Global Heritage, Religion, and Secularism

Religion and spirituality have been scarcely addressed in heritage preservation history, discourse, and practice. More recently, increased interest in the intersections between the study of religion and heritage preservation in both academic studies and institutional initiatives highlight obstacles that the field has yet to overcome theoretically and methodologically. This Element surveys the convergences of religious and heritage traditions. It argues that the critical heritage turn has not adequately considered the legacy of secularism that underpins the history and contemporary practices of heritage preservation. This omission is what has left the field of heritage studies ill-equipped to support the study and management of a heritage of religion broadly construed.

Living with History, 1914-1964

Living with History focuses on a particular aspect of heritage preservation in the 20th century: destruction and post-war reconstruction in Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, and The Netherlands. This book establishes a status quaestionis for the historiography of wartime and post-war preservation, and sets these particular developments in preservation history in the context of the general evolution of architecture and urbanism. It studies the specific role of conservationists and heritage institutions and administrations in the overall reconstruction, and examines the specific role of architects and planners in preservation matters.

Aging-Resistant Behavior and Room Temperature Electron Spin Resonance of Nd3+ in Singly and Doubly Doped BaTiO3 Ceramics Associated with Preservation History

The (Ba0.96Nd0.04)Ti0.99O3 (BN4T) and (Ba0.96Nd0.04)(Ti0.94Ce0.05)O3 (BN4TC5) ceramics were prepared via the mixed oxide route exhibited tetragonal and pseudo-cubic structures, respectively. After they were preserved over a long period of time, a broader electron spin resonance (ESR) signal at g = 2.338 and a narrow ESR signal at g = 2.151 were detected at room temperature (RT) for BN4T and BN4TC5, respectively. They most likely originated from the Nd3+ Kramers ions in BN4T and Nd3+-Ce4+ defect complexes in BN4TC5 ceramics, respectively. The origins of these two ESR signals and the aging-resistant dielectric behavior are further discussed.

Nothing in (sponge) biology makes sense – except when based on holotypes

Sponge species are infamously difficult to identify for non-experts due to their high morphological plasticity and the paucity of informative morphological characters. The use of molecular techniques certainly helps with species identification, but unfortunately it requires prior reference sequences. Holotypes constitute the best reference material for species identification, however their usage in molecular systematics and taxonomy is scarce and frequently not even attempted, mostly due to their antiquity and preservation history. Here we provide case studies in which we demonstrate the importance of using holotype material to answer phylogenetic and taxonomic questions. We also demonstrate the possibility of sequencing DNA fragments out of century-old holotypes. Furthermore we propose the deposition of DNA sequences in conjunction with new species descriptions.