Cultural heritage is the name we give to all those places, buildings, works of art or objects that contribute to a society’s identity and sense of belonging. These include historic cities, museums, works of art, landscapes and even trees and forests. They have a special value because of their link with the past – the values and traditions that are unique to a particular people, nation or region. It also includes a place’s ability to bring people together, to build a community’s image and reputation, and to promote tourism development.
A growing body of evidence supports the assertion that cultural heritage is a valuable resource for individuals, societies and economies – contributing to the quality of life, and the strength of a country’s economy. In some cases, the economic contribution of cultural heritage is clear and direct – like when a tourist pays to enter an historic building or see a work of art. But for the most part, its contributions are indirect – like when a person visits a historic city to experience its architecture or culture. These are often difficult to measure.
Historically, different values have been assigned to different cultural heritage items – monuments, buildings, works of art and archaeological sites for example. In the face of the systematic destruction or loss of such cultural heritage, a broadening of the concept of what was considered to be worthy of being saved has led to phrases such as “the cultural heritage of humanity” and to the recognition that this heritage should be preserved.
This definition of cultural heritage has led to the establishment of many conventions that protect the integrity of cultural heritage. One of the most important is the UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects. This defines a “cultural object” as one that is “of importance for archaeology, prehistory, history, literature, art or science”.
Another approach is the “intangible cultural heritage” which is defined as the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills – as well as the instruments, spaces and artifacts associated with them – that communities, groups and, in some instances, individuals recognize as their own. Intangible cultural heritage is a vital component of every culture and its loss can be a major blow to a society’s resilience during conflict or disaster.
Intangible cultural heritage is not a commodity and therefore can’t be traded. But that doesn’t mean that its value is intangible. For example, the cultural value of a place may be measured by its aesthetic or recreational benefits, such as the enjoyment that is gained from being in the historic environment. Such values are difficult to quantify, but they can be estimated using similar techniques as are used for measuring market prices.
Moreover, the social and environmental values of heritage can also be estimated. This is particularly the case for natural landscapes, such as mountains and rivers, where the value of a place is partly due to its uniqueness and beauty, as well as its biodiversity. These can be estimated through various methods, including the use of geographic information systems (GIS), satellite imagery and geophysics.