The development of legal framework for the management of World Heritage Sites in Oman: a case study on Bahla Oasis

PurposeThe study aims to analyze the development of Omani heritage legislation against the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (WHC), 1972 and WHC Operational Guidelines (WHC-OGs) to predict the possible effects of the recent developments on the management of the World Heritage Site in Oman.Design/methodology/approachThis study discusses the development of the heritage protection legislation in Sultanate of Oman since 1970; it analyses the Omani Cultural Heritage Law 35/2019 against the recommendations of the UNESCO WHC as well as the requirements of the World Heritage Operational Guidelines. Moreover, the research investigates the possible effects of the recent heritage legislation developments on the management of Bahla Fort and Oasis in Oman, which is the first Omani World Heritage Site and the only site with special management regulations.FindingsThe paper outlines the effects of both the Omani Cultural Heritage Law 35/2019 and the Special Management Regulations 81/2019 on the implementation of the Bahla Management Plan. Additionally, the research establishes how the customization of heritage legislation as a special heritage management regulation facilitates the implementation of national legislation to solve specific local problems.Originality/valueThe study establishes the significance of developing comprehensive legislation to protect and manage the rich Omani cultural heritage and World Heritage Sites in alignment with the WHC and the WHC-OGs.

Å sjå røysa som eit objekt, ein markør og ein prosess av handlingsmønster

Cairns: graves, clearances or both, a seminar held at the Museum of Archaeology, University of Stavanger, in February 2017, attempted to look beyond the traditional concept of cairns as objects resulting from specific or single activities, focusing instead on the idea of a more fluid symbolism, constantly changing over time. This article seeks to build upon the questions and themes raised at the seminar, combining traditional definitions of cairns with the results of more recent research. The results will then be discussed in a broader, Scandinavian context. The aim is to draw attention to the idea that cairns are the product of various ongoing processes, both active and symbolic, and that these processes continuously redefine the relevance and meaning of cairns to society. The article will also draw attention to the results of more recent research and the implications they have for the field of cultural heritage management, both administratively and practically, and cultural heritage legislation in general in Norway.

THE STUDY OF DEPOPULATED HISTORICAL ENSEMBLES IN THE PROVINCE OF TERUEL: A TOOL TO MAP, PROTECT AND CONSERVE THEIR VERNACULAR HERITAGE AND IDENTITY

There are 23 rural historical ensembles listed as BIC in the province of Teruel, one of the most depopulated areas in Spain. On the one hand, the lack of economic and demographic pressure in this region has made it possible to preserve many of the typological features of their vernacular architecture. On the other hand, the loss of permanent inhabitants and skilled craftsmanship practitioners has led to a worrying lack of maintenance and abandonment, which threatens their future conservation. The Cultural Heritage Department (Gobierno de Aragón) has been promoting several studies aimed at the protection of 6 different listed case-studies (Albalate del Arzobispo, Calaceite, Rubielos de Mora, Mirambel, Beceite and Teruel). Despite being very small, municipalities are the only competent bodies for the elaboration of the Special Protection master plans of each HE, according to Urban Planning and Cultural Heritage legislation. Hence, the primary purpose of these studies is to support them by analysing their heritage significance and singularities so they can use them as the base for master plans. They will also help raise awareness of their cultural values among local communities, while avoiding the mere conservation of empty urban and rural landscapes. The methodology comprises the identification, analysis and diagnosis of the heritage values that build their identity, thanks to a thorough inventory of all the vernacular constructive techniques, components and zones with a distinguishable character within the urban tissue and its environment.

The Current State of Built Heritage in Karachi: The Case of Empress Market

Modern Karachi has a fragmented and multifaceted social formation, while its historic core presents a diverse range of historical attributes of its built heritage. The increasing urban population of Karachi contributes heavily to its degradation including the degradation of its historical attributes. There is no effective heritage legislation and there are conflicts between what people do and what the government institutions do. Consequently, there is chaos and deterioration in the inner city. The city has been developing rapidly and the government has proposed many projects for the revival of the historic core of the city. However, most of them have not been successful. The objective of this research is to examine the situation in which heritage buildings face a serious threat. The current research focused on one such project, that is, the Empress Market ̶ the restoration and redevelopment of its historic precinct. It adopted physical observations, archival analysis, and site surveys along with photographic documentation and interviews of the local shop dwellers (especially to focus on the historical evolution of the building) as research techniques. The findings showed that the state of deprivation of the historic core of Karachi is the reflection of a collective devastation of the precinct in terms of social and historic values, which is further supported by the non-prevailing heritage legislative system. The research also investigates the present condition of the Empress Market in connection with its glorious past and urban decay befallen to it over time due to vandalism and the numerous restoration plans proposed for it over the years. The study can be beneficial to comprehend the ground realities concerning the survival of heritage properties within the cumulative urbanization process. The results can be used also to propose the rejuvenation of the lost splendor of the historic urban core of Karachi as a prototype for parallel development schemes.

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Reform in Australia and the Dilemmas of Power

The last decade or so has seen a fundamental shift in Aboriginal cultural heritage law in Australia. A number of subnational jurisdictions in Australia have undergone major reforms to their Aboriginal heritage legislation. Other subnational jurisdictions are currently in the reform process or have promised reform in coming years. We use the latest (and, at the time of writing, ongoing) process to reform Aboriginal heritage legislation in the state of New South Wales (NSW) to explore some of the legal issues and themes emanating from the Australian experience. The NSW example is a useful case study for thinking about how minority heritage regulation can not only serve broader social movements but also undercut some of its own possibilities. We argue that even law that is ostensibly in place to promote the control of communities over their own heritage can cause difficult balancing acts that may default to a dependency path and effectively detract from its own projected goals.

Between preservation and change: performing arts heritage development in South Korea

Purpose As intangible cultural heritage, traditional performing arts depend on transmission by individuals and collectives. The purpose of this paper is to explore how traditional performers practice their arts in South Korea. The analysis focuses on the transformations of performance conventions and contexts, as well as on new genres that developed in response to heritage legislation and social change during the last 200 years. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on a wide array of existing ethnographic research, the paper compares processes of transmission and transformation of three different genres: the solo singing-storytelling genre pansori, the ensemble percussion-dance genre pungmul and the various regional forms of mask dance drama subsumed under the label talnori. The paper argues that the artists, who perform these genres, while not unaffected by the expectations of their audiences, have the power to transcend traditional boundaries. Findings Due to early professionalization in the nineteenth century, pansori performers could adapt to the changing contexts of market-oriented modernity and survive until governmental intervention in 1962. Pre-modern pungmul and talnori was performed primarily by and for rural communities, resulting in an interruption of transmission when these contexts disappeared and partial re-invention in the wake of official preservation legislation. Originality/value The need for repeated performance in historically varying contexts makes the analysis of performing arts particular fruitful for understanding how practitioners of tradition (have to) adapt to change. A historical-comparative perspective provides concise insights into the dynamics of development that informs tradition today. The inclusion of offspring genres (changgeuk, madang-geuk, samulnori) furthermore shows the potential of heritage development beyond the official system of preservation.