Cultural Heritage: an Interdisciplinary Study vs. One Discipline

According to the UNESCO WHC Operational Guidelines (Para. 45, Article 1), cultural heritage sites are the works of man or the combined works of nature and man and areas including archaeological sites that are of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological point of view.

Then, regarding the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) (2003), ICH expression was recognized in the form of the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, and skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. It, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and its history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.

Thereby, tangible and intangible heritage are two faces of one coin. The relationship is integrated, intertwined and interconnected. If tangible heritage vanishes, ICH practices will rapidly or directly disappear. Consecutively, cultural heritage in a tangible form is a place where one preserves, sustains and smoothly transmits the values of cultural identity to the upcoming generations.

During the last decade, many professionals in history, anthropology and archaeology and others neglected their specialization and called themselves heritage professionals. On the other hand, I found out some specialists ignore other specializations and accuse its holders or practitioners that they are not professionals.

Thus, here, I would like to indicate the significance of all specializations and specifications of their professions. Cultural heritage studies are an interdisciplinary field that encourages all professionals to integrate their inputs and outcomes, of their reports or consultations, developing effective management strategies or identifying conservation priorities.

Assessing the aforementioned perspective, I would like to share my assessment of the evolution of cultural heritage science. Firstly, it was started with "Archeology" to discover the buried structure or object; or explore the unknown cultures through a group of scientific hypotheses. So, archaeology science could be realized as a bridge to transfer the antecedents’ inheritance to the present. Then, as a consequence, the term "antiquity" was developed as a part of the preservation process that the professionals seek to preserve these discovered assets “anti-time” being a part of the current society’s culture or identity.

Then, achieving the last aim, the expression "Monument" was developed and recognised as a science of presenting the memory of a moment or in other words, the historical memory of the object, historical building, temple and so on. Finally, applying the quotation of Arabian historian Ibn el-Athir “Who read the history, s/he adds the whole previous age to his/her age”, the cultural heritage, as a practical expression, is a science of inheriting practically the past to create a civilized improved society. Thereby, accomplishing each phase, there is a group of practitioners or professionals whom the heritage site requires.

Enhancing my overview, the general hierarchy or main structure of the heritage sites' framework is not focused on conserving the architectural components and its materiality but also uses other skills and professions which enhance the sustainability of the heritage sites and contribute to transmitting dynamically its authentic cultural knowledge from generation to another.

Finally, from my readings and little experience, I would like to classify the main categories of cultural heritage science/studies and its potential/fundamental branches.

Note: Probably, you don't like my overview. So, I welcome all feedback and comments!