Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070279

Authors: Ana Alba Roxane Sperber Laura Bergemann Gregory Dale Smith

Four unvarnished oil paintings by the abstract expressionist artist Joan Mitchell were studied and conserved at the Carnegie Museum of Art (CMOA) and the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields (IMA). These paintings, Sans Neige, Sans Neige II, Low Water, and Diabolo (neige et fleurs), all dating to 1969, share a similar color palette and degradation phenomenon in thickly applied cadmium yellow brushstrokes. Samples from three works were studied using Raman and FTIR spectroscopies, stereo microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry. A protocol was developed at CMOA for the consolidation of the crumbling yellow matte impasto through the careful application of funori with gentle manipulation of the paint. Acrylic fills were used to mimic Mitchell’s paint handling in areas of loss, and the fills were textured and inpainted using funori with ground original paint samples that had detached and could not be reattached to the painting’s surface. The treatment was successfully repeated at the IMA through online collaboration with CMOA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Samples were analyzed to identify, for the first time, the artist’s late 1960s palette. Waxy nodules observed in cross sections of the crumbling yellow paint were determined to be zinc stearate agglomerates, focused along break edges and incipient cracks, strongly suggesting a relationship between the instability of the paint and these zinc soaps.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070278

Authors: Marijana Jukić Mario Šlaus Tomislav Kizivat

Subadult physiological stress and non-specific infectious conditions are key bioarchaeological indicators of health and mortality risk. This study examines the impact of periostitis (PO), along with multiple subadult stress indicators, on adult age at death in Late Antique Southern Pannonia. The sample comprises 400 adults (>15 years) from four archaeological sites (Osijek–Mursa, Vinkovci–Cibalae, Štrbinci–Certissa, and Tekić–Incerum). Previously analyzed for subadult stress, the dataset is reexamined here with a focus on periostitis. Cribra orbitalia (CO) and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) were recorded as markers of early-life physiological stress, and their interaction with periostitis was assessed. Age at death was estimated using standard osteological methods based on degenerative skeletal changes, and mean ages at death were compared by sex and combinations of pathological conditions. Periostitis was associated with a reduced mean age at death in both sexes, with a stronger effect in females. The lowest ages at death were observed in individuals exhibiting all three indicators (CO, LEH, PO), suggesting the cumulative effect of multiple stressors. Males showed greater inter-site variability, while the negative impact among females was more consistent. These findings indicate that periostitis, especially when combined with subadult stress markers, is associated with increased mortality risk and highlights sex-specific patterns in long-term survival.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070277

Authors: Jakkawat Laphet Waraphon Klinsreesuk Warawan Chuwiruch Duangrat Tandamrong Karun Kidrakarn

Community-based heritage tourism plays an important role in promoting sustainable development while preserving cultural heritage in indigenous and traditional communities. However, limited empirical evidence exists regarding its contribution to sustainable development within Mongolia’s nomadic communities. Grounded in Social Exchange Theory (SET), this study examines the relationships among Community Participation, Heritage Interpretation, Tourism Management, Cultural Identity Preservation, and Sustainable Development. Data were collected from 250 international tourists who participated in community-based heritage tourism experiences in Mongolia and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that Heritage Interpretation and Tourism Management positively influence Cultural Identity Preservation, while Community Participation, Tourism Management, and Cultural Identity Preservation significantly enhance Sustainable Development. Community Participation, however, does not significantly influence Cultural Identity Preservation. Furthermore, Cultural Identity Preservation partially mediates the relationship between Tourism Management and Sustainable Development. These findings highlight the importance of effective tourism management and meaningful heritage interpretation in strengthening cultural preservation and promoting sustainable development. The study extends the application of Social Exchange Theory in the context of community-based heritage tourism and provides practical implications for policymakers and destination managers seeking to balance cultural heritage conservation with sustainable tourism development.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070276

Authors: Eliza Pitri Argyro Fella Antonia Michaelidou Mariangela Mirra Alba Caiazzo Michele Domenico Todino

This paper presents the design and pedagogical rationale of an AI-powered avatar developed to mediate Cypriot woven heritage for preschool education. The study is conceptual and design-oriented, focusing on how visual motifs from Cypriot traditional weaving can be reinterpreted through an LLM-based conversational system grounded in retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). The system, named Sophia, transforms textile patterns from the fythiotiko tradition into dialogic narrative prompts that support storytelling, visual exploration, and creative expression in early childhood contexts. The proposed framework is intended to illustrate how artificial intelligence can support the reinterpretation of cultural artifacts as pedagogical resources when embedded within guided-play and museum-based learning approaches. It integrates visual analysis, dialogic storytelling, and artmaking into a structured learning sequence that moves from observation to interpretation and creative transformation. Rather than claiming empirical outcomes, the study positions AI-supported storytelling as a design hypothesis for culturally responsive early childhood education. It argues that AI systems can function as mediational tools between material heritage and children’s imaginative engagement, provided they are developed with pedagogical intentionality, cultural sensitivity, and ethical oversight. The paper concludes by outlining design principles for implementing AI-driven storytelling systems in museums and classroom contexts and identifies the need for future empirical validation in real educational settings.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070275

Authors: Yue Wang Yuheng Wang Ruiqi Chong Jialiang Luo Biwei Li Yihang Zhou

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070274

Authors: Aleksandar D. Slaev Boriana Nozharova Peter Nikolov

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070273

Authors: Anete Karlsone Jorens Kviesis Gatis Ikaunieks

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070272

Authors: Silvia Bottura-Scardina Eleni Kouloumpi Anastasia Rousaki Sylvia Lycke Eva Vermeersch Sara Valadas Peter Vandenabeele António Candeias

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070271

Authors: Özden Bulutbeyaz Maria Grazia Pettersson

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070270

Authors: Martin Drieschner Mike Schnelle

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070269

Authors: Matina Kiourexidou Marina Lioliou Sofia Stamou

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070268

Authors: Maria Concetta Carruba Anna Siri

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070267

Authors: Ronit Milano

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070266

Authors: María Pache-Durán Triana Arias-Abelaira Iris Salgado-Valverde Ángel Sabino Mirón-Sanguino

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070265

Authors: Giovanni Buccolieri Antonio Serra Elisabetta Palmiero Fabio Paladini Gianluca Bozzetti Alfredo Castellano Alessandro Buccolieri

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070264

Authors: Gricelda Herrera-Franco Ramón L. Espinel Fernando Morante-Carballo Maribel Aguilar-Aguilar Josué Briones-Bitar María Jaya-Montalvo Joselyne Solórzano Emily Sánchez-Zambrano Rafael Guerrero Ángel Flor Jaime Proaño-Saraguro Paúl Carrión-Mero

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070263

Authors: Seungyeol Lee

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070262

Authors: Michela Renna Sara De Angelis Giancarlo Sidoti Paola Mezzadri

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070261

Authors: Pegah Rezaie Carmen Galan-Marin Victoria Patricia Lopez-Cabeza

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070260

Authors: Mario Bentivenga Eva Pescatore Giuseppe Palladino Francesco Cavalcante Salvatore Ivo Giano

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070259

Authors: Zherui Liu Danielle S. Willkens

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070258

Authors: Roberto Graziano Sebastiano Perriello Zampelli Silvia Fabbrocino

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070257

Authors: Dhanushka Jayarathne Takehiro Morimoto

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.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070256

Authors: Giuseppe Montana Rebecca Pellitteri Alessandro Bonfardeci Luciana Randazzo

The Neolithic site of Mulino Fiaccati/Le Rocche, near Roccapalumba in the Sicilian interior, has yielded an unusually rich ceramic assemblage recovered from a fissure exposed by modern quarrying. Typological analysis and a radiocarbon date of 4783–4553 BC (2σ) confirm its Middle Neolithic attribution. The ceramics include undecorated wares, Stentinello II/Western Stentinello-type pottery, and trichrome painted vessels, with a fragment tentatively linked to the bichrome facies. The materials studied are under the guardianship of the Soprintendenza per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali di Palermo. An integrated archaeometric approach, combining petrographic thin-section analysis with a geological survey of local raw materials, identifies multiple locally produced ceramic fabrics and demonstrates deliberate selection and modification of clay resources. The results indicate on-site production for all major classes, with only a few impressed–incised vessels originating elsewhere in the Sicani Mountains, pointing to regional exchange. Technological choices such as tempering and the use of ochres reveal a sophisticated operational knowledge and challenge long-standing assumptions that fine painted ceramics were imported into Sicily. These findings provide the first scientific evidence for local production of trichrome wares and offer new insights into functional differentiation within the ceramic repertoire. Ongoing analyses aim to build a broader archaeometric database for Sicilian Neolithic ceramics and to clarify production systems, resource use, and inter-community interactions.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070255

Authors: Andi Gunawan Ignasia Germania M. Rada Akhmad Arifin Hadi Rosyi Damayanti Twinsari Manningtyas Sholihin Nafar

Waerebo Village, a UNESCO-recognized cultural site in Indonesia, reflects a close relationship between the Manggarai people, their environment, and spiritual values. However, the socio-ecological implications of its traditional spatial organization remain insufficiently explored. This study examines the Waerebo landscape model by integrating horizontal and vertical spatial patterns through field observations, in-depth interviews, and GIS-based analyses, including Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and multi-temporal NDVI assessment from 2015 to 2025. The analysis identifies a tripartite concentric landscape structure comprising the core zone, utilization zone, and sacred zone, which corresponds with the community’s customary socio-spatial organization. Geospatial analysis shows that the residential core occupies relatively stable terrain with slopes of 15–25%, whereas sacred forests remain concentrated on slopes exceeding 45%. Multi-temporal NDVI analysis indicates a gradual increase in vegetation indicators, with Mean NDVI increasing from 0.360 to 0.429 and Maximum NDVI from 0.475 to 0.522. These patterns are consistent with the continued implementation of customary regulations that guide land-use practices and forest conservation. The findings illustrate how the circular landscape model integrates settlement, production, and conservation functions within a mountainous cultural landscape.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070254

Authors: Maria Karagkouni Konstantinos Sakantamis Athina Vitopoulou

Adopted by UNESCO in 2011, the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) Recommendation consolidated earlier traditions of urban heritage conservation into a policy-oriented framework for managing change in historic cities. This embedded heritage management within sustainable urban development agendas, governance, and implementation tools. A review of HUL-related scholarship spanning from 2010 to 2024 sets the main focus of the current paper. The research engages two complementary perspectives: a bibliometric analysis of 172 publications drawn from ScienceDirect and ProQuest, and a bibliographic (thematic) review of 50 works, systematically isolated from the larger corpus, that directly engage with the concept. This study investigates how the HUL concept has evolved conceptually, how it has been interpreted across different research traditions, and to what extent current scholarship reflects or advances its intended methodological and operational scope. Bibliometric mapping was conducted using VOSviewer, supported by metadata generated in Zotero and organised through subsequent Excel classification, while the literature analysis employed a structured interpretive framework. Findings reveal that although direct references to the “HUL approach” remain limited, research frequently aligns with its core principles—sustainability, adaptive reuse, identity, and intangible values. Since 2019, case studies have expanded rapidly, spearheaded by projects carried out in China and Italy, marking a clear shift from theoretical elaboration to practical application. This transition has redirected scholarly attention from conceptual debates to the real-world challenges of participation, integration of local data, and balancing heritage management with urban development. The study concludes that effective HUL practice requires a professional mindset rooted in flexibility, interdisciplinarity, and continuous adaptation rather than prescriptive, checklist-driven methodologies.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070253

Authors: Francesca Tosi Maria Dolores Morelli Ester Iacono Alessandra Miano Alessia Brischetto

The article frames the co-design activities developed in Phase 3 of the DeinSite project, aimed at promoting product innovation in traditional craft districts through dialogue between young designers, artisans, museums, and SMEs in Southern Italy. It introduces the DeinSite Co-Design Framework, a replicable methodological model integrating three complementary types of co-design–Open, Participatory, and Prototype-Led Co-Design–that guide the entire design process, from field research to co-creation to digital experimentation. Within this framework, the article delves into the Manus Maris workshop, focused on cameo and coral, a key sector of Campania’s productive activity. The workshop interprets the marine environment as a creative, cultural, and productive ecosystem, inspiring new narratives and formal languages that combine artisanal memory and technological innovation. Through collaborative activities, physical–digital prototyping, and an intergenerational exchange between designers and craftsmen, Manus Maris has generated experimental jewellery collections reinterpreting the local tangible and intangible heritage. The findings highlight the framework’s potential as a tool for activating systemic innovation in Southern Italy’s artisanal districts, enhancing museums as cultural and production hubs and promoting new synergies between tradition and contemporary design. The proposed model is a transferable methodology, useful for regenerating “Handmade in Italy” supply chains and constructing territorial ecosystems oriented towards innovation, sustainability, and international competitiveness.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070252

Authors: Ana-Irina Lequeux-Dincă Antonia Ionescu Camelia Teodorescu

Contemporary art is part of societal transformations reflecting socio-economic challenges and needs within specific geographical environments. This exploratory visitor-centered assessment case study aims to investigate how the National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC) leverages temporary and permanent exhibitions not only as a form of artistic expression but also as a strategic tool for cultural accessibility. Interviews and field research were used to collect both visitor answers and observational data, which were further processed in the study with the help of word clouds, correlations, and statistical tests, particularly used to analyze nominal and categorical data. The main results show an important attractiveness of MNAC for educated and informed audiences, both residents and international visitors, who perceive the museum as moderately accessible, with further gaps to be addressed for people with different types of impairments. The main results of the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (significant loads of underlying factors for internal physical and cognitive accessibility) underscore the relevance of adopting a holistic accessibility paradigm in the design and optimization of museum products.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070251

Authors: Sharon Steadman John Haldon

The archaeology of climate change and environmental archaeology—each of which, in many respects, embraces the other—reflect our own times as much as they reflect both scientific advances and intellectual curiosity [...]

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070250

Authors: Sheqiang Ma

Against the backdrop of the continuing “museum boom” and increasingly diversified cultural demands, many small and medium-sized museums in China face rigid constraints, including insufficient funding, limited collections, and a shortage of professional personnel. Under such conditions, traditional exhibition models often suffer from weak narratives and limited public appeal. Focusing on the Ancient Ferry Site Museum affiliated with Xianyang Museum as the core case, this study adopts a case-study approach supplemented by comparative analysis. Drawing on exhibition texts, social education activities, visitor statistics, and operational data from recent years, it explores the narrative transformation pathways of resource-constrained museums. The findings show that the museum has gradually transformed from object-centered display to cultural storytelling, and from one-way presentation to two-way interaction, through strategies such as highlighting regional culture, refining a core narrative IP, integrating accessible technologies to create immersive experiences, expanding social education functions, and improving management systems. Based on the case analysis, this paper further proposes a “four-dimensional driving” model for narrative innovation in small and medium-sized museums, emphasizing the synergy among narrative positioning, technological experience, social connection, and management innovation. The core purpose of this model is to transform resource limitations into opportunities for distinctive development through in-depth local cultural narratives and creative transformation. Studies indicate that small and medium-sized museums can develop distinctive development models amid resource constraints via localized cultural narration, resource integration and differentiated positioning, thereby expanding their functions of cultural communication and public service. On this basis, this study argues that limited resources do not necessarily hinder museum development; rather, differentiated development can be achieved through local storytelling and resource integration. The research provides theoretical reference and practical implications for the narrative transformation of resource-constrained museums and the enhancement of public cultural services.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070249

Authors: Hua Chen Haoyuan Liu Siyi Chen Jing Cao

To mitigate cracking, pulverization, and surface spalling in ivory fossils caused by long-term burial and environmental erosion, we developed an organic–inorganic composite system based on quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan and nano-hydroxyapatite (QCB-n-HAP). Applied to degraded specimens from the Songzi Museum, this system significantly improved structural stability and long-term preservation. By systematically reviewing the technical limitations of existing conservation materials and accounting for the specific deterioration characteristics of the target fossils, we established a standardized restoration protocol following a “disease diagnosis–material matching–layered reinforcement–performance characterization” workflow. The QCB-n-HAP composite exhibits excellent interfacial compatibility with the organic components of ivory, enabling deep penetration and pore filling through synergistic hydrogen and covalent bonding. It overcomes the shortcomings of both conventional organic and inorganic materials, while offering favorable reversibility and durability. After treatment, the compressive strength of the fossil samples increased by 68%, crack bonding strength reached 1.2 MPa, and the mechanical property retention rate remained 92% after accelerated aging equivalent to five years of environmental exposure. The reinforcement layer could be completely removed without residue by mild treatment with dilute acetic acid for 30 min. This approach provides a novel technical strategy and theoretical reference for the conservation of Quaternary organic paleontological fossils.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070248

Authors: Silvia Mazzetto Nasser M. Al-Subaie Mariska Weijerman Manal A. Al-Hugail Kawther S. AlShlash Sultan AlSaleh

Protected areas are critical to biodiversity conservation, yet their cultural values remain underexplored. The objective of this study is to identify the intangible cultural heritage of communities residing within and around the Imam Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Royal Reserve and the King Khalid Royal Reserve in Saudi Arabia. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, the study combines a literature review, semi-structured interviews, and participatory observation to identify intangible cultural heritage components across the five UNESCO domains: oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, knowledge of nature, and traditional craftsmanship. Fifty-five interviews were conducted across fourteen settlements. A comprehensive database was developed and includes the identification of fifty heritage elements—twenty-five actively practiced, sixteen were at risk of disappearance, and nine no longer practiced. Results show that craftsmanship and traditional arts were the most frequently documented domains, particularly among female participants, while some oral and performance-based traditions show signs of vulnerability in relation to intergenerational transmission. The proposed participatory and ethics-driven documentation framework, compliant with the UNESCO Convention of 2003, can support the inclusion of cultural heritage in protected area management efforts. The framework is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives related to cultural sustainability, community engagement, and heritage preservation.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070247

Authors: Mihela Melem Hajdarović Borna Fuerst-Bjeliš

The linguistic landscape is a significant aspect of the cultural landscape and heritage. Istria, a region and peninsula located in the Republic of Croatia, has experienced various influences over the years that have shaped language use, impacting the linguistic landscape and the identity of the local population. This paper aims to investigate how the linguistic and spatial identity of the people in Istria has been represented in the region’s cultural landscape during two comparative periods: the turn of the 20th century (the local population’s fight for their national language against the languages imposed by the European powers that governed this region—Italy and Austria) and the turn of the 21st century (the status of minorities in the present Croatian region of Istria). This diachronic research employs a cross-sectional method to compare findings and establish cause-and-effect relationships. This study involves analyzing linguistic data from historical postcards, conducting field studies, and using the pin placement feature on Google Maps to assess recent periods. This research identified Italian and Croatian as the dominant languages during different periods, with English being increasingly prevalent in contemporary times. The results demonstrated that the spatial identity of the Italian minority community is strongly reflected in the linguistic landscape, primarily due to bilateral interstate agreements.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9070246

Authors: Matteo Lombardi Nicola Masini Nicodemo Abate

Recent advances in generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) have rapidly transformed research and practice across the Cultural Heritage domain. While several studies have investigated AI applications in documentation, analysis and dissemination, a focused and critical assessment of generative AI within 3D virtual reconstruction workflows is still lacking. This paper presents a systematic review of the literature addressing the use of generative AI in 3D heritage virtual reconstructions, with particular attention to methodological implications, scientific reliability and ethical challenges. A large-scale bibliographic analysis covering publications from 2015 to 2024 was conducted using OpenAlex, complemented by targeted manual searches. From an initial corpus of over 8700 papers on 3D heritage reconstruction, only 13 directly addressed generative AI-driven reconstruction processes. The analysis highlights a significant gap between the rapid technological development of AI-based tools and their cautious, often problematic, adoption in virtual reconstruction practices. Results reveal recurring issues related to terminological ambiguity, opacity of reconstruction processes, evaluation metrics focused on visual plausibility rather than scientific transparency and the risk of interpretative bias. The paper argues that current AI-driven approaches tend to privilege speed and aesthetic outcomes over heuristic, source-based reconstruction workflows. Finally, future research directions are discussed, emphasizing the potential role of AI as an evaluative and analytical support tool rather than a fully autonomous reconstruction agent, in alignment with established charters and principles of virtual archaeology.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060245

Authors: Inez Dorothé van der Werf Wietse Coppes Markus Gross Friederike Steckling Klaas Jan van den Berg Suzan de Groot Cathja Hürlimann Rika Pause Saskia Smulders

This research provides new insights into the materials, methods of application and modification of the black lines used by Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) in his Neoplastic works. Interesting information was gained from letters and studio photographs, the making of mock-ups and reconstructions, and the in-depth study of four paintings, dated between 1921 and 1938, in the collection of Fondation Beyeler (Riehen/Basel, Switzerland)—Tableau I (1921–1925), Composition with yellow and blue (1932), Composition with double line and blue (1935) and Picture no. III (1938)—as well as the examination of an unfinished painting, Composition with red (1934, private collection). The four paintings were investigated with high-magnification stereomicroscopy, technical photography in transmitted light and raking light, X-rays and infrared reflectography. Detailed information about the buildup and composition of the layers was gathered with the study of cross sections and microsamples, using optical microscopy and chemical analyses. It was shown that Mondrian frequently moved the lines and changed their width up to the very last working phase and, probably, did not use a ruler in the traditional sense to achieve straight lines. In one of the works, Mondrian even employed a pencil, tracing a groove in the wet paint to accentuate straight edges. The black lines consist of multiple paint layers of diluted bone black oil paint, added with small amounts of coloured paint, alternated with thin oil-resin layers, sometimes containing lead white particles. Finally, a thin (pigmented) oil-resin finish was applied on top of the black line.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060243

Authors: Darko Babić Helena Stublić

Heritage management has traditionally been shaped by what Laurajane Smith termed the “authorized heritage discourse,” wherein a narrow group of professionals determines values and meanings on behalf of broader communities. This article argues that a more inclusive, socially responsible model of heritage management is both possible and necessary. Drawing on three convergent intellectual traditions—heritage interpretation as originally formulated by Freeman Tilden, eco-museums and the new museology born from the Santiago de Chile Round Table of 1972, and the human-rights-based framework for cultural heritage enshrined in the Council of Europe’s Faro Convention of 2005—the article proposes “heritage literacy” as a conceptual synthesis which can bridge these streams. Heritage literacy denotes a form of socially responsible heritage management that empowers citizens to understand the processes through which heritage is constructed, to participate actively in its interpretation, and to direct their own development through it. The article demonstrates that heritage literacy operates simultaneously as knowledge/wisdom management and as a democratic practice, arguing that it should be recognized as an essential dimension of (cultural/heritage-related) human rights. By tracing the theoretical genealogy of each contributing tradition and synthesizing them into a unified framework, this article offers both a conceptual contribution to heritage studies and a practical orientation for heritage professionals and policymakers seeking to move beyond top–down models of heritage governance.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060244

Authors: Álvaro Gil-Plana Patricia Hernández-Lamas Beatriz Cabau-Anchuelo Jorge Bernabéu-Larena

The city of Bologna (Italy) boasts an outstanding hydraulic heritage linked to the development of the silk industry, embodied in an extensive and valuable canal network. These public works, such as the Canale di Reno and the Canale Navile, were fundamental to the urban and economic shaping of the city from the Middle Ages onwards; however, many were concealed or dismantled from the 19th century. This article analyses recent heritage engagement and dissemination strategies regarding Bologna’s historic canals and proposes new tools to overcome their spatial fragmentation and enhance their interpretation as a continuous network. The methodology combines analysis, fieldwork or valorisation of the hydraulic system, proposing two complementary promotion actions: the design of a mobile application and the development of a straightforward urban intervention consisting of linear pavement marking of the underground canals layout. The proposed operational hypotheses suggest that integrating digital resources with on-site signage brings invisible heritage to light, improves the spatial understanding of the hydraulic system, and fosters both community and tourist engagement. The study concludes that these strategies reinforce the territorial understanding and social awareness of civil engineering heritage, offering a transferable approach for the outreach of hydraulic networks.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060242

Authors: Giancarlo Ranalli Pilar Bosch-Roig Claudio Caprari Francesca Decorosi Laura Rampazzi Gabriella Saviano Carlo Viti Elisabetta Zanardini

At the archeological site of Pompeii, the deterioration of exposed structures is frequently associated with the combined action of microbial colonization and soluble salts, both recognized as major agents of decay affecting ancient surfaces. Although biocides are commonly applied during cleaning procedures to reduce microbial biomass, their incorporation into restoration-oriented formulations for the protection of porous stone substrates requires careful assessment of efficacy, microbiological risks, and sustainability. This study evaluated the performance of 2,4,5,6-tetrachloroisophthalonitrile (chlorothalonil) and iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC) as candidate active ingredients for conservation applications in activated new mortars. Yellow tuff, gray tuff, and brick samples collected from different sectors of Pompeii were investigated through culture-based analyses, ATP quantification, and metabolic profiling. Biocidal treatments were subsequently tested under laboratory conditions. The investigated substrates exhibited variable microbial counts and metabolic activity, generally reflecting different degrees of deterioration. Chlorothalonil showed negligible inhibitory effects, whereas IPBC reduced fungal growth in a dose-dependent manner. However, the highest IPBC concentration induced a red chromatic alteration associated with the selection of a bacterial strain preliminarily identified as Micrococcus roseus. Phenotype microarray analyses revealed broad chemical tolerance. Overall, biocidal treatments may alter microbial communities, favor tolerant microorganisms, and produce undesirable aesthetic effects. Finally, the study also assessed the environmental impact associated with laboratory and field activities, highlighting potential mitigation strategies to support more sustainable conservation research practices.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060241

Authors: David M. Freire-Lista Ramón Jiménez-Martínez Javier Luengo Asunción de los Ríos Sergio Pérez-Ortega Julia García-Oteyza Aidai Sulaimanova

Saimaluu-Tash I, located in a high-altitude glacial valley in Kyrgyzstan, preserves one of Central Asia’s largest and most culturally significant concentrations of rock engravings. Despite extensive archaeological research, the physical, mechanical, and chromatic properties of the sandstone substrates relevant for conservation assessment remain poorly characterized. This study integrates petrographic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, colorimetry, and Vickers hardness testing with the digital documentation of twelve engraved blocks to evaluate weathering processes, engraving practices, and long-term preservation. The engravings are carved into arkosic sandstone with carbonate cement, characterized by a weathered surface enriched in clay minerals and covered by a dark surface coating (patina). Weathered surfaces exhibit significantly lower hardness (0.6 ± 0.2 GPa) than unweathered stone (2.8 ± 0.6 GPa), which facilitated the engraving of the petroglyphs by allowing tools to penetrate more deeply into the stone. Colorimetric analyses reveal a strong chromatic contrast between the surface patina and the lighter sandstone exposed by engraving (ΔE ≈ 22.7). This contrast would have enhanced the original visibility of the petroglyphs and highlights potential conservation issues associated with the progressive reformation of this surface layer. Iconographic analysis identifies recurrent themes related to hunting, herding, mobility, animal management, and symbolic spatial practices within a nomadic high-mountain landscape. Overall, the results demonstrate how an integrated material and interpretative approach contributes to understanding rock art production processes. They support preventive and sustainable conservation strategies for vulnerable engraving landscapes shaped by long-term interactions between geological processes and human activity.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060240

Authors: Lea Kristi Agustina Deni Suwardhi Iwan Purnama Ketut Wikantika Ilham Gumeraruloh Arianto Wahyunan Andika Agung Budi Harto

Preserving cultural heritage sites requires an interoperable digital framework capable of integrating heterogeneous spatial data and supporting immersive interaction for inspection and management. This study investigates the integration of multiple heritage data representations—including IFC-based Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM), terrestrial and UAV LiDAR point clouds, and 3D Gaussian Splatting reconstructions—into a unified digital management environment for the East Hall (Aula Timur) heritage site within the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) campus. A semantic–spatial interoperability workflow is proposed to harmonize BIM, point cloud, and landscape-scale data within a common georeferenced context, supported by a CityGML-based base map of the surrounding site. An immersive virtual environment was implemented using a head-mounted display to enable walkthrough-based inspection and damage annotation. All datasets were georeferenced within a unified coordinate system, allowing spatial registration between digital objects and the physical heritage site. The results demonstrate that multi-source heritage datasets can be integrated with high geometric accuracy, achieving TLS registration errors of approximately 2 mm and georeferencing residuals within 11.1 cm (horizontal) and 0.95 cm (vertical), while preserving semantic information and ensuring spatial coherence across HBIM, GIS, and immersive environments. The system is implemented in VR, with an architecture designed to support future MR-based on-site annotation and visualization. The proposed framework establishes a foundation for future heritage digital twin deployments and supports informed conservation decisions.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060239

Authors: Wanqing Li Hazrina Haja Bava Mohidin Zuraini Md Ali

UNESCO promotes multi-stakeholder collaborative planning in World Cultural Heritage management. However, while previous studies on heritage interpretation have identified differences in stakeholder values, they have rarely shown how such differences can be translated into decision-relevant evidence to support collaborative interpretation. Using the Longmen Grottoes, a World Cultural Heritage site in China, as a case study, this study aims to transform stakeholders’ perceptions of value into evidence for collaborative interpretation within the context of World Cultural Heritage management. This study uses a mixed-methods design, integrating semi-structured interviews, questionnaire surveys, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) analysis, and semantic analysis of official policy discourse. This study compares the value perception of experts, the religious group, residents, tourism operators, and visitors, as well as the value priorities of experts and non-experts, and examines the alignment of these values with official management discourses. The findings indicate that divergences among stakeholder groups in value priorities and the official discourse system are structured primarily around expert-driven priorities, while the discourse of the religious group and the secular public are not fully reflected. This study integrates bottom-up stakeholder data with top-down policy discourse, demonstrating how value differences can be transformed into structured evidence to inform collaborative interpretation. These findings provide empirical support for management strategies in World Cultural Heritage.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060238

Authors: Eleftheria Iakovaki Markos Konstantakis Georgios Koutsouflakis Ekaterini Malea Dimitrios Makris

The documentation and reconstruction of fragile underwater organic artifacts remain among the most challenging tasks in digital heritage practice. This study presents a conservation-first, contact-minimizing protocol applied to a rare Byzantine leather bag recovered from the commercial port of Rhodes, Greece. Due to its incomplete preservation and structural instability, exclusively non-invasive methodologies were employed. High-resolution close-range photogrammetry and structured-light 3D scanning were integrated to capture both micro-topographic detail and metrically stable geometry. Quantitative deviation analysis (nearest-neighbor cloud-to-mesh distances) indicated that most geometric differences remain below 0.5 mm. The resulting models were processed through controlled mesh optimization, UV remapping, and conservation-oriented digital completion workflows. In addition, radiance field visualization techniques such as Gaussian Splatting were explored as complementary visualization approaches for incomplete geometries. These methods were evaluated primarily in terms of visual continuity and interpretative support rather than as reconstruction tools. The study demonstrates that the integration of photogrammetry, structured-light scanning, and Gaussian Splatting can significantly enhance the documentation and visualization of fragile underwater organic heritage. At the same time, it highlights the necessity of methodological transparency and ethical framing when incorporating probabilistic reconstructions into conservation workflows.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060237

Authors: Ebrahim Ghaderpour Clarisse Djetounako Nekoulnang Hamdji Milman Noudjiko Pier Paolo Rossi Rocco Rotunno Savino di Lernia

Automated detection of archaeological stone cairns using high-resolution satellite imagery offers a scalable approach for documenting vulnerable heritage landscapes in the Ennedi Massif, where extensive and remote terrain limits traditional field survey, and rapid documentation is required. This study presents a GIS and deep learning framework based on the YOLOv8 model to identify and map stone cairns using Google Satellite RGB imagery at 28.5 cm spatial resolution. Ground-truth data collected via GPS field survey were used to train and validate YOLOv8n. The study area was divided into two regions with contrasting terrain and illumination conditions to evaluate model transferability. The training region included 149 verified cairns, while the independent test region included 103 cairns. Early stopping reduced overfitting, reaching mAP50 of 99.5% and mAP50–95 of 94.3%. A density-based spatial clustering algorithm was applied to merge overlapping detections and generate circular cairn representations. On the test set, the model achieved 83.5% precision, recall, and F1-score, indicating stable performance under the selected operational configuration. Comparison with YOLOv5n showed slightly higher localization accuracy for YOLOv8n, while YOLOv5n yielded marginally higher precision and F1-score. Overall, the framework provides a non-invasive tool for large-scale archaeological prospection and heritage monitoring in remote desert environments.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060236

Authors: Vasiliki Kyriakou Vassilis P. Panoskaltsis

In the original publication [...]

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060235

Authors: Hyeonghoo Park Youngjae Lim

This study examines the spatial organization of the Iksan Ssangneung neungwon, a late Baekje royal tomb precinct located in Iksan, southwestern Korea, and associated with the Sabi period. It analyzes visual differentiation, defined here as the graded variation in visual relationships between the Daewangneung and the Sowangneung along a movement sequence. The study uses an integrated GIS-based analysis of terrain, hydrology, and movement-based visual differentiation. A ridge-based approach sequence is defined using topographic and hydrological criteria, and observation points are generated at fixed intervals. Construct Sight Lines analysis measures vertical prominence, angular separation, and visual intensity, which are integrated into a composite index. The results show that, within this modeled ridge-based approach scenario, visual differentiation is unevenly distributed along the approach sequence. Composite values increase toward a restricted central segment of the modeled route and decrease toward the transitional and outer segments. The highest values coincide with the burial mounds and the Seogwangdong architectural locus. Movement along the ridge is associated with intensified visual differentiation centered on the Daewangneung, whereas the architectural locus appears to create a local viewing condition in which the visual contrast between the two mounds is moderated. The results suggest that, within this route-dependent reconstruction, spatial organization can be examined as a measurable pattern of graded visual differentiation shaped by topography, hydrology, movement, and locally differentiated viewing conditions.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060234

Authors: Andrea Serodio Domínguez Eduardo Méndez-Quintas Adugna Debalike Tesfaye Aragie Rita T. Melis Patricia Bello-Alonso Giuseppina Mutri Giuseppe Briatico Flavio Altamura Margherita Mussi

The eastern African archaeological record is central to understanding early human evolution, yet its Pleistocene sites often present major challenges for public interpretation due to their open-air character and limited monumentality. In this context, in situ musealisation has emerged as a key strategy for combining conservation, research, and public access. This paper examines the historical development of such practices in eastern African archaeology through a comparative assessment of major sites, including Olorgesailie, Kariandusi, Isimila, and Olduvai Gorge, with particular emphasis on the Melka Kunture and Balchit (Ethiopia) archaeological complex. The analysis shows that early initiatives were largely experimental, frequently linked to specific academic events or tourism development, and commonly based on the direct exposure of archaeological surfaces, which generated important conservation and research constraints. By contrast, Melka Kunture represents a more integrated management model that combines landscape-scale interpretation, controlled visitor itineraries, multilingual outreach, high-resolution documentation, and the strategic use of replicas in a sensitive context. Recently inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the site illustrates how Pleistocene heritage can be made publicly accessible without compromising scientific integrity.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060233

Authors: George Pavlidis Vasileios Sevetlidis Vasileios Arampatzakis

Digital twins have become a central paradigm for cultural heritage documentation, monitoring, and preventive preservation. Yet, when cultural heritage systems promise prediction, simulation, intervention planning, and decision support, a more explicit account is needed of the computational commitments behind such claims. This position paper proposes the notion of the heritage world model as a conceptual and architectural abstraction that uses the semantic digital twin as its representational layer and extends it toward prediction, memory, uncertainty-aware reasoning, and intervention evaluation. We define a heritage world model as a structured, temporally updated, semantically grounded, and action-aware model of a heritage asset and its preservation environment, capable of integrating observations, estimating latent risk states, predicting plausible future trajectories, and evaluating interventions under uncertainty. The paper does not present a validated deployed system. Rather, it clarifies the architectural conditions under which a decision-support digital twin infrastructure could support the kind of world-model-like preservation system proposed here. It further argues that such a model becomes operationally meaningful only when it includes a human-supervised controller layer that maps semantic state, predicted risk trajectories, uncertainty, memory, and institutional constraints into preservation-relevant actions, alerts, monitoring adaptations, or requests for expert review. Sensor data, remote sensing, computational models, risk assessments, policies, and conservation actions are interpreted as possible observational, dynamic, and intervention layers of a heritage world model. The paper reviews adjacent work in heritage digital twins, semantic and reactive ontologies, risk-aware preservation, agentic AI, and modern AI world models, and proposes a research agenda for moving toward predictive, memory-bearing, and intervention-aware preservation intelligence.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060232

Authors: Demitrios Galanakis Emmanuel Maravelakis Nectarios Vidakis Markos Petousis Antonios Konstantaras Massimiliano Pepe

This paper presents a multidimensional analysis of Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) segmentation, offering a roadmap towards standardization, a key dimension towards broader adoption within the Cultural Heritage (CH) sector. HBIM faces multiple challenges related to the lack of standardized protocols and varying definitions of Level of Detail (LOD) across applications. Amid the advancements of the fourth industrial revolution, integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) improves sustainability and digital governance, aligning with the sustainable development agenda. Despite increasing academic interest, the implementation of HBIM remains limited, primarily due to the complexities and heterogeneities inherent in CH artifacts. This study begins with a purely qualitative strategy. Then, it introduces multidimensional and hierarchical clustering analysis to classify the unique characteristics of various HBIM applications such as segmentation, input, and data-capturing media. At the same time, it is a tool for fine-tuning keyword-based selection criteria, which is crucial in systematic or semi-systematic surveys in HBIM segmentation. The thematic analysis output is interrupted just before the conceptualization step, and theme extraction is diverted to correspondence analysis implemented in R, an open-source statistical package. Among the key findings of this paper is the classification of four distinct HBIM application clusters, revealing how specific workflows align with data acquisition methods, input formats, and Level of Detail (LOD) requirements. The analysis exposes critical standardization bottlenecks hindering wider-scale industry adoption, highlighting that challenges are domain-specific. Strong evidence shows that 3D modeling has not reached the required maturity level, with persisting challenges distributed non-uniformly within the applications spectrum. Finally, AI-driven automation relates with poor LOD outcome.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060231

Authors: Lynn Chua Diego Tamburini Miki Komatsu Peter Lee Alexandra Green

Fifty-five batik textiles produced along coastal Java in the late 19th to early 20th century were analysed to study the red dyes and the cotton fabrics. Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) classified the dyes into six groups and identified 70% of the samples as Morinda. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a diode array detector and tandem Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) confirmed the SERS results and identified synthetic dyes in the remaining samples, which were used either alone or in mixtures with Morinda or indigo. Synthetic alizarin (C.I. 58000, Mordant Red 11) was the most frequently detected synthetic dye. Auramine O (C.I. 41000, Basic Yellow 2), fuchsin (C.I. 42510, Basic Violet 14), and rhodamine B (C.I. 45170, Basic Violet 10) were occasionally detected. The results also highlighted two possible types of Morinda and two variations of synthetic alizarin. The shades obtained from mixtures of natural and synthetic dyes were visually indistinguishable from those obtained with pure natural or synthetic dye, as confirmed by colourimetry. The variety of dyes and cotton fabrics shared across batik producers makes it challenging to attribute unsigned batiks to specific workshops. Nevertheless, this study demonstrated that synthetic dye uptake during this period was limited and experimental, with natural Morinda remaining the preferred choice despite the availability of European synthetic alternatives.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060230

Authors: Philippe Colomban Gulsu Simsek-Franci Marie-Lys Chevalier

For the first time, twenty spun polychrome glass figurines (considered as tangible cultural heritage objects) stylistically assigned to workshops of the city of Nevers from the 17th to 19th centuries have been analyzed at the Musée de la Faïence et des Beaux-Arts of Nevers using non-invasive XRF and Raman spectroscopy. The results are compared with those previously obtained for figurines assigned to the Perrot’s Orléans workshop. A wide variety of glass compositions is observed, ranging from lead-free to lead-rich compositions, which are attributed to the preparation technique that involves mixing glass stems of different origins during the creation of the figurine. White opacification is achieved with Ca2Sb2O7. The cobalt source is consistently arsenic-rich, but its composition becomes more complex during the 18th century, indicating the use of different cobalt sources. A variety of lead-tin and Naples yellow pigments are identified. Metal nanoparticles are used for pink, ruby, and carnation colors. The detection of associated arsenic and/or tin supports the identification of the use of gold nanoparticles. Cassiterite and arsenates of lead/calcium/potassium are also detected in a few figurines, probably from a different workshop. This latter opacifier, being more frequent in previously studied artifacts assigned to Orléans, suggests that the assignment to Nevers could be questioned. Aventurine glass is present in two objects.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060229

Authors: Alexandros Aristotelis Koupatsiaris Hara Drinia

Anthropocene pressures underscore that human well-being and societal resilience depend on both biodiversity and geodiversity, the latter providing the abiotic foundation of Earth’s life-support systems. Despite increasing emphasis on systems thinking, participation, and action, Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development often underrepresent this abiotic dimension and leave ethical commitments insufficiently articulated. Addressing these gaps, this concept paper develops a convergence framework that integrates geoethics, geoeducation, and geoenvironmental education within the broader domains of EE and ESD. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship, geoethics is positioned as a normative lens that clarifies principles for responsible human–Earth relations, including responsibility, justice, respect for Earth processes, transparency in science communication, prudent resource use, and risk-aware decision-making. Geoeducation is conceptualized as the pedagogical vehicle through which these values are translated into competencies such as geoliteracy, systems thinking, critical reflection, ethical deliberation, and evidence-informed action, while geoenvironmental education provides the integrative content domain linking biotic, abiotic, and cultural dimensions. Place-based learning functions as the primary implementation pathway, with protected landscapes and UNESCO Global Geoparks serving as exemplary “living laboratories” where geoconservation, education, and sustainable development are co-produced with local communities. The paper advances three interrelated contributions: (a) a conceptual convergence framework, (b) an operational definition of geoethical awareness, and (c) a programmatic model linking geoethical values to competencies, pedagogies, indicators, and place-based implementation strategies. Operationalized through a Theory of Change and a translation matrix connecting principles to educational outcomes, the framework provides a foundation for future empirical research, curriculum development, teacher education, and the cultivation of geo-citizenship, stewardship, and more resilient human–Earth relationships.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060228

Authors: Ioana Maria Cortea

The FAIR principles have become a central framework for research data management and digital infrastructures, yet their implementation remains challenging within the long-tail of research. This paper examines how FAIR principles can be operationalized in practice through a case study on the FAIRification of the INFRA-ART Spectral Library, a specialized heritage science data service hosting multi-analytical spectral datasets related to art and archaeological materials. The FAIRification process was approached as an iterative and incremental workflow structured around three interconnected dimensions: technical interoperability, semantic alignment, and governance-oriented stewardship practices. Implementation activities included machine-actionable metadata exposure, semantic enrichment through ontology mappings and controlled vocabularies, interoperability-oriented infrastructure development, and the adoption of TRUST-aligned governance mechanisms. The results demonstrate substantial improvements in metadata quality, discoverability, interoperability, and repository transparency. At the same time, the FAIRification process highlighted persistent challenges related to fragmented semantic resources, evolving interoperability requirements, limited stewardship capacity, and dependence on project-based funding and institutional support. The study argues that effective FAIRification in long-tail data services depends on context-sensitive and incremental implementation approaches rather than rigid compliance models.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060227

Authors: Mirzam Abdurrachman Idham Andri Kurniawan Prihadi Sumintadireja Abdillah Baraas Firman Sauqi Nur Sabila Muhammad Bahrun Najah Moh Fadhly Rizki Yazid Salma Sakinah Harry Nuriman Dian Hadiyansyah Ridwan Ridwan Masayuki Sakakibara Afdal Yulius Deswira Harneti

The Ranah Minang Silokek Geopark (RMSG) in West Sumatra is a designated Indonesian National Geopark aspiring for UNESCO Global Geopark status. This study provides a preliminary qualitative inventory of its geodiversity to evaluate its international significance, scientific value, and educational value. Based on literature synthesis and field investigations at 14 representative geosites, we characterize the lithological, stratigraphic, and geomorphological diversity. The results reveal an exceptional geological record spanning nearly 300 million years, from the Carboniferous–Permian to the Neogene. The geodiversity comprises a complete rock spectrum (sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic), including Paleozoic limestones, Triassic granitoid intrusions, and Cenozoic sedimentary basin deposits. Geomorphological features are equally varied, encompassing extensive karst landscapes, structurally controlled fluvial systems, and tectonic landforms. This remarkable assemblage of geological features provides a coherent narrative of West Sumatra’s evolution, from its origins as part of the Gondwana, through Mesozoic tectonic amalgamation and magmatism, to Cenozoic basin development associated with the Sunda Arc subduction system. The high geodiversity of RMSG not only underscores its potential for international recognition but also offers significant opportunities for geotourism and geo-education, presenting a natural laboratory for understanding the complex geological history of Southeast Asia.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060226

Authors: Hawar Himdad J. Sektani Fenk D. Miran Hardi K. Abdullah

Community- and values-based approaches to the conservation of architectural heritage are increasingly emphasised. Yet empirical evidence on how local communities assess the potential of interventions for built heritage remains limited. Hence, when examining heritage interventions based on prevailing theories, visual scenario testing is considered a significant communication tool. Therefore, this study investigates local community preferences for different intervention levels in Koya City’s urban heritage using Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted visualisations that span a continuum of interventions. The visualisations serve as the basis for the survey, which was used to explore local preferences for the various heritage intervention scenarios. The correspondence between the AI-assisted visuals and the theoretical interventions was assessed by experts before the survey. The findings suggest that low- to moderate-intensity conservation strategies that preserve architectural character are consistently preferred by the survey community. In contrast, interventions that involved considerable physical change were markedly less favoured. Results from the expert validation test indicate that low- to moderate-intervention levels were reliably visualised using AI-assisted visualisations, while the higher-intervention levels were considered less representative. The supplementary calibration further highlights the importance of visual granularity in participatory heritage evaluation. However, the study remains exploratory and limited by the use of AI-assisted visualisations, a single case-study context, and the difficulty of translating nuanced conservation doctrines into visually discrete categories. This study makes a dual contribution by providing empirical evidence of local preferences across a continuum of conservation interventions, and by proposing an AI-assisted visual methodology to bridge expert conservation theory with public understanding.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060225

Authors: Huiling Zhang Wenjing Zhou Sihan Chen Guanghua Li Liang Qu Yao Chen Yingjie Yu Vivi Tornari

The detection and degradation analysis of subsurface microcracks in mural paintings remain challenging due to their inhomogeneous multilayered structure and complex deterioration mechanisms. In this study, we propose a multimodal stepwise method for three-dimensional characterization and cross-scale degradation analysis by integrating digital holography (DH), infrared thermography (IRT), acoustic excitation (AE), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In the first step, an adjustable field-of-view (FOV) digital holographic system is developed to capture subsurface deformation under acoustic excitation, enabling high-resolution planar characterization of subsurface microcracks. Infrared thermography is then employed to estimate crack depth through an inverse thermal model, achieving full three-dimensional reconstruction of crack geometry. Based on the reconstructed structures, MD simulations are conducted to investigate the evolution of stress, bond breaking, and crack propagation under varying temperature and humidity conditions, with particular emphasis on water molecule migration and chemically induced degradation. The results demonstrate that environmental factors promote stress concentration and material embrittlement at crack tips, leading to secondary microcrack formation and progressive deterioration. Experimental aging tests show strong agreement with simulation results, validating the proposed methodology. This work establishes a unified “characterization–simulation–validation” paradigm, providing new insights into the mechanisms of mural degradation and offering a robust framework for non-destructive evaluation and preventive conservation of multilayer cultural heritage materials.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060224

Authors: Juan Ignacio Rengifo-Gallego Santiago M. Cruzada Luz María Martín Delgado

This study examines the traditional hunting of the red-legged partridge using a decoy in Extremadura as an expression of intangible cultural heritage. It is a centuries-old hunting practice that has evolved into a social, recreational, and symbolic activity, closely linked to local identity and to collective memory. The research documents cultural values, the intergenerational transmission of knowledge, and the adaptation of the practice to modernity, highlighting its role in community building and its connection to the territory. Through a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and ethnographic techniques (participant observation, interviews) and quantitative tools (statistical and cartographic analysis), the study captures the complexity of this hunting modality, including its social, historical and artisanal dimensions.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060223

Authors: Rodica-Mariana Ion Monica Mărgărit Meda Toderaș Sofia Slămnoiu-Teodorescu Gabriel Vasilievici Elvira Alexandrescu

This study investigates the composition, morphology and cultural significance of red pigment traces identified on bone pointed tools discovered in the Chalcolithic tell settlement of Pietrele–Măgura Gorgana, attributed to the Kodjadermen–Gumelnița–Karanovo VI cultural complex (4600–4250 BC). The observed use-wear patterns are consistent with repeated contact with soft, non-abrasive materials, including hide working, pigment application on leather or other organic surfaces, fiber manipulation, and perforation of soft substrates. Use-wear analysis revealed polished and flattened distal ends, compatible with repeated use on soft, non-abrasive materials, such as hide, leather, fiber, or other organic substrates. The possibility of pigment application directly on skin, in a practice analogous to tattooing, as previously published, cannot be excluded but remains speculative in the absence of experimental reference data or residue evidence specifically linked to such use. An associated ceramic container was tentatively interpreted as a possible vessel for ochre preparation, suggesting local processing of the pigment. The artifacts were investigated using multi-analytical archaeometric methods: SEM-EDS, AFM, TEM, FTIR, Raman, TGA, CLSM and pseudo-color image segmentation and 3D rendering of porosity distribution. The results consistently identified an iron oxide-based pigment, dominated by hematite and/or goethite, specific to ochre. Pigment particles (50–300 nm) form a well-defined superficial layer on the bone substrate, without Fe–Ca reactions at the interface. The simultaneous presence of Ca, P, Si, Mg and K indicates a silicate matrix with an apatite component, compatible with local and poorly purified raw materials. CIELAB colorimetric analyses revealed significant chromatic variability, suggesting the use of hematite-rich pigments and possible thermal transformations of goethite. The results contribute to the understanding of the pigment technologies of the Chalcolithic communities of the Lower Danube.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060222

Authors: Rama Al-Rabady Alaa Khashman

This article interrogates the ontological paradox of Jordan’s abandoned vernacular villages (kirbeh), which persist as “villages of two times”—simultaneously abandoned yet present for nearby communities. Existing heritage frameworks, focused on material authenticity and physical integrity, cannot fully account for places that endure through absence rather than preservation. In response, we propose a biaxial ontological framework that explains how fragmentation generates new significance over time—a process conventional fragmentation theory overlooks because it treats breakage as loss rather than as what we term “productive fragmentation.” Specifically, the biaxial framework reveals that as material fragments decay and disperse (horizontal axis), they simultaneously acquire temporal depth and existential meaning (vertical axis). This dual process, which we term “productive fragmentation,” is the paper’s core contribution. Drawing on twenty-four semi-structured interviews across five villages, the study advances this biaxial framework by fusing fragmentation theory with concepts of deep urbanity, generative decay, time rupture, and existential displacement. The key finding is that disintegration generates new significance: fragments become more, not less, meaningful as they decay. The framework distinguishes a horizontal axis (spatial dispersal as collage and palimpsest) from a vertical axis (coexistence of multiple temporalities and anchoring of identity across generations). The implication is a paradigm shift: abandoned vernacular heritage embodies a distinct form of life—lived in the enduring presence of absence. By this phrase, we mean that community members experience the abandoned village not as a dead past but as an active presence—through memories, return visits, stories, and portable fragments like soil or keys—even as its material fabric decays. Absence here is not emptiness but a different mode of being present.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060221

Authors: Lorenzo Torrisi Mariapompea Cutroneo Alfio Torrisi

This work presents and discusses a study of the oxidized patina on copper-based coins. Patina layers were characterized after thermal treatments on various coins and calibration samples using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, which was employed to measure oxide layer thicknesses. Laser ablation of copper-based samples was carried out with an ns pulsed Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm. The ablation yield was measured based on selected laser parameters and is analyzed in relation to controlled cleaning of different types of copper surfaces, either to remove superficial oxides from artistic or manufactured objects or to remove patina from old coins. As a micro-invasive technique, laser ablation may provide a methodological approach for patina thickness assessment and, in carefully controlled and case-specific situations, for selective surface treatment.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060220

Authors: Hyun Sil Shin XuYan Chen

In many rural heritage settings, continuity depends less on static preservation than on the ongoing negotiation of space, governance, and cultural practice. This dynamic is particularly evident in transnational Hakka villages, where lineage networks, migration histories, and everyday adaptation continuously reshape heritage in practice. Existing research, however, often treats material conservation, governance arrangements, and cultural meaning as separate analytical domains, limiting its ability to explain the complexity of lived heritage processes and reducing its relevance for practical heritage management. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Zhongchuan Village, Fujian Province, China, this study employs semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and qualitative thematic analysis to examine how heritage continuity is sustained and transformed through everyday social practice. The findings identify three interrelated dimensions of heritage-making: material–technical adaptation, social–institutional governance, and symbolic–cultural meaning. Based on these interactions, the study develops the Three-Dimensional Cultural Interweaving Model (3D-CCM) as an integrated analytical framework for understanding dynamic heritage processes. By connecting these dimensions, 3D-CCM highlights how rural heritage continuity emerges through the interaction of architectural adaptation, governance negotiation, and cultural interpretation. The study further shows that heritage-making in Zhongchuan Village is shaped not only by local practices and institutional arrangements, but also by ongoing connections within transnational Hakka networks. These findings contribute to current discussions on sustainable rural heritage by emphasizing the importance of community participation, adaptive reuse, and cross-regional cultural relationships.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060219

Authors: Kristýna Charlotte Schelkalin Milan Kouřil Andrei Kazanskii Matěj Reiser

The appearance of a historical metal object and the presence of corrosion products on its surface are not always decisive for assessing the corrosion state of the object. A simple, fast, and instrumentally undemanding technique for measuring the corrosion rate of corroded lead is linear polarization resistance. Its value, determined in a non-aggressive electrolyte, tap water, is able to distinguish between a corrosion-active and corrosion-stable state. While the corrosion-active state is characterized by polarization resistance values in the order of tenths of Ω·m2, the stable state is characterized by values exceeding 1 Ω·m2. Lead acetates formed by reaction with volatile acetic acid, although present in very small quantities that are difficult to detect by XRD, are the cause of increased corrosion rate of lead in the presence of moisture. Acetates can be rapidly transformed into stable carbonates by exposing the object to moistened carbon dioxide. The polarization resistance measured in tap water showed considerable decrease in the corrosion rate of lead after stabilization with carbon dioxide. In contrast, thermal treatment at temperatures up to 70 °C is not as effective in terms of stabilization. Stabilization treatment of historical lead objects with carbon dioxide can be part of an ethoxene disinfection procedure.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060218

Authors: Murray Parker Dirk H. R. Spennemann

Cultural heritage arises from the interactions of people and the connected environment, manifesting in both tangible and intangible forms. Standard management aims to identify and register heritage assets, with subsequent conservation preserving identified values. Australian and New Zealand/Aotearoa heritage-specific legislation enshrines distinct ascribed values, formed in response to charters presenting heritage philosophies. Recent shifts towards greater acceptance of intangible heritage and emerging scholarly attention towards sensorial aspects (smells and sounds) demonstrate trajectories of change and a broader understanding of heritage theory. How this is exemplified in real-world management is rarely discussed. Taking Australasia as an example, this paper aims to survey values as enshrined in heritage legislation, examine aesthetic value definitions, and investigate recognition of olfactory sensorial aspects in heritage registers. We find that despite aesthetic, historic, and scientific values being commonly presented in the legislation, aesthetic olfactory attributes are largely absent, being recorded in only 0.18% across all heritage entries. Of these, a quarter were attributed significance or value, with the majority of entries being associated with offensive smell mitigation. We find this incongruent with recent scholarly work, and discuss potential reasons thereof, finding there is significant room to develop identification/assessment of olfactory aesthetic heritage.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060217

Authors: Tianyu Han

China and Italy both possess rich operatic traditions, yet both encounter challenges in sustaining engagement among younger generations. This study investigates how infrastructural conditions influencing young audiences’ willingness to experience with traditional opera through a comparative study of two cultural contexts. Drawing on focus group interviews with participants across both countries, the research examines three interrelated theoretical dimensions: accessibility, experience, and mediation. Through systematic qualitative content analysis, the results indicate that while both Chinese and Italian participants recognized opera as a culturally significant art form, their participation modes differed. In China, attendance was often perceived as a planned and formal activity tied to modern cultural districts, with a strong reliance on media support to reduce entry barriers. In Italy, opera was described as embedded in historical urban environments and social routines, prioritizing the preservation of live performance integrity, maintained through continuity and familiarity. Such findings define opera engagement as a process shaped by interwoven access, experiential, and mediating infrastructures. Overall, this research identifies the needs of young opera audiences in both countries and offers cross-national perspectives for theatrical institutions, aiming to enhance operations and global communication of traditional opera.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060216

Authors: Evren Türkmenoğlu Dan Davis

This study examines three Byzantine-period amphora carriers (Knidos F, L, and N) discovered off the coast of Knidos within the context of Eastern Mediterranean maritime trade. The research is based on deep-water surveys conducted by ROVs from the E/V Nautilus, combined with seabed mapping and typological analysis of amphora assemblages. The Knidos F and L wrecks carried predominantly Günsenin Type I amphorae and date to the 10th–12th centuries, reflecting the revival of Byzantine maritime commerce. Knidos N represents a later, likely 13th-century context with a distinct amphora assemblage. Together, these wrecks highlight the continued commercial significance of the Carian maritime corridor in Byzantine shipping networks.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060215

Authors: Nikolaos Partarakis Menelaos N. Katsantonis Emmanouil Zidianakis

This systematic review examines how Extended Reality (XR) technologies, i.e., Virtual (VR), Augmented (AR), Mixed (MR), and Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) are designed, implemented, and evaluated in cultural heritage (CH) applications, addressing five research questions: (RQ1) How were XR technologies applied in CH between 2021 and 2025? (RQ2) What interaction paradigms are used, and how do they shape engagement and meaning making? (RQ3) What user experience outcomes are reported in XR CH applications? (RQ4) What evaluation methods are employed and what methodological gaps remain? (RQ5) What challenges persist across XR heritage implementations? Peer-reviewed, English-language studies reporting on implemented XR systems in CH contexts with empirical or evaluative data were included; conceptual articles without a described implementation, non-English publications, and studies published before January 2020 were excluded. Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and the ACM Digital Library were searched for publications dated January 2020 through March 2025, complemented by manual proceedings screening (SIGGRAPH, CHI, IMX, VRCAI) and backward/forward citation tracking. All databases were last searched in March 2025. Two independent researchers screened all records and extracted data; disagreements were resolved through structured discussion. Bias toward positive novelty outcomes was mitigated by including conference proceedings alongside journal articles to broaden the evidence base. A qualitative thematic synthesis was employed, as methodological heterogeneity across studies precluded statistical meta-analysis. Findings were organized inductively into four thematic domains through iterative coding and inter-author consensus. From an initial corpus of 359 records, 287 unique records were retained after deduplication; following title/abstract screening and full-text eligibility assessment, 64 studies were included in the final synthesis. The majority (60/64) were published between 2021 and 2025, with study sample sizes ranging from small expert cohorts (n ≈ 6) to large public deployments (n > 125). The thematic analysis across technology, interaction design, user experience, and evaluation reveals trends toward participatory, multiuser, and multimodal XR designs, reporting benefits including immersion, engagement, learning, and accessibility, alongside recurring challenges such as cost, usability, cybersickness, content authenticity, and lack of longitudinal evaluation. Beyond thematic description, using a cross-domain analytical synthesis, we identify the Design Coherence Framework for XR Heritage (DCF-XR); this is a four-dimensional interpretive model spanning technology, interaction design, user experience, and evaluation, which provides an original diagnostic lens for understanding the conditions under which XR effectively serves cultural heritage goals. A typology of four recurring design failure modes, derived inductively from the corpus, demonstrates that the most persistent shortcomings in the field arise not from the weakness of individual dimensions but from their misalignment with one another. Evidence is limited by the predominance of small convenience samples, single-session laboratory evaluations, and the absence of domain-specific standardized assessment instruments for XR in CH, which constrains the generalizability of reported outcomes. Targeted recommendations for rigorous, ethical, and inclusive XR practice in CH are presented, highlighting the need for longitudinal studies, open datasets, and standardized evaluation frameworks. This review received no external funding. This review was not pre-registered in a prospective register.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060214

Authors: Marijana Jukić Mario Šlaus Vlatko Kopić

Subadult stress is an important bioarchaeological indicator of the health status of archaeological populations, and its interpretation requires consideration of biological, environmental, and social factors. This paper examines the impact of cribra orbitalia (CO) and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) on adult mortality in Late Antique Southern Pannonia. A sample of 400 adult individuals from the sites of Mursa (Osijek), Cibalae (Vinkovci), Certissa (Štrbinci), and Incerum (Tekić) was analyzed. The results show that CO has a statistically significant negative impact on age-at-death in both sexes, whereas LEH shows a non-significant to weak impact with a statistically non-significant trend. The cumulative effect of multiple indicators of subadult stress could particularly negatively affect females, which is associated with reproductive burden and socio-cultural factors. The results confirm the complex interaction between environment and humans—the importance of living conditions and health stressors on the health and mortality of individuals and the entire observed population—at the same time in the analyzed sample.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060213

Authors: Walter Prochaska Vilma Ruppienė Vasiliki Anevlavi Harald Meller Veit Dresely Donat Wehner

As part of a fundamental and comprehensive monitoring and conservation of the tomb of Emperor Otto the Great in the cathedral of Magdeburg, the question of the provenance of the marble cover slab of the sarcophagus was investigated. Within the restoration activities, two samples of the slab were taken for scientific provenance analyses, one sample of the white marble and another of the irregular grey bands. The following investigations were used for this purpose: analysis of the stable isotopes of O and C, and chemical analysis of a large number of trace elements, resulting in a large number of variables. For the simultaneous evaluation of these numerical results, statistical multivariate analysis was used for comparing the results with our database of approximately 7000 samples from ancient marble quarries and the data being referenced in this investigation are published and listed here. The results obtained clearly identify the quarries of Prokonnesos in the Sea of Marmara as the most probable source of the examined slab. This is in perfect agreement with petrographic analyses carried out on these samples.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060212

Authors: José Antonio Calvillo-Ardila Lázaro Gabriel Lagóstena-Barrios Pedro L. Galindo

Accurate three-dimensional documentation has become an essential tool for the analysis, interpretation, and preservation of archaeological heritage, particularly in the case of large and complex architectural remains. This paper presents a high-resolution three-dimensional documentation and quantitative study of the Great Cistern of Sierra Aznar, a major Roman water-storage structure located in Arcos de la Frontera (Cádiz, southern Spain). A geometrically reliable three-dimensional model was generated through the integration of image-based photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning, ensuring high spatial resolution and complete geometric coverage. The resulting model provided the basis for detailed metric analyses, including planimetric documentation, estimation of maximum storage capacity, and assessment of sediment accumulation within the structure. The results indicate that the cistern had an estimated storage capacity of approximately 2180 m3, while sediment deposits currently occupy nearly 37.5% of its original volume, offering valuable evidence for the long-term evolution and post-depositional history of the monument. In addition, the spatial and altimetric relationships between the cistern, nearby sedimentation basins (piscinae limariae), and an associated fountain are consistent with a coordinated water-management landscape, although direct hydraulic connections are not preserved. The Great Cistern of Sierra Aznar is thus presented as a significant archaeological case study illustrating how rigorous three-dimensional documentation can support quantitative analysis, contextual interpretation, and the long-term preservation of complex hydraulic heritage.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060211

Authors: Gabriele Rotter Bryan Burnett Marco Romeo Carmelo Lamacchia Claudio Carciola Giancarlo Palumbo Felice Nunziata

This study presents a Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) characterization of three American Civil War era ammunition: the .56-52 Spencer, .56-56 Spencer, and .50 US carbine centerfire. Analysis revealed the Spencer rimfire cases consist of pure copper, likely to prevent the embrittlement caused by mercury fulminate in the primer, whereas the latter .50 US carbine centrefire case utilizes a brass alloy. The propellant was confirmed to be traditional black powder. Notably, traces of silicon and aluminum detected within the primer and propellant residues were thoroughly investigated. The lack of systematic glass markers suggests these elements originated from impurities or degraded organic binders, rather than intentionally added glass frictionators. Ultimately, this research addresses a gap in the literature regarding the material composition and degradation of mid-19th-century ammunition.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060210

Authors: Hui Zhong

Climate change poses accelerating and intensifying threats to cultural heritage worldwide, necessitating urgent and coordinated state-level responses. This study critically examines China’s governance framework for climate adaptation of cultural heritage, identifying a critical policy misalignment: although relevant legal and governance instruments—spanning cultural heritage protection, environmental governance, disaster risk reduction, territorial spatial planning, and climate action systems—are nominally in place, they remain profoundly fragmented in practice, resulting in operational inefficiency that severely constrains effective adaptation. To address this, the paper argues for a fundamental paradigm shift from static preservation to dynamic adaptation. It proposes a reform pathway centered on three pillars: reconceptualizing heritage from static preservation to dynamic adaptation, institutionalizing cross-departmental cooperation, and integrating systemic adaptation tools into planning and decision-making. The ultimate objective is to establish an adaptive governance system capable of responding flexibly to climate impacts through interdisciplinary coordination. This transformation is framed as a critical strategic imperative, essential for ensuring the long-term resilience of cultural heritage and civilizational continuity in a warming world.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060209

Authors: Jesse Casana Jasper A. Clayton Mary Lamberth Carolin Ferwerda

High-resolution, commercially acquired satellite imagery has been shown to be a powerful tool for documentation and analysis of damage to archaeological sites, particularly in conflict zones where ground-based observations are impractical or dangerous. Using this approach, previous investigations have reported widespread looting and other forms of damage to archaeological sites in Syria during the early years of the civil war (2011–2016). Relying on an expanding suite of satellite imagery resources, this paper presents a renewed analysis of looting and archaeological site damage in Syria over the past decade. The results reveal: (1) severe damage to many sites in northern Syria from a novel form of mechanized looting, (2) intensified impacts from the establishment of military facilities or refugee camps on many prominent sites, and (3) rampant incidents of small-scale looting across all areas of the country. These results highlight the importance of ongoing imagery-based heritage monitoring efforts and will support emerging mitigation, stabilization, and damage assessment efforts in Syria going forward.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060208

Authors: Heiner Grieb Katja Franziska Siebel Oliver Brieger Robin Pfeifer Christian Bur David Thickett Gerhard Eggert

A relative humidity (RH) of 30–40% was considered optimal for the ‘sick’ glasses of the Veste Coburg Art Collections to prevent further corrosion at higher humidity values and crizzling on drying of the gel layer at lower levels. This has been achieved since 1993 by using saturated solutions of magnesium chloride in display cases, providing a constant humidity of 33%. These solutions also absorb volatile harmful ‘carbonyl’ and other pollutants. A visual survey of the glasses and recent ion chromatographic measurements of alkalis on their surfaces confirmed their stable condition after three decades: no crystals, no new haze, no tears, no fragmentation, and no further growth of crizzling.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9060207

Authors: Linyu Xia Ge Zhang Duanzheng Wang Yinhong Li

Ceramic production technology is a key indicator of craft specialization and social differentiation in Late Neolithic societies of the Central Plains. This study investigates Longshan-period pottery excavated from three representative sites, Niumugang, Zhoulonggang, and Shigudui in western Shangqiu, Henan Province. A suite of archaeometric techniques, including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), was employed to systematically examine the chemical composition, mineralogical phases, thermal behavior, and microstructural characteristics of the pottery assemblages. The results reveal statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the contents of major ceramic-forming oxides (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, CaO, etc.) among the three sites. Pottery from the Shigudui site exhibits the narrowest range of compositional variation, whereas that from the Zhoulonggang site shows moderate dispersion. In contrast, pottery from the Niumugang site displays the widest compositional range. Mineralogical analyses indicate that pottery from all three sites is primarily composed of quartz, mica, and mullite. Notably, the high degree of mineralogical homogeneity observed in the Shigudui assemblage reflects a well-controlled and technologically mature firing process. Microstructural observations further demonstrate that pottery from the Shigudui site is characterized by uniformly dense fabrics, functionally differentiated vessels from the Zhoulonggang site exhibit clear technological stratification, and black pottery from the Niumugang site shows highly compact microstructures. These technological patterns closely correspond to differences in vessel assemblages and indicate varying levels of craft specialization and production control. Together, the results provide archaeometric evidence for the differentiation of settlement hierarchy and the development of specialized handicraft production during the Longshan period, contributing to a deeper understanding of regional technological interaction and social processes within the Longshan cultural sphere of the Central Plains.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050206

Authors: Konstantinos Filippatos Konstantina Siountri Christos-Nikolaos Anagnostopoulos

Architectural typology classification plays an important role in large-scale documentation and analysis of urban cultural heritage. Recent advances in computer vision enable automated approaches for detecting and categorizing buildings from street-level imagery, yet the suitability of different detection paradigms for architectural typology analysis remains insufficiently explored. Despite recent advances in computer vision for architectural analysis, no systematic comparative study has evaluated closed-set CNN-based detectors against open-vocabulary vision–language grounding models for urban architectural typology classification. This study presents a comparative evaluation of closed-set convolutional object detectors and open-vocabulary vision–language grounding models for the classification of Athenian architectural typologies. A dataset of 3349 street-view images containing 11,111 annotated building instances was compiled and organized into five typological categories: Neoclassical, Neoclassical-Eclectic, Interwar-Eclectic, Interwar, and Postwar. The experiments compare several YOLO-based detection configurations with Grounding DINO under zero-shot inference, parameter-efficient adaptation (e.g., Kiw Rank Adaptation—LoRA), and full fine-tuning. Results show that supervised YOLO-based models achieve robust detection and classification performance with high localization accuracy and consistent typology discrimination in dense urban scenes. In contrast, open-vocabulary grounding models demonstrate limited reliability in zero-shot settings and require substantial adaptation to approach comparable performance levels. Analysis of confusion patterns further reveals that most classification errors originate from intrinsic architectural similarities between transitional styles rather than from model instability. The findings highlight the advantages of supervised object detection frameworks for scalable urban heritage documentation and provide insights into the current limitations of vision–language models for fine-grained architectural typology classification.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050205

Authors: Romina Nespeca Elena Capodaglio

Museums are increasingly required to combine digital transformation with sustainability goals under conditions shaped by ecological pressures, resource constraints, and long-term heritage responsibilities. This paper examines museum digital transition as a problem of strategic governance rather than merely technological adoption. Drawing on an exploratory qualitative case study based on the Italian ECO ART programme, the research analyses participatory activities, best practices, and project materials related to green and digital transition in the cultural sector. The findings show that the main barriers concern governance, process design, skills continuity, and monitoring, rather than technology alone. In response, the paper proposes a strategic framework composed of a Sustainability Matrix and a Roadmap. The matrix connects technologies, processes, and people with the cultural, social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability, while the Roadmap structures digital planning from diagnosis to monitoring. This work argues that digital transformation can support sustainable and resilience-oriented heritage management only when it is planned as a low-impact, inclusive, and long-term organizational process.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050204

Authors: Leonor Almeida Sara Babo Rui Jesus

The degradation of works of art constitutes a significant problem for the preservation of cultural heritage. In the case of paintings, the observed alterations can be physical, chemical, or visual, affecting both the integrity and appearance of the artworks. Degradation compromises the authenticity, aesthetic legibility, and historical value of paintings, making the early monitoring of such issues, as well as the development of appropriate conservation and restoration strategies, essential. For an effective approach, the characterisation of the materials and techniques used by the artist, as well as the degradation processes inherent in the materials used, proves to be crucial. In this context, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a non-invasive solution capable of detecting and predicting degradation in works of art. This bibliographic review aims to explore existing studies in this field in depth, with special attention to contemporary paintings considered as case studies. The methodology involved a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies, theses, and interdisciplinary databases, using keywords related to the topic under investigation (e.g., “degradation detection,” “artificial intelligence,” “craquelure segmentation”). The results indicate that artificial intelligence enables the early detection of degradations that may not yet be visible to the naked eye while also improving objectivity and consistency in the analysis of complex and irregular patterns typical of paintings. It became evident that there is a significant gap in the literature, regarding studies addressing the potential of AI for degradation detection specific to contemporary paintings. However, these could be a valuable case study given their potential material and technical heterogeneity, as well as their differences from traditional easel paintings.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050203

Authors: Aurelio Vallespín-Muniesa Javier Domingo-Ballestin José Ángel Gil-Bordás

The history of pictorial space can be understood as a history of visual artifice, perceptual constructions, and material illusions inscribed on the painted surface. This article examines some fundamental milestones in the relationship between pictorial surface and space through a comparative analysis spanning from the modern tradition to contemporary painting, with special attention to the work of Claude Monet and Mark Rothko. It studies those pictorial strategies capable of generating perceptual ambiguity and uncertainty in the observer as a source of aesthetic and emotional experience. Starting from the conical perspective as a historical device for representing space on a two-dimensional surface, the work analyses its progressive dissolution at the end of the 19th century and the emergence of new spatial resources based on colour, matter and the organisation of the pictorial surface. In this context, painting abandons traditional optical illusion to explore forms of perceptual spatiality that can be as tangible as constructed architecture. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that links art theory, the history of painting and visual analysis, the article contributes to our understanding of the ways in which materials, pictorial methods and compositional strategies shape spatial experiences in modern and contemporary painting.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050201

Authors: Penelope Banou Dimitris Tsimogiannis Athena Georgia Alexopoulou

Oil paintings, sketches, and printed works on paper frequently exhibit characteristic forms of deterioration caused by the absorption of linseed oil binders into the paper substrate. This study investigates for the first time the factors influencing the resulting volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from oil-impregnated papers upon ageing and explores VOC quantifiable metrics suitable for condition assessment. Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HS-SPME–GC-MS) was employed to sample and analyse VOCs from mock-ups made of three types of paper (a pure cellulosic, lignin-free and lignin-containing lignocellulosic papers with alkaline buffer), three pure linseed oil formulations (cold-pressed and alkaline-refined linseed oil, and stand oil), and oil-impregnated paper mock-ups, all subjected to controlled artificial ageing. The results showed a clear difference in VOC profile emissions between pure papers and linseed oil formulations, while oil-impregnated mock-ups emitted compounds matching those of the linseed oil formulations; however, the emissions followed a different trend. Statistical analysis (PCA) demonstrated that both paper pulp content and oil formulation significantly influence VOC emission patterns, highlighting the compounds that produce higher and most characteristic emissions. Ratios of specific compounds—such as formic to acetic acid—showed consistent trends across materials, indicating their potential as markers for distinguishing stages of deterioration.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050202

Authors: Rafael Robina-Ramírez Nelson Cerdá Prado Ana Leal-Solís

This study analyzes how identity fit, narrative selection, co-creation, and AI-Enhanced Interpretation (AII) shape Tourist Active Heritage Engagement in Ecuador. Using a cross-sectional survey of 1336 international tourists and PLS-SEM with Multigroup Analysis, the results show that engagement is driven primarily by identity-based selection, rather than participation alone. MGA reveals a marked asymmetry: AII increases engagement and co-creation only among visitors with high technological readiness, whereas for low-readiness tourists, co-creation may even diminish engagement. These patterns expose digital inequalities and asymmetries in narrative agency, echoing UNESCO’s concerns about AI’s selective influence on cultural knowledge flows. Overall, the study demonstrates that co-creation operates conditionally within identity-driven processes and underscores the need for inclusive, differentiated interpretive strategies.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050200

Authors: Emilija Nikolić Nemanja Mrđić Snežana Golubović

This study examines the persistence, change, and discontinuity of human settlements in the northern Stig Plain along the Danube in Serbia. It examines how natural conditions, together with historical events and the strategic imperatives of specific periods, have shaped the establishment, development, decline, and abandonment of settlements in this landscape, as well as their change and transformation. Particular attention is given to the Roman city of Viminacium, now largely buried beneath fertile farmland and affected by mining activity. The research integrates theoretical perspectives on landscape, human–environment relations, and processes of discontinuity and change with insights into Roman urban planning and overall settlement dynamics, contextualised through the environmental and historical development of the landscape. It considers why Viminacium remained the only major urban centre in the plain and why no later settlement developed directly above it, reexamining whether this absence can be understood as a form of landscape discontinuity. The findings emphasise the strong influence of natural factors, while suggesting that the urban potential of the fertile Stig Plain could only be fully realised in the Roman period, through the establishment of a legionary fortress supported by advanced technology and organised labour, and guided by strategic objectives. From a heritage perspective, the study also examines the definition of landscape boundaries, highlighting Viminacium’s legacy as an integrative element that brings together remains from multiple periods into a unique and evolving cultural landscape worthy of preservation, though one that faces ongoing challenges in sustainable management.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050199

Authors: Laura Baratin Federica Maietti Francesca Gasparetto Giulia Ursino

Contemporary art conservation increasingly relies on digital technologies capable of delivering accurate, non-invasive documentation across multiple scales. Within this framework, the study addresses the challenges of documenting and monitoring artworks integrated into historical architectural contexts, proposing an interdisciplinary and need-driven approach where conservation requirements guide technological choices. The methodology combines four survey techniques (static and mobile laser scanning, photogrammetry, and structured-light acquisition) to evaluate their effectiveness within a multi-scale workflow supporting conservation-oriented documentation. The workflow is tested on the Centro per la Scultura Contemporanea in Cagli, Italy, a museum where contemporary installations are structurally and conceptually connected within the historical architectural space. The paper presents a comparative assessment of the four sensors, considering both qualitative and quantitative parameters. Comparative analyses of the resulting point clouds was carried out using cloud-to-cloud distance measurements with a terrestrial laser scanning dataset as reference. Error distribution and geometric deviations are assessed to evaluate the performance of each sensor according to the scale and purpose of the survey. The results demonstrate that accessible and portable instruments can produce datasets targeted at conservation processes, when integrated within coherent digital workflows, in which architectural, spatial, and object-scale models are combined to create a digital documentation framework.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050198

Authors: Edène Derzelle David Strivay Nathan de Vries Morgane Legeard Francisca Vandepitte Catherine Defeyt

In this paper, we present the result of the study conducted on aging tests carried out by the artist Emile Claus (1849–1924), composed of oil paint samples from three manufacturers: Blockx, Lefranc Bourgeois and Fritz Behrendt. These colors were applied neat and mixed with white on wooden panels prepared with white ground layer. A non-invasive analytical protocol, combining imaging techniques and physico-chemical analyses, was used to characterize potential differences between manufacturers for nominally identical colors. The differences highlight in this study include variations in nickel content in cobalt blue colors and aluminum content in madder lakes. It also discusses the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that led to the degradation of certain colors. Hyperspectral imaging further demonstrated that the addition of lead white induces a systematic shift of spectral inflection points toward shorter wavelengths, consistent with the optical dilution effect in pigment-white mixtures, while the altered colors do not follow the same trend.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050197

Authors: Fernanda E. Schulz Joana Cunha

This study investigates women’s textile knowledge in Portugal as a fundamental element of cultural heritage, situating it within domestic, social, and industrial contexts, with a particular focus on Guimarães. Drawing on a multidisciplinary approach grounded in historical and documentary evidence, it analyses how female expertise in spinning, weaving, embroidery, and lacemaking contributed to the evolution of textile practices from the fifteenth century to the present day. The findings indicate that this knowledge was pivotal to the transformation of domestic textile activities into an emerging industrial sector, shaping both production methods and cultural identity. The study concludes that recognising the historical importance of women’s textile labour is essential for understanding the development of the Portuguese industry. Furthermore, this research underscores the urgency of preserving, transmitting, and legitimising the intangible cultural heritage associated with women’s textile knowledge. It argues that integrating this legacy into contemporary creative and industrial practices can foster cultural sustainability and unlock new possibilities for future innovation, ensuring that this ancestral expertise remains a living pillar of regional identity.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050196

Authors: Dimitrios Mitsos Eleni Palamara Andreas Germanos Karydas Evangelos Gerasopoulos Vasilis Poulopoulos

Analytical studies of archeological materials often face challenges, such as the merging of heterogeneous, multidimensional datasets from complementary analytical techniques, and incorporating site- and user-defined parameters. In this study, a data fusion methodology is applied that combines micro-X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) spectrometry and handheld Raman spectroscopy to investigate degradation layers and identify pollution sources on two monuments in an urban background: the Temple of Hephaestus and the Byzantine Church of Ag. Theodoroi, in Athens, Greece. A total of 12 samples were collected for laboratory measurements and 32 in situ measurements were conducted. Statistical and unsupervised machine learning tools, namely correlation analysis, Principal Component Analysis and k-means clustering, were applied to the merged datasets. Additionally, selected elements’ ratios were calculated to infer their sources. The black crusts were identified as heterogeneous mixtures of calcium sulfate dihydrate, calcite, and particulate pollutants, with their composition reflecting their preservation state. Vehicular emission indicators were dominant in both sites, while secondary domestic heating pollutant indicators were more prevalent at Ag. Theodoroi. Orientation had a minor role compared to pollutant sources in differentiating degradation patterns. The integrated comparison of the different outputs highlighted the interpretive potential of the approach, particularly in improving the readability of the multivariate structure and supporting the development of targeted conservation strategies for monuments in polluted urban contexts.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050195

Authors: Thowayeb H. Hassan Mahmoud I. Saleh Amany E. Salem Luminita Anca Deac Jermien Hussein Abd El Kafy Ahmed Tawhid Eissa

Cairo’s Islamic architectural heritage represents one of the world’s most significant concentrations of pre-industrial environmental ingenuity. For over a millennium, an integrated suite of passive climate-control systems—the Mašrabiya latticework screen, the open courtyard (Ṣaḥn), the wind-scoop (Malqaf), and stalactite vaulting (Muqarnas)—has moderated temperature, humidity, and airflow with remarkable effectiveness. Today, these inherited solutions are under unprecedented stress from urban densification, chronic particulate pollution, climate-driven temperature rise, and growing visitor footfall. This study investigates indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in six Fatimid- and Mamlūk-era buildings in Historic Cairo through the integrated IQAD-IAH framework, combining IoT field monitoring (January–December 2023) of temperature, relative humidity, CO2, and PM2.5 with CNN-based deterioration image analysis and Random Forest predictive modeling. Results document critical summer thermal buffering failures reaching 28% of occupied hours above the ASHRAE 55 adaptive comfort limit; hygrothermal stress cycles exceeding the EN 15757 ±10% RH safe threshold for up to 38% of annual hours; and PM2.5 courtyard concentrations of 40–61 µg/m3 under normal conditions, surging to 180–320 µg/m3 during Ḫamāsῑn-seasonal wind events. Machine-learning projections indicate all three principal passive elements will cross the critical deterioration threshold of 70/100 under RCP 8.5 before 2050. A precautionary intervention window is identified between 2025 and 2032. Evidence-based management recommendations compatible with UNESCO World Heritage obligations are presented.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050194

Authors: Vasiliki Kyriakou Vassilis Panoskaltsis

This paper addresses the important issue of the proper management and protection of subterranean monuments. It concerns the analysis and decoding of the microclimate that is created in heritage structures, which are structures located beneath the soil or carved into rock. The aim of this study is to understand the hygrothermal processes occurring in the mass of underground structural elements, such as evaporation, condensation, water content, and heat fluxes, based on the principles of building physics. The methodology used is the following: a systematic literature review on the topic, an overview of the factors affecting the microclimate, the assessment methodology, and the simulation tools used to decode and evaluate microclimate in subterranean heritage structures; a discussion of the current gaps; and finally, a proposal for future directions for research. A review of the literature reveals that researchers worldwide have employed similar methodologies to approach this complex issue. Recordings and analyses of the microclimate inside underground monuments lead to decision-making and the formulation of actions for optimal preservation. Due to the large number of parameters involved in microclimate analysis, computer software for numerical simulation has been used in many cases. Following the review of the relevant literature in the field of study, a critical discussion concludes by proposing directions for future research on this important topic. Basic results of this research identify current gaps, problems, and limitations. These include technical and practical issues or gaps concerning lack of data for material properties and weather conditions. Another significant limitation arises from the complexity of physical interactions, as well as from the human factor, which involves the proper use of the simulation program and the correct interpretation of the calculation results. This study demonstrates that the microclimate of subterranean heritage structures is the result of complex interactions between climate, geology, architectural design, material properties, and human use. Across different geographical and cultural contexts, subterranean monuments exhibit distinct microclimatic behaviors. The comparative analysis of case studies highlights that while subterranean environments generally benefit from thermal stability, they remain highly vulnerable to moisture dynamics, ventilation changes, and external climatic coupling. Hence, there is a necessity for context-specific approaches rather than generalized conservation solutions. Decoding subterranean microclimates requires a multidisciplinary framework that combines environmental monitoring, material indicators, architectural analysis, and numerical modeling.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050193

Authors: Inmaculada Sánchez Pedreño Margarida Nunes Teresa Ferreira José António Rodrigues Ana Paula Almeida Elsa Teixeira Christopher Dostal Eduarda Vieira

This paper addresses corrosion risk management for pewter objects from the Belinho I shipwreck (Esposende, Portugal). A collaborative framework was established, involving community stakeholders during the critical post-recovery phase, leading to the development of both field community and laboratory preventive conservation protocols. During the second phase of the laboratory protocol, a crowned-hammer hallmark was identified, consistent with others in the assemblage. The third phase of the laboratory protocol implemented a progressive sequence of passivation baths guided by Pourbaix diagrams and systematic monitoring of physicochemical parameters (Eh, pH, conductivity, and temperature). Characterization of primary corrosion products and precipitates from the baths, using 3D digital microscopy, SEM/EDS, µ-Raman, and XRD, identified basic tin chlorides with abhurite and hydroromarchite structures. Collectively, results demonstrate that immediate preventive conservation is an effective strategy for controlling corrosion risk, underscoring the necessity of collaborative frameworks for the long-term safeguarding of underwater pewter heritage.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050192

Authors: Jiajia Zhang Fanke Peng

Immersive technologies—such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and extended reality (XR)—are increasingly adopted in cultural heritage settings to support education, public engagement, and digital preservation. This scoping review systematically maps existing research on immersive learning within cultural heritage contexts, identifying major trends, pedagogical approaches, and reported outcomes. Following the PRISMA-ScR framework, nineteen studies were selected from 235 publications published between 2016 and 2025 across four databases: ACM Digital Library, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Scopus. Findings reveal a predominant focus on enhancing learner motivation, engagement, and the perceived authenticity of immersive experiences. However, empirical validation of learning outcomes—particularly regarding sustained knowledge retention, critical reflection, and inclusive participation—remains scarce. Persistent gaps are also evident in accessibility and scalability, alongside ethical concerns related to cultural sensitivity, power asymmetries, and the representation of diverse heritage voices. By foregrounding participatory and co-creation approaches, this review highlights how collaborative design processes can enhance learner engagement and support the sustainable digital preservation of cultural heritage.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050191

Authors: Luz Arelis Moreno-Quispe Ricardo D. Hernandez-Rojas

Traditional Peruvian cuisine has become a globally recognized experience, but its impact on visitors to the Caral Supe archaeological site—one of the oldest centers of civilization in South America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site—has not been studied. The main objective was to explain the constructs of the perceived authenticity of traditional food, loyalty to traditional food, service quality at traditional restaurants, and tourist satisfaction with visits to archaeological sites, based on the experience economy theory. An explanatory study was conducted using a structural equation modeling approach (PLS-SEM), applied to a sample of 381 tourists who visited the archaeological site and consumed local cuisine at restaurants in the destination of Barranca. The findings confirmed significant relationships among the model’s constructs (p < 0.01). It is suggested that the perception of authenticity of traditional food is a determining factor for loyalty (R2 = 0.743) and a driver of satisfaction with the visit to the archaeological site (R2 = 0.617), which constitutes the study’s contribution. However, the R2 value for the construction of the tourist experience at the destination (R2 = 0.301), the model does not fully capture the complexity of experiential processes at this particular heritage destination, which may depend on emotional, cultural, or contextual variables not included in this study. Satisfaction with the visit to the archaeological site is primarily related to staff attentiveness, the quality of guide explanations, and safety. It is concluded that the interplay between satisfaction with the visit to the archaeological site, the perceived authenticity of traditional food, and the quality of service in restaurants is fundamental to enhancing the experience at the heritage destination, thereby positioning traditional food and archaeotourism. It is recommended that the public and private sectors design strategies aimed at generating authentic and sustainable experiences for visitors, strengthening factors such as the destination’s reputation, the positive image of the site, satisfaction with the trip at the destination, and the positive experience.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050190

Authors: Giacomo Risaliti Sergio Mancini Massimo Coli

This paper presents an outline of a historical stone: the Marble of Campiglia, from Tuscany (Italy). A comprehensive review of the literature and archival documents, combined with a new detailed field survey, allowed us to revise the geological setting and exploitation history of this cultural heritage marble, which has been sporadically utilized from Etruscan times to the present day. The Campiglia Marittima Marble (CMM) has a thermal-metamorphic origin associated with the intrusion of a granitic pluton dated to approximately 5.4 Ma. This process gave rise to a marble with peculiar textural, grain size, and fracturing characteristics that influenced extraction techniques and methodologies. The primary exploitation periods of the CMM as an ornamental stone were the Etruscan-Roman era, the Renaissance, and the nineteenth century; currently, it is used exclusively for industrial purposes. A significant number of ancient quarries are located on the western slope of Monte Rombolo, likely attributable to the high variety of commercial marble types available in the area and its strategic location, which facilitated transport routes to the Tyrrhenian Sea. This research aims to bring attention to this historical marble and may support, alongside the potential reopening of selected quarries for restoration purposes, the preservation of the authenticity of the historical artefacts in which it was employed.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050189

Authors: Alejandra López Mera Pablo De Castro Martín Olaia Fontal Merillas

Background: This research explores the intersection between cultural heritage and mental health, analyzing how heritage mediation acts as a strategic asset in the personal recovery of individuals experiencing mental distress. Methods: A systematic review was conducted across PubMed, PsycINFO (via ProQuest Psychology Collection), Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for the 2015–2026 period, following PRISMA protocols. The methodological quality of 18 selected studies was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results: The findings reveal that the efficacy of these practices stems from a symbiotic interaction between tangible and intangible heritage, functioning as an “identity scaffold” that facilitates the transition from a “patient identity” toward a “citizen identity” with biographical authority. Analysis under the CHIME (Conexión—Hope—Identity—Meaning—Empowerment) framework reveals convergent evidence across the Identity dimension, positioning cultural environments as “third spaces” that mitigate self-stigma. Discussion and Conclusions: Recovery is identified as a circular phenomenon requiring the convergence of clinical and cultural scaffolding. This study advocates for a humanized service architecture where therapeutic practices and affective curating coexist, ensuring the right to identity and social justice within community mental health contexts.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050188

Authors: Simona Arrighi Erika Moretti Matteo Rossini Jacopo Crezzini Stefano Ricci Annamaria Ronchitelli Francesco Boschin

Palaeolithic engraved portable art provides a valuable record for investigating the technical aspects of Palaeolithic graphic production. In this study, we analyse an engraved portable art object from the Epigravettian sequence of Grotta Paglicci (southern Italy): a Bos primigenius mandible bearing a figurative representation interpreted as a waterbird, possibly a swan. The analysis combines 3D digital microscopy and geometric morphometrics to reconstruct the sequence of engraving gestures and to quantitatively characterise the morphological variability of the incisions. Archaeological engravings are compared with experimentally produced marks obtained using different lithic tools displaying similar trihedral active edges (burins and unretouched flakes). In addition, experimental and archaeological cut marks from the same Epigravettian context are included for comparative purposes. The results allow the reconstruction of the sequence of gestures involved in the production of the figure, revealing a structured execution comprising contour engraving, internal filling and the addition of secondary elements. Morphological and morphometric analyses show low variability among the engravings, pointing to a high degree of motor control throughout the engraving process. The predominance of U-shaped cross-sections in the archaeological sample, compared with the experimental engravings, is consistent with the use of a previously used and/or partially smoothed cutting edge. These results highlight the potential of integrated technological and morphometric approaches for investigating gestures, technical choices and operational organisation underlying the production of Upper Palaeolithic portable art.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050187

Authors: Fernanda Tusa Ignacio Aguaded Santiago Tejedor

This article examines how the Ecuadorian national digital press has represented the relationship between criminal violence, declining mobility, tourism contraction, and the erosion of intangible cultural access in Machala, Puerto Bolívar, and the route to Jambelí during 2025. This study aims to explain how mediated representations of insecurity can contribute to the symbolic narrowing of culturally meaningful urban–coastal spaces, even when those spaces remain materially present and formally open. The article responds to a gap in the literature at the intersection of critical heritage studies, media framing, urban fear, and Latin American security studies. The existing research has examined heritage as social practice, media representation of crime, and urban securitization, but has rarely connected these fields to explain how criminal violence erodes lived access to intangible cultural environments in secondary port cities of the Global South. Methodologically, this study applies qualitative content analysis to a purposive corpus of eight focal journalistic texts published in Ecuadorian digital outlets, such as El Universo, El Comercio, Expreso, El Mercurio, Extra, Primicias, GK, and La Hora. Deductive–inductive coding was complemented by descriptive article-level indicators of themes, keyword clusters, and temporal distribution. The findings show that the press did not merely report violent events; it progressively reorganized the symbolic meaning of Machala by re-signifying Puerto Bolívar, the marine environment, the cabotage pier, and the maritime route to Jambelí as spaces of risk, interruption, and conditional access. This study contributes conceptually by defining intangible cultural access and symbolic enclosure, empirically by documenting the mediated erosion of coastal public–cultural life, and practically by proposing integrated policy actions for security governance, cultural reactivation, local commerce, maritime mobility, and responsible public communication.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050186

Authors: Achille Felicetti Francesca Murano

Heritage Science generates vast quantities of heterogeneous data; however, the absence of a shared semantic framework frequently results in fragmented knowledge and compromised reproducibility. This paper introduces CRMhs, an ontology developed as a formal extension of the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CRM), designed to harmonise the documentation of scientific investigations within the cultural heritage domain. By defining specialised classes for scientific activities, study objects and analytical datasets, the model ensures a robust chain of provenance from initial physical sampling to final interpretative outcomes. The efficacy of CRMhs is evidenced in this paper through two archaeological case studies, illustrating how CRMhs enables the integration of diverse analytical data into a coherent and navigable knowledge graph. Broader applications, including the integration of environmental data and its use within Reactive Heritage Digital Twin frameworks, are outlined as ongoing developments. In this way, the model facilitates seamless data interoperability, and it bridges scientific evidence, art-historical and archaeological interpretation, supporting a more integrated approach to the preservation and understanding of cultural heritage.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050184

Authors: Neda Živak Jelenka Pandurević Irena Medar-Tanjga

With the ratification of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the safeguarding of intangible cultural practices has been established as a normatively binding framework of international cultural policy. This development has placed the field at the core of contemporary discourses on cultural diversity, sustainable development, and identity revitalization. In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the processes of institutionalizing the protection of intangible heritage unfold under complex conditions of asymmetric constitutional division of competences, normative fragmentation, and functional dispersion of responsibilities, resulting in the absence of a coherent and coordinated cultural policy system. The paper focuses on assessing the potential of integrated and strategically structured management of intangible cultural assets to generate synergistic effects between cultural valorization, local sustainability, and transnational recognition. Methodologically, this study applies a critical, comparative-analytical interpretation of the institutional and legal framework of BiH, with special reference to the position of intangible cultural heritage within strategic policy documents. The analysis of the national register, including elements inscribed on the UNESCO lists, underscores the urgent need for intersectoral and transdisciplinary mechanisms to safeguard and valorize cultural heritage as instruments of cultural policy aimed at strengthening collective identity, fostering cultural tourism, and positioning BiH within the global cultural landscape.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050185

Authors: Shaoqi Sun Yuan Sun Jingya Li

As the core repository of historical memory, the revitalisation and utilisation of cultural heritage (CH) are paramount to cultural transmission. Currently, virtual reality (VR) has become a mainstream method for public engagement with cultural heritage, but existing research mainly focuses on knowledge transfer efficiency while neglecting emotional factors’ key role in heritage identification and dissemination. This study examines the VR-based CH experience for Tianjin Marco Polo Square via multi-stakeholder collaboration, exploring how emotional design affects users’ CH learning and identity formation. Findings show emotionally driven VR games enhance immersion, engagement, resonance and learning outcomes through multisensory immersion, goal-oriented interaction and narrative connections. Theoretically, a three-tier “instinct–behaviour–reflection” emotional design framework integrated with constructivist learning theory is built to tackle emotional deficiency in CH communication. Practically, it verifies that affective VR games upgrade CH transmission from unidirectional dissemination to dynamic inheritance, establishing a new participatory culture paradigm.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050183

Authors: Joaquín Osorio-Arjona Carlos J. Pardo Abad

This study analyses visitor dynamics in the municipality of Rascafría, located within the El Paular Valley cultural landscape in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Spain). Rather than conducting a landscape value analysis, the research serves as a diagnostic test of the complementarity and divergence between two data sources: official visitor records from the National Park and experimental statistics derived from mobile phone geolocation data provided by the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE). The methodology combines GIS-based cartographic representation with a battery of indicators to characterize the spatiotemporal structure of tourist flows. A central finding is the complementation between the two sources: INE mobile phone data exclude intra-provincial visitors from the Madrid region, which official records show constitute approximately 78% of total visitation. Consequently, mobile data portray an artificially national and international market profile (weighted average distance ≈ 211 km) that contradicts the well-documented proximity-based excursionism dominant in the area, evidencing a critical bias in INE data. The Spearman correlation (r = 0.64) between the two sources confirms that mobile data capture the general seasonal pattern but not the volume or the local nature of demand. The results underscore the potential of geolocated data for understanding non-metropolitan tourism structures, while simultaneously serving as a cautionary guide for heritage managers: “smart” data sources require heavy supplementation with traditional on-the-ground counting methods to accurately reflect the reality of proximity-based heritage consumption. The paper contributes a high-value methodological assessment for researchers and practitioners seeking to integrate experimental statistics into the management of protected cultural landscapes.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050182

Authors: Ľubomír Štrba Marián Lukáč

Geoheritage is increasingly recognised as an integral component of the broader natural-cultural heritage of human societies. However, existing conceptual and methodological approaches often remain fragmented, relying either on spatial coincidence or on separate analytical treatments of geoheritage and cultural-historical values, which limits the understanding of their functional integration. This review paper advances the conceptualisation of geocultural heritage and the geocultural site by moving beyond simple spatial coincidence towards a functional integration of abiotic and cultural-historical values. In this context, geocultural heritage is defined as a hybrid form of natural and cultural heritage in which geological and cultural-historical components are mutually co-constitutive, generating value through their functional, historical, and symbolic integration rather than mere spatial co-occurrence. Within this framework, the primary aim is to develop a theoretical perspective that supports a holistic understanding of the integrative relationships between geoheritage and cultural-historical heritage. Its primary aim is to develop a theoretical perspective that supports a holistic understanding of the integrative relationships between geoheritage and cultural-historical heritage. The study identifies and demonstrates three fundamental levels of geocultural synergy, including spatio-material, causal, and symbolic-transcendental, through representative case examples from Slovakia. To bridge the gap between theoretical recognition and practical governance, the paper introduces a semi-quantitative assessment instrument, the Geocultural Management Matrix (GCMM). This framework aggregates assessment criteria into two synthetic dimensions: the Geocultural Value and Integrity Index (GVII) and the Management and Potential Index (MPI). Based on the interaction of these two dimensions, sites are assigned to four distinct management profiles, linking analytical assessment with differentiated management strategies. In this way, the matrix provides a methodologically consistent bridge between geocultural heritage assessment and site-specific decisions concerning conservation intensity, interpretative development, and management orientation. The proposed model strengthens the practical applicability of geocultural research by offering a transferable framework for geoparks, heritage conservation and management.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050181

Authors: Hui Jie Jiang Seungmi Kang Seung-Chul Yoo

The global expansion of the gaming industry has intensified scholarly interest in the cultural and psychological implications of digital gameplay. This study examines how gameplay experiences are associated with adolescents’ and young adults’ attitudes toward traditional culture and national pride, focusing on how myth-based digital games can function as interactive vehicles for cultural heritage engagement. Using Black Myth: Wukong, a contemporary action role-playing game inspired by the Chinese literary classic Journey to the West, the study investigates the psychological mechanisms through which gameplay extends into longer-term cultural evaluation. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, gameplay experience was conceptualized in terms of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, while Retrospective Imaginative Involvement (RII) was introduced to capture post-play imaginative recall and narrative elaboration. Survey data were collected from 312 Chinese adolescents and young adults who had played Black Myth: Wukong, and structural equation modeling was employed to test the relationships among gameplay experience, RII, traditional cultural attitudes, and national pride. The findings indicate that need-satisfying gameplay is positively associated with retrospective imaginative involvement, which in turn is linked to more favorable attitudes toward traditional culture and stronger national pride. The study suggests that the cultural influence of digital games extends beyond the moment of play and continues through reflective post-play processing. Theoretically, it contributes to research on media effects, narrative engagement, and digital heritage by identifying RII as a key post-play mechanism. Practically, it highlights the potential of culturally grounded games to support heritage communication and youth-oriented cultural engagement.

Heritage doi: 10.3390/heritage9050180

Authors: Maria Isabel Mota-López Juan Miguel Meneses-Rodríguez Pedro Delgado Molina Rubén Maderuelo-Sanz Pedro Mateos Cruz

This work presents the results of an archaeometric research study of the geomaterials used in the construction of the Late Antique wall of Emerita Augusta (currently Mérida, Spain). Dated to the 5th century C.E., this structure belongs to one of the best-preserved historical ensembles in Europe. In-depth knowledge of the geomaterials used in this ancient wall is essential for ensuring reliable restoration strategies and the successful long-term conservation of this monument. To this end, a rigorous sampling procedure was conducted in areas containing original archaeological remains. Samples were characterized using optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), thermogravimetry and differential thermal analyses (TGA-DTA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This integrated multi-analytical approach is highly effective for the study of built heritage. The mineralogical, textural, and geochemical properties of the granites allowed for the identification of the granite types used in the wall, while the results obtained for the mortars indicated that lime, fully carbonated and transformed into calcite, was used as the binding agent. Furthermore, the binder/aggregate ratios were found to be consistent with traditional Roman mortar formulations. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the material provenance and construction techniques used in this landmark of late antiquity.