Search Results (456)

Recent investigations at the Cortijo de las Mezquitas complex (Antequera–Campillos–Sierra de Yeguas, Province of Málaga, Andalusia, Spain) have focused on clarifying the construction history of the monument and on contextualising the presence of an early medieval rural mosque, a rare example within the Iberian Peninsula. The reassessment of the complex, conducted within the methodological framework of Building Archaeology, has made it possible to describe the constructive characteristics of the building with greater precision, both in terms of its architectural design and its construction process. This approach has enabled a more detailed definition of the technological context employed in the original construction phase, as well as of the chronological range to which it belongs, spanning between the late ninth and early tenth centuries. Subsequent phases of reoccupation and transformation, particularly from the sixteenth century onwards, were also documented, although the dating of some interventions remains uncertain. This research provides a fundamental framework for the historical contextualisation of the monument within the history of al-Andalus and highlights the urgent need for its conservation, restoration, and valorisation. Full article

For the Simeulue community, trauma does not remain a source of fear or psychological burden. Instead, it becomes a guideline for their survival. This study explores how societies reconstruct themselves through memory by examining smong, the local knowledge of the Simeulue community in Indonesia, as a cultural mechanism that transforms disaster experience into social resilience. Using a qualitative ethnographic approach, the research utilizes interviews, nandong and song lyrics, field notes, and historical documentation. The findings indicate that smong operates through interconnected layers of communicative and cultural memory: it is preserved in family stories, bedtime stories, artistic expressions, commemorative practices, and symbolic markers such as monuments and grave inscriptions. Through these processes, traumatic experiences are reframed as moral instructions and actionable knowledge that guide rapid evacuation, mutual aid, and collective vigilance during earthquakes and tsunamis. This study demonstrates that the reconstruction of the Simeulue community is driven not by a formal disaster management system but by practices rooted in culture. Past disaster experiences are continuously reinterpreted and integrated into everyday life. This highlights the importance of memory-based strategies for strengthening community resilience and offers directions for future research on intergenerational knowledge transmission, cultural adaptation, and disaster preparedness in oral societies. Full article

The effort to reduce the intensity of car traffic in city centres is among the core objectives of sustainable development. One important means of achieving this aim is the creation of Park-and-Ride facilities. This article examines the challenges encountered during the planning and construction of a Park-and-Ride designed to ease the transport burden of a larger city, yet situated on the edge of a small historic town in Poland. Using a research-through-design method, the study identifies the project’s challenges. The article highlights the overlooked issue of locating Park-and-Ride schemes within sensitive contexts. The accompanying interventions enabled the realisation of an undertaking, originally conceived as a strictly engineering investment fulfilling global policy objectives, but ultimately adapted to manage local priorities. The pursuit of sustainable transport development thus became an opportunity to foreground the dual role of transport spaces: both as organisers of movement and as educators in conveying cultural meaning. The project serves as an example of how local problems may be addressed through investments framed as advancing global political goals. The Park-and-Ride in Stary Sącz also provides material evidence of the significance of decisions made by local authorities to resolve local challenges while contributing to global goals. Full article

A mycological assessment evaluates the technical condition of a building by identifying damage from biological corrosion, which is particularly susceptible to fungal growth and insect attack. Such assessments are crucial for brick and wooden monuments. Accurate mycological assessments provide essential documentation for builders, designers, and cost estimators, indicating both locations of damage and the risks associated with weakened structures. The proper selection of testing locations during tender documentation preparation for historic buildings is critical, as it significantly impacts renovation and modernization costs. This article reviews building defects and testing protocols used in mycological expert opinions for buildings constructed between 1899 and 1900. It lists additional tests necessary during modernization and details costs resulting from incorrect assessments. The findings offer valuable guidance for specialists evaluating mycological hazards. The research revealed that 48% of structural elements in the examined buildings were incorrectly assessed solely through visual inspection, with the majority of errors occurring in lintels and cornices. Repairing these elements proved to be significantly more costly than the initial testing, with lintel repair exceeding excavation costs by over 60 times and cornice repairs by more than 130 times. Full article

Urban expansion causes increasing risks to archaeological heritage and yet few studies have systematically analyzed multi-site urban change using consistent temporal datasets and standardized methods. In this sense, this study addresses this gap by applying a multi-temporal urban change detection framework to the Memphis region, focusing on the Abu Gurab, Abusir and Saqqara sites. To conduct this research, high-resolution satellite imagery from 2004, 2008 and 2025 was processed using harmonized geospatial classification and overlay techniques to quantify built-up area growth and identify zones where modern development threatens key monuments to include the Sun Temples of Userkaf and Nyuserre, and the pyramids of Sahure, Neferirkare and Neferefre. A GIS- and remote sensing-based workflow, combining supervised classification, post-classification comparison and buffer zone analysis, enabled precise monitoring of urban encroachment. Additionally, high-resolution imagery and in situ inspections supported detailed decay mapping of select monuments, using grayscale normalization and false-color analysis to quantify surface deterioration objectively. This approach highlights the progressive impact of urbanization on archaeological structures and provides actionable data for archaeological sites management. Finally, the results contribute to heritage risk assessment, support evidence-based conservation planning, and inform urban planning strategies in line with Sustainable Development Goal 11.4 and the UNESCO Historic Urban Landscape Recommendation (HULR). Full article

Landscapes and heritage sites hold significant historical, scientific, and social value but face increasing threats from climate change and human activities. Coastal and maritime heritage are at risk from sea-level rise, storms, erosion, ocean acidification, and pressures such as urbanization, construction, and industrial development. Assessing vulnerability involves considering physical, geomorphological, and socioeconomic factors, including land use, population density, tourism, and ecosystem sensitivity. Long-term monitoring, interdisciplinary research, and holistic approaches are essential for effective risk assessment and planning. This study focuses on the coastal landscapes of northern Portugal, where climate change adaptation is urgent. These areas contain important historical heritage, especially fortified military structures that reflect regional identity and maritime history shared with other coastal nations. The research highlights significant risks to these monuments because of their proximity to the sea and expanding urban areas, providing insights to guide policymakers and support localized adaptation strategies. A two-phase methodology was employed, beginning with a comprehensive literature review to identify key indicators that informed field observations, surveys, and archival research, resulting in a detailed inventory of coastal and estuarine fortifications. The second phase assessed their vulnerability to sea-level rise, coastal flooding, and shoreline retreat. The study presents a methodological approach that provides local decision-makers with strategic guidance to enhance the protection and sustainable management of coastal heritage. Full article

Critics often cast the Creole woman of color in Lafcadio Hearn’s circum-Caribbean writings as a figure of cultural moribundity—an emblem of a Creole world fading under the pressures of modernization. However, Hearn also presents Creole women as vivacious counterdecadent agents, disruptors of the political decline experienced by Martinique’s white Creoles after citizenship was restored to the colony’s men of African descent. Through historical contextualization of Hearn’s periodical writing and his correspondence with journalist Elizabeth Bisland, this paper explains why he employs the strategies of Decadent conservatism to imagine a moment in which formerly enslaved Creole women prevent an iconoclastic Republican attack on a sculpture of the Empress Joséphine. Erected in a reactionary period after slavery’s abolition, this monument originally commemorated the reinstatement of plantocratic dominance over the Black population, but by the time Hearn saw the statue, it had become an ironic reminder of weakened white authority. The imagined actions of Hearn’s Creole women resignify the monument, making its survival attest to the limited victory of Republican egalitarianism and the survival of pre-modern traditions of racial deference. Full article

The importation of prefabricated buildings into colonies was a prevalent practice during the British colonial expansionist venture. However, in post-colonial Nigeria today, many of these prefabricated houses have either been largely modified or have vanished without architectural or written records. This undocumented disappearance poses a challenge to the development of architectural restoration proposals for the remaining few, especially with the authenticity of materials, as well as their morphology, configuration, use, and function being heavily contested. Among the remaining few that have undergone layers of modifications and are on the verge of total collapse is the Egbo Egbo Bassey House, imported and built in Old Calabar between 1883 and 1886 and declared a National Monument of Nigeria in 1959. Given the dearth of architectural and historical data, this paper aims to reconstruct its architectural morphology, chronological modification, and historical uses and functions, with the view of developing an evidence-based architectural restoration proposal for its adaptive reuse. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews (n = 16), archival research at the National Museum (archival file ID: TF128/C.25/A and TF120/C.20/A), and a measured architectural survey, which was performed using laser tapes and laser rangefinders. Annotated building images were captured using a Canon 5D Mark III and a DJI Marvic 3 drone. Comparative analysis with two other exemplars of prefabricated houses in the region was also conducted to consolidate oral, archival, and field data. Three architectural modification stages, namely 1886, 1959, and 2012, were determined for the analytical framework. Architectural outputs include measured 2-dimensional drawings (scale 1:50) and 3-dimensional models for the three historical stages. The accuracy of each model was ensured through methodical triangulation and confidence rubric ratings. The result of this paper provides a replicable inquiry methodology, which can be used to develop an evidence-based workflow for developing a restoration proposal for architectural heritage in contexts where architectural and historical data are not available or contested. As a limitation, this research does not include an analysis of wood typology, structural testing, and statistical analysis of material. Full article

As urban spaces and cultural contexts continue to evolve, the conservation of immovable cultural heritage faces increasing challenges. This study adopts museumification as an extension of the living heritage continuity approach and examines how a religious monument can be re-embedded in contemporary social life. Using the Jin dynasty Sansheng (Three Saints) Pagoda in Qinyang City, Henan Province, as a case study, it analyzes the mechanisms through which museumification reshapes heritage value and public engagement. A three-dimensional analytical framework—field, space, and society—was developed, and data were collected through field observation, 205 questionnaire responses, and in-depth interviews with museum staff. The results show that museumification has enhanced the pagoda’s public visibility and symbolic meaning, strengthened local identity, and supported the transmission of historical knowledge. Visitors reported cultural pride, historical immersion, and emotional connection, demonstrating the museum’s role in maintaining the living continuity of the site. However, challenges such as limited exhibition space, insufficient narrative coherence, and the tendency for emotional experience to outweigh knowledge acquisition remain. Overall, the study offers empirical insights into the contemporary transformation of religious heritage and provides practical implications for conservation strategies based on museumification. Full article

On 1 April 2471 b.C., an impressive, unpredictable phenomenon occurred over the Delta of the Nile: a total solar eclipse, with the totality band almost centred on the sacred city of Buto, and the “capital” Memphis on the verge of the totality. This date is compatible with existing chronologies for the reign of Pharaoh Shepseskaf, who adopted a clamorous symbolic break with respect to the tradition of “solarized” kings started by Khufu. Indeed, his tomb was not built in view from Heliopolis and was not a pyramid, but a kind of unique monument resembling the symbolic shrine at Buto. The aim of the present paper is to investigate in a systematic way the possibility that the origin of this historical and architectural passage, which marks the end of the Fourth Dynasty, can be identified precisely in the 2471 b.C. eclipse, therefore furnishing a new astronomical anchor for the chronology of the Old Kingdom. Full article

Mediterranean coastal cultural heritage sites are increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change, including sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and extreme weather events, which endanger both their physical integrity and their cultural and economic value. Safeguarding these vulnerable cultural assets requires approaches that integrate technological innovation with effective governance and management strategies. This study presents a systematic review of research published between 2000 and 2024, conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to ensure methodological rigor and transparency. Searches were conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, limited to English-language studies explicitly addressing coastal cultural heritage in the Mediterranean. A total of 77 studies were analyzed using bibliometric and spatial techniques to examine thematic trends, methodological orientations, and regional patterns. Results reveal a sharp rise in scholarly output after 2014, with Italy, Greece, and Cyprus emerging as dominant contributors. The literature demonstrates a strong emphasis on tangible cultural heritage, particularly archaeological sites and monuments, while cultural landscapes and nature–culture systems receive comparatively limited attention. Methodologically, the field is dominated by digital and technology-driven tools such as GIS, remote sensing, 3D documentation, and climate modelling, with socially grounded and participatory approaches appearing in less than 5% of studies. More than 70% of the reviewed works adopt case study designs, which constrain comparative and generalizable insights. In contrast, a predominance of future-oriented assessments highlights a persistent lack of present-day monitoring and baseline data. Collectively, these findings clarify the paper’s exclusive focus on coastal cultural heritage, underscore the need to broaden geographical coverage, integrate socio-institutional dimensions with environmental diagnostics, and prioritize empirical, present-focused approaches. In this direction, future research will advance an integrated framework for assessing coastal vulnerability at both site-specific and regional scales, supporting proactive and evidence-based conservation planning. Full article

The British colonial contact with Nigeria was dotted with diverse paradoxes. In the realm of architecture, it was a period punctuated with the importation of prefabricated buildings into many slave and palm oil trading towns, such as Old Calabar in southern Nigeria. Unfortunately, today, many of these prefabricated colonial architectural heritages have gone into extinction, except for a few which are also on the verge of collapse. One of the remaining few on the verge of collapse is the Egbo Egbo Bassey House built between 1883 and 1886 and declared a National Monument of Nigeria in 1959. Currently, there is no literature on the historical and architectural data of this building, besides those scattered over several files in archival records. Therefore, this paper aims at the holistic documentation of the National Monument. Two categories of data were considered in the documentation processes—namely the building historical data and geometrical data. Historical data were collected through archival research and interviews, while the geometrical data were collected through close-range photogrammetry and manual measurements. The result of this paper contributes to the current geographical dearth of literature on British prefabricated architectural heritage, which punctuated a very important period in the architectural history of the world. Full article

Monitoring humidity is essential for the protection and long-term preservation of historical monuments and cultural heritage structures, particularly those made of stone, marble, or iron. Excess moisture can accelerate material degradation and compromise structural integrity. This paper presents an alternative, low-cost method for enhancing the sensitivity of a raindrop sensor, aiming to detect micro-droplets such as early morning dew—an important factor in environmental monitoring around such sensitive sites. The proposed method involves covering the sensor’s surface with a fine nylon mesh, such as a stocking, which allows tiny water droplets to accumulate and spread more effectively across the sensor. This modification improves the electrical conductivity between the copper tracks when droplets are present, enabling the sensor to detect moisture levels that would otherwise go unnoticed. Experimental results demonstrate that the modified sensor performs significantly better than the original, unaltered version, offering greater sensitivity and consistency in its readings. The sensor responds more reliably to low volumes of moisture without requiring internal changes to its circuitry, making it both practical and cost-effective. The outcomes of this work are encouraging, suggesting that this approach is suitable for moisture detection in both research and real-world conservation scenarios. It provides a simple and scalable solution for integrating humidity monitoring into broader environmental sensing systems. Full article

The Monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena in Catania, a UNESCO World Heritage site, embodies a complex architectural and historical stratigraphy, reflecting successive construction phases, functional changes, and the impact of catastrophic events, including the 1669 lava flow and the 1693 earthquake. As part of the CHANGES project, this study combines historical–archaeological research with non-invasive in situ scientific analyses to investigate the materials and the conservation state of the monumental complex. Stratigraphic analysis identified multiple masonry and plaster units, allowing the reconstruction of five main construction phases and related functional changes. Portable X-ray Fluorescence (pXRF), Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFT), and handheld optical microscopy provided rapid insights into the chemical and mineralogical composition of plasters and mortars, highlighting lime-based binders with variable aggregate, including volcanic clasts, sand, and cocciopesto. In situ diagnostic analyses allowed us to distinguish pre- and post-earthquake materials, while historical data contextualized construction phases and functional transformations. The integration of archaeological and scientific approaches proved to be complementary: historical evidence guides the selection of analytical targets, while diagnostic results enrich and validate the interpretation of the building’s evolution. This interdisciplinary methodology establishes a robust framework for the understanding and valorization of complex cultural heritage sites. Full article

This article examines the processes of de-Sovietization of public spaces in Lithuania, focusing on the visual transformation of monuments after the collapse of the Soviet Union. While scholarship has primarily analyzed the dismantling of Soviet monuments as acts of iconoclasm, this study argues that de-Sovietization is a dual process involving both negative and positive dimensions: the removal of Soviet-era symbols and the creation of new monuments that articulate a post-Soviet national narrative. Drawing on Jacques Rancière’s framework of artistic regimes, the article explores how newly constructed or restored monuments embody the search for a new symbolic language of political and social communication. The analysis is based on qualitative content analysis of expert interviews with sculptors, architects, and artists involved in monument-making in Lithuania since 1990. Over the past three decades, more than 400 monuments have been erected in Lithuania, reflecting the tensions between continuity and rupture with Soviet monumentalism. While naturalistic monuments often avoided controversy, projects departing from realistic aesthetics—such as Regimantas Midvikis’ Exploded Bunker and Andrius Labašauskas’ Freedom Hill—became sites of conflict and public debate. By identifying the visual features of positive de-Sovietization, the article contributes to understanding how post-Soviet societies negotiate historical memory, identity, and aesthetic form in public space. Full article