site, and given to the Multi-Quadratic-Long Short-Term Memory (MQ-LSTM) recommendation system (RS); also, the recommended result with the map was stored in a database. Lastly, the database security was maintained with locality sensitive hashing (LSH). From the experimental evaluation with multiple databases including the Riyadh Restaurants 20K dataset, the proposed recommendation model achieved a recommendation rate (RR) of 97.22%, precision of 97.7%, recall of 98.27%, and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.0521. This result states that the proposed RS provides higher RR and reduced error compared to existing related RSs. Thus, by attaining higher performance values, the proposed model is experimentally verified. Full article