MODULE 1

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Lesson 1

Cultural Heritage

The definition of heritage changes depending on what lens are we to

use it. To understand what heritage is, we must know what it is for so that
we will be able to understand its meaning and concepts.

Heritage as anything valuable or meaningful from the past that gives

identity and community to the present and that would inspire future
generations.

Heritage Conservation is action to sustain the value, meaning and

significance of cultural resources from the past for the use of the present
and inspiration of future generations

Cultural Heritage is an expression of the ways of living developed by a

community and passed on from generation to generation, including customs,
practices, places, objects, artistic expressions and values. Cultural Heritage
is often expressed as either Intangible or Tangible Cultural Heritage
(ICOMOS, 2002).

As part of human activity Cultural Heritage produces tangible

representations of the value systems, beliefs, traditions and lifestyles. As an
essential part of culture as a whole, Cultural Heritage, contains these visible
and tangible traces form antiquity to the recent past.

Cultural Heritage is a wide concept. We prefer to concentrate on the

similarities between the various heritage sectors, instead of on their
differences.

Module 1
 2

Types of Heritage: Tangible & Intangible Heritage

Until the late 20th century, heritage was exclusively to the

monumental remains of cultures, cultural heritage as a concept has
gradually come to include new categories.

Today, we find that heritage is not only manifested through tangible

forms such as artefacts, buildings or landscapes but also through intangible
forms. Intangible heritage includes voices, values, traditions, oral history,
folklore, music, notable practices.

Popularly this is perceived through cuisine, clothing, forms of shelter,

traditional skills and technologies, religious ceremonies, performing arts,
storytelling.

We consider the tangible heritage inextricably bound up with the intangible

heritage. Intangible practices are embedded in physical relationships with
material things: objects, places, and people. This cannot deny that the
intangible heritage is tightly entwined with material world.

In conservation projects we aim to preserve both the tangible as well as the

intangible heritage.
Heritage Cycle

The Heritage Cycle diagram gives us an idea how we can make the past part
of our future (Simon Thurley, 2005). In a clockwise direction the wedges and
arrows read:

  By understanding (cultural heritage)

o     people value it 
 By valuing it
o     people want to care for it
 By caring for it
o     it will help people enjoy it
 From enjoying it
o     comes a thirst to understand 
 By understanding it………..etc

Module 1
 3

THINK!

Write an essay on the importance of studying cultural heritage

Name: _________________ Instructor: _________
Date: __________________ Class: ___________
Description: This rubric will help you know exactly what I am expecting
to find in an essay.
5 / 4 / 2 / NEEDS 1 /
3 /
EXCELLE VERY IMPROVEM UNACCEPTA
AVERAGE
NT GOOD ENT BLE

Ideas This paper This The writer Topic is not As yet, the
is clear paper is is well-defined paper has no
and mostly beginning and/or there clear sense of
focused. It focused, to define are too many purpose or
holds the and has the topic, topics. central theme.
reader's some even To extract

Module 1
 4

attention. good though meaning from

Relevant details developme the text, the
details and and nt is still reader must
quotes quotes. basic or make
enrich the general. inferences
central based on
theme. sketchy or
missing
details.

The Paper The Sentences The writing

organizati (and organizatio within lacks a clear
on paragrap nal paragraphs sense of
enhances hs) are structure is make sense, direction.
and mostly strong but the order Ideas, details,
showcases organize enough to of paragraphs or events seem
the central d, in move the does not. strung
idea or order, reader together in a
theme. and through loose or
Organizat
The order, makes the text random
ion
structure sense to without too fashion; there
of the much is no
informatio reader. confusion. identifiable
n is internal
compelling structure.
and moves
the reader
through
the text.

The The The text The text The reader has

writing has writing hums along seems to practice
an easy mostly with a choppy and is quite a bit in
flow, flows, steady not easy to order to give
rhythm, and beat, but read orally. this paper a
and usually tends to be fair
cadence. invites more interpretive
Sentences oral businesslik reading.
Sentence are well reading. e than
Fluency built, with musical,
strong and more
varied mechanical
structure than fluid.
that
invites
expressive
oral
reading.

Conventi The writer The The writer The writer Errors in

ons demonstra write shows seems to spelling,
tes a good understa reasonable have made punctuation,
grasp of nds good control little effort capitalization,
standard writing over a to use usage, and
writing conventi limited conventions: grammar
convention ons and range of spelling, and/or

Module 1
 5

s (e.g., usually standard punctuation, paragraphing

spelling, uses writing capitalization repeatedly
punctuatio them convention , usage, distract the
n, correctly s. grammar reader and
capitalizat . Paper Convention and/or make the text
ion, is easily s are paragraphing difficult to
grammar, read and sometimes have multiple read.
usage, errors handled errors.
paragraphi are rare; well and
ng) and minor enhance
uses touch- readability;
convention ups at other
s would times,
effectively get this errors are
to enhance piece distracting
readability ready to and impair
. publish. readability.

The form The The The writer's The reader

and format writer's message is receives a
presentati only has message is only garbled
on of the a few understand understandab message due
text mistakes able in this le to problems
enhances and is format. occasionally, relating to the
the ability generally and paper is presentation
for the easy to messily of the text,
Presentat
reader to read and written. and is not
ion
understan pleasing typed.
d and to the
connect eye.
with the
message.
It is
pleasing to
the eye.

Module 1