Search Results (27)

Toponyms, i.e., place names, are fundamental for reconstructing the diachronic development of communities without written records, encoding unique historical and cultural data of any civilisation; however, they are vulnerable to loss as languages decline. This also happens for the scarcely documented language Kula (or Tanglapui), a Papuan Alor-Pantar language (Trans-New Guinea macro-family) from Eastern Alor, Southeastern Indonesia (Alor-Pantar Archipelago, Timor area). The spatial knowledge encapsulated in Kula toponyms has been critically threatened by resettlement since the 1960s, alongside its declining daily usage. To preserve this heritage, this article presents a systemised dataset of Kula place names derived from oral traditions, documented for the first time during fieldwork between 2023 and 2026. Data collection followed established language documentation methodologies, utilising semi-structured interviews and community verification with elder native speakers and local consultants to ensure adherence to ethical standards and cultural accuracy of recording practices. The dataset comprises 31 entries of place names, each detailing toponymic variants, glosses/folk etymologies, associated natural resources, stories/historical elements, settlement type, location, habitation status, and internal and external tribal links when information is available. This paper fills a critical gap in Timor-Alor-Pantar linguistics, offering an open-access resource for reconstructing migration patterns and preserving the Kula people’s collective memory against accelerating language endangerment. Full article

The Indigenous community of San Antonio Cacalotepec, located in the region of Cholula in central Mexico, has been an active witness to territorial dispossession at the hands of powerful real estate capital. This small territory—where clean water once flowed, milpas and nopales were cultivated, and Nahuatl was the everyday language—has now become the epicenter of predatory capitalism, manifested in gated communities, commercial zones, and exclusive residential developments. As a result, the original settlement and its small landholders have been segregated and excluded from the promises of modernity and progress. Nevertheless, in this last enclave, where traces of Nahuatl can still be heard, an Indigenous awareness has emerged, reclaiming identity and the right to continue naming the territory that has been lost as their own. Within this context, fieldwork carried out by the co-research group Colectiva Hilando Territorios has led to a series of community workshops with women from San Antonio Cacalotepec, together with architecture and anthropology students from Universidad de las Américas Puebla. These workshops mapped how Cacalotepec looked before massive urbanization and documented the toponyms in the Nahuatl language. The aim has been to make visible the memory of a living territory that persists, and that, despite the sale of exclusive, car-oriented commercial and residential spaces, is continually re-signified by the community as part of its identity and collective belonging in the face of dispossession. Full article

This article analyses contemporary transhumance in Gran Canaria as a singular case of insular pastoralism and biocultural heritage within the Mediterranean and Atlantic contexts. While transhumance has been widely recognised for its ecological, cultural and socio-economic relevance, in Gran Canaria it persists in an especially fragile form, maintained by a small, ageing group of herders. Drawing on an interdisciplinary methodology that combines 36 semi-structured interviews, ethnographic fieldwork and GIS-based spatial analysis of routes and grazing areas, the study characterises the socio-ecological functioning of the system, its environmental and cultural contributions, and the threats it faces. The results highlight the role of transhumance in sustaining agrobiodiversity, fire prevention, ecological connectivity and traditional ecological knowledge, as well as in shaping a distinctive pastoral soundscape, toponymy and material culture. At the same time, the system is undermined by demographic ageing, land fragmentation, urban and tourism pressure, bureaucratic burdens and climate uncertainty. The article examines emerging initiatives in cultural and experiential tourism linked to cheese production, wool and participatory transhumant journeys, arguing that tourism can support, but not substitute, the protection of pastoral livelihoods. It concludes by outlining policy implications for island territories, emphasising the need for integrated governance that recognizes transhumance as living heritage and a strategic tool for cultural landscape management. Full article

Collaborative mapping has emerged in recent decades as a key practice for producing open geospatial knowledge and fostering critical citizenship. However, several studies have shown that these platforms may reproduce existing gender inequalities, both in terms of participation and representation. This article examines the potential of collaborative feminist cartography as a strategy for making inequalities visible and promoting gender equality in public space. Methodologically, the study focuses on the project Las Calles de las Mujeres, developed by Geochicas OSM, combining quantitative analysis of street naming in urban development with qualitative implementation in educational contexts. A global overview of 32 cities in 11 countries is provided, with a detailed case study of 11 Spanish cities. Results confirm the persistence of a significant gender gap in urban toponymy: streets named after men not only outnumber those dedicated to women but are also on average longer, more central, and symbolically more prominent. Educational experiences in Spain provide learning outcomes and demonstrate that collaborative mapping strengthens spatial thinking, digital competence, and critical awareness, linking geography education to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5 and SDG 11). The article concludes that feminist mapping initiatives are simultaneously pedagogical, social, and political tools, capable of fostering more inclusive and sustainable cities. Full article

Our research focuses on a complex and integrative analysis of bear presence in four tourist resorts in Prahova Valley, Romania: Sinaia, Bușteni, Azuga and Predeal. Employing innovative mixed methods, including questionnaires, interviews, newspaper analysis, and consideration of the local toponymy, including bear-related names and souvenirs, we aim to highlight the extent to which a posthumanist attitude is evident in the region. The sustained appearance of bears is attributed to habitat invasion through deforestation, road construction, residential neighborhoods, and tourist infrastructure. Ambiguity arises from the presence of food sources and voluntary feeding both by locals and tourists. The mass media initially heightened fear and panic during the onset of human–bear interactions but later adopted a more tolerant tone regarding the bear’s presence in tourist resorts, reflecting an openness to the posthumanist approach in Prahova Valley. That is why locals express fear and concern about bear encounters, advocating for a clear separation between animal and human spaces. Tourists exhibit attitudes ranging from unconscious appreciation to ambivalence, often contributing to the problem through practices such as feeding bears for fun. The use of bear-related names for tourist establishments is identified as anthropocentric, despite their appeal for attracting tourists. Souvenir sales, through increasing socio-economic value and contributing to tourist experiences, are also recognized as anthropocentric. However, souvenirs can provide elements of support for bear conservation efforts and the equal consideration of human and non-human entities. This study concludes that a successful adaptive coexistence requires a posthumanist vision, overcoming anthropocentrism in a landscape altered by human activities, supported by bear management programs in Bucegi Natural Park, and conservation efforts in Prahova Valley in a landscape altered by people. Full article

The turbidity maximum zone (TMZ) plays an important role in the morphology and ecosystems of estuaries. The distributions of TMZ in Hangzhou Bay (HZB) and mechanisms of sediment fluxes in TMZ have been studied by applying a fully calibrated three-dimensional baroclinic model that considers salinity, high turbidity, sediment flocculation, and density coupling between water and sediment. Based on the method of SSC thresholds, the TMZ is mainly distributed from YG (Yanguan, toponymy in HZB) to ZP (Zhapu, toponymy in HZB). S1 and S2 are the cross-sections within the TMZ. Along the estuary, there is an ascending-to-descending trend observed in the monthly averaged bed current shear stress, while the monthly averaged density displays a descending-to-ascending pattern. The orientation of the monthly averaged surface fluxes of suspended sediment within the TMZ shows a clockwise circular pattern. Moreover, the net flux of suspended sediment along the estuary at section S1 is seaward, while at the section S2, it is landward. The high bottom stress and the sediment fluxes facilitate the retention, deposition, and enrichment of sediment within the TMZ. The suspended sediment fluxes at the two cross-sections was primarily influenced by Eulerian transport, Stokes transport, and tidal pumping transport. At cross-section S1, the sediment transport is dominated by tidal pumping. At cross-section S2, advective transport controls the sediment transportation near the deep northern bank; while near the southern bank of cross-section S2, tidal pumping is still the dominant factor. The outcome of this study provides a foundation for TMZ research in similar macro-tidal turbid estuaries around the world. Full article

Toponymy, a transversal discipline for geography, linguistics, and history, finds one of its main supports in cartography. Due to exhaustiveness on the territory, cadastral cartography and its toponymy have the ideal characteristics to develop systematic geographical analyses. Moreover, cadastre and geographical names are part of the geographic reference data according to Annex 1 of the INSPIRE directive. This work presents the design, implementation, and application of a methodology based on Geographic Information Systems and Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) tools for detecting coincidences between the cadastral geoinformation and the official gazetteer corresponding to the province of Gipuzkoa, Spain. Methodologically, this study proposes a solution to the issues raised by bilingualism in the study area. This problem is approached a priori, in the previous data treatment, and a posteriori, applying semantic criteria. The results show a match between the datasets of close to 40%. In this way, the uniqueness and richness of the analyzed source and its outstanding contribution to the potential integration of the official toponymic corpus are evidenced. Full article

For the majority of consumers, the label is the primary motivation for wine purchases. Ιt appears from the literature that consumer behavior is influenced by the variety of information on the label, which captures with simplicity and clarity, the key information that the potential buyer needs to know. History, place, variety, name, and figure, are some of the basic elements that form the wine label and have the potential to profoundly affect consumer engagement with bottled wine. What do Greek Wineries wish to communicate through their wine labels? Historical concepts, identity, or quality? Could soft power and place branding be suitable factors to help transfer this message and achieve wishful feedback to the consumer’s awareness? A case study is presented, according to which Greek producers select three fundamental cues: toponymy, name description, justification of the name choice and language. Driven by this case study, the paper intends to open a discussion about the implementation of theories such as soft power and sense of place by wine industries on a global level in combination with the importance of the toponymy, not only on the labeling but also on other communicational aspects. Full article

This article traces the history of the medieval oasis city of Sijilmassa, southeastern Morocco, and that of its modern, continuation city of metropolitan Rissani in the Tafilalt region. Elements of mobility and transition are discussed in light of the prominent historical role of the urban settlement in Tafilalt in long-distance trans-Saharan trade infrastructure. These elements are developed with a focus on the region’s Jewish communities, their socio-spatial characteristics, the employed toponymy with respect to Sijilmassa, and the material culture. Within the material culture of Tafilalt’s Jewry until the 1950s and 1960s (that is, upon their dramatic emigration from Morocco, mostly to Israel), the article analyzes in an original manner their traditional marriage contracts (ketubah-s) as a textual and especially as an esthetic artifact. The analysis interprets the visual imagery that appears in these manuscripts—an imagery that corresponds with global Jewish symbols, with the vernacular architecture in the Tafilalt, and with wider regional, trans-Saharan conceptual motifs. Revealing the composite symbolic imagery and decoding the visual repertoire of the ketubah-s against the rich cultural histories of the pre-Sahara region—with affinity to both northern Morocco and sub-Saharan, “black”, Africa—necessitates an interdisciplinary approach. This study brings together area studies (of the Middle East and Africa), art histories (of architecture and built forms, artifacts, and manuscripts), cultural studies (critical intra-group relations between Arabs, Berbers and Jews), and human geography (forms of settlements and long-distance trade activity)—in a type of meeting that is quite uncommon in the relevant research literature. Its contribution lies in tracing the dissemination of ideas and material cultures among less researched groups (southeastern Jewry) and regions (pre-Saharan) in Morocco, through engaging a transdisciplinary lens that requires an intimate acquaintance with associated research historiographies. Full article

In Romania, urban and peri-urban forests (UPUF) have been subject to significant transformations during the past centuries, especially during the post-communist period. The current paper seeks to provide an integrated assessment of UPUF in one of the most dynamic and densely populated urban areas in Romania, i.e., Galați, in terms of historical overview, forest structure and dynamics, and conservation of forest ecosystems, and the way all these aspects are reflected in the toponymy. The analysis covers three main time intervals: (1) until the 20th century, (2) the first half of the 20th century, and (3) the second half of the 20th century through the beginning of the 21st century. For each of the three intervals, complex quantitative spatial and temporal analyses were performed at the level of the Local Administrative Unit (LAU) using in-depth documentation of relevant historical records and geospatial data for selected years (1912, 1948, 1976, 2002, and 2018) derived from cartographic materials and satellite images. Significant changes in the urban and peri-urban forests were evidenced, but the most notable were observed since the 19th century in relation to the new political and socio-economic context, which pushed deforestation processes to support settlement expansion (though urbanization and suburbanization) and agricultural development (intensification and extensification). These processes gradually expanded until the beginning of the 21st century under the socio-economic changes during the communist regime and the post-communist period. Galați area has more than tripled in size, which led to a significant pressure on the forest-covered area, followed by changes in its structure and composition. Full article

As an important embodiment and carrier of Chinese traditional culture, the rituals and ceremonies in heritage tourism not only carry profound spiritual and cultural connotations, such as respecting nature and worshiping ancestors, they also enable people to gain a sense of identity. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the relationship between heritage tourism and the politics of identity-building from the perspective of critical toponymy based on the case study of the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor. Drawing on five years’ of fieldwork at the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor in Shaanxi Province, China, this paper unfolds how heritage tourism has evolved into a certain kind of political agenda and a social engineering of nation-building. Relying on in-depth interviews and R language text analysis, this paper examines how Chinese national identity is produced, performed, and established through landscape naming and ritual performance in heritage tourism. This paper finds that (1) the naming and interpretation of ancestral roots cultural landscapes, as well as ritual performance in heritage tourism, are closely associated with cultural representations and reproductions of national identity. (2) The naming and interpretation of landscapes, as well as the performance of ritual practices in heritage tourism, are closely associated with national history and mythology. The tourists’ behaviors and emotions, as well as their performance and experiences during the ritual practice at the heritage tourism site, help to construct national identity. The cultural production and invention are combined with actions enacted by governments and local residents, as well as visitors from different backgrounds. (3) The mausoleum creates cultural links for Taiwanese tourists to understand their ancestral roots culture and thus to enhance their connection with the mainland. This paper tries to explore the relationship between heritage tourism and identity-building from the perspective of critical toponymy, which has implications for place branding and marketing projects when promoting ancestral roots culture and place-named tourism. This research not only helps the individuals to realize and reappreciate the value of traditional culture and heritage, it also motivates the individuals to rethink their responsibilities in cultural inheritance and the innovative development of culture. It also helps to enhance the consciousness of the people on both sides of the strait as a community of the Chinese nation, as well as to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations. Full article

With the boom in Indo-European (IE) studies among linguists from the early 20th century, toponymic studies on European place names have been largely based on the Proto-Indo-European (PIE). However, historical and archaeological records of non-IE groups, such as the Nuragic civilization of Sardinia, have presented the possibility of pre-IE/non-IE (Paleo-Sardinian) linguistic stratum influences on certain toponyms in Sardinia, Italy. This article aims to present a meta-study on existing toponymic reconstructions theorized by scholars, while offering a fresh perspective by employing methods of historical phonetic chains and sequences analysis to identify toponyms of interest. Analysis showed that certain Sardinian toponyms contain striking phonetic sequences that are uncharacteristic of PIE, such as *s(a)rd-, *kar-, *-ini, *-ài/*-éi, *#[θ]-. Overall conclusions appear to display the merits of (1) PIE and (2) pre-IE/ non-IE theories. Both provide plausible toponymic reconstructions. (1) The accuracy of IE theories is brought into question, as they appear to rely heavily on phonetic links to existing PIE roots, sometimes with a lack of consideration for other contextual or hydro-geo-morphological factors. (2) Conversely, pre-IE/non-IE theories are found to be highly speculative due to the lack of historical data, and knowledge, about the Paleo-Sardinian language. Full article

Place names, or toponyms, provide a useful geographical reference system; they can help analyse past landscapes, recover history and understand changes. Among place names, plant place names (phytotoponyms) can be used to analyse the current and past distribution of plants and plant communities and to highlight changes in land use due to human impacts and climate change. We assessed the feasibility of using place names related to species and forest ecosystems to evaluate changes that have affected the forest landscape. As a case study, we considered Calabria, a region in southern Italy rich in toponymic studies. We used the official topographic maps of Calabria, at scales of 1:25,000 and 1: 10,000, and literature data on Calabrian toponymy. To interpret toponyms related to plants and avoid errors, we performed a joint linguistic and naturalistic analysis. A total of 1609 phytotoponyms were identified relating to 45 forest species (28 trees and 17 shrubs) and 399 place names generically related to woods and forests. The most frequent plants associated with place names were Castanea sativa (8.3% of all plant place names), Quercus pubescens s.l. (7.2%), Salix sp. pl. (6.9%) and Quercus frainetto (5.6%). All the phytotoponyms were georeferenced and mapped in a GIS. Phytotoponym distribution maps were compared with current Calabrian forest vegetation, using digital orthophotos, land use maps and literature data. A close correspondence between phytotoponyms and forest vegetation for the mountain belt was identified. In contrast, in the basal belt, we found poor correspondence between phytotoponyms and current forest vegetation, especially for wet forests, that can be accounted for by the severe changes in the landscape due to the agricultural and urban transformations that have occurred. The spread of phytotoponyms concerning species linked to forest degradation, such as Spartium junceum, emphasises the ancient anthropic impacts on forests. Our study shows that phytotoponyms are an important tool for analysing changes in vegetation over time. They make it possible to reconstruct changes in the landscape and the intended use of the territory and provide useful information on the restoration of forest ecosystems. Full article

At the eastern entrance of the Singapore Strait lies Pedra Branca, an island of granite rock situated in hazardous waters. Its unexceptional presence belies a rich cartographical history and infamous reputation for leading ships to grief since antiquity. Pedra Branca was first pushed into the spotlight when the British constructed the Horsburgh Lighthouse in 1851. It later caught international attention when a heated territorial dispute for the island between Singapore and Malaysia arose, lasting from 1979–2018, with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) eventually granting rights to Singapore. The ensuing legal battle led to renewed interest in the geography and post-19th century history of the island. The most recent breakthrough, however, provides a glimpse into an even earlier history of Pedra Branca—and by extension, Singapore—as shipwrecked remains dating from the 14th century were uncovered in the surrounding waters. Historical research on the ancient history of Pedra Branca has been mostly neglected by scholars over the years; thus, this paper aims to shed some light on this enigmatic history of the island and at the same time establish its history and significance by utilizing pre-British-colonization historical cartographical data from as early as the 15th century. Full article

The term Inuinnaqtun is often used in reference to a dialect of Inuktut spoken by Inuinnait (Copper Inuit) of the Central Canadian Arctic. The broader meaning of Inuinnaqtun, however, is to speak, to create, to practice, to do, to think, to be, like an Inuinnaq (a human being). Inuinnaqtun was once its own robust ecosystem, with Inuinnait physically immersed in a landscape and way of life that nourished a fluent and full language, supported human relationships, and maintained a sophisticated body of cultural knowledge. The Inuinnait journey into the 21st century has challenged the practice of Inuinnaqtun, along with the connectivity of its ecosystem. How can an integrated Inuinnaqtun ecosystem be restored in contemporary Inuinnait society? In this paper, we outline the decade-long development of a digital mapping program to document traditional forms of engagement between Inuinnait people, language and land, and facilitate the continued circulation of knowledge that underlies these relationships. In reviewing its various successes and challenges, we critically question digital technology’s ability to digitally represent Inuinnaqtun ontology, in addition to the role that digital technologies can play in facilitating the local relocation of knowledge, objects and relationships dispersed into global contexts. Full article