The legal and legislative framework of the cultural landscapes of North Africa and Southwest Asia

A significant disparity exists between the recognition, protection, and legal frameworks for cultural landscapes in North Africa and Southwest Asia, with a notable concentration of World Heritage-listed sites at risk. This study highlights the urgent need for comprehensive legal and legislative measures to safeguard these landscapes, exemplified by the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape in Azerbaijan. Located within the Gobustan State Historical-Artistic Reservation, this site is protected under a 1966 decree and the 1998 Historical and Cultural Monuments Law. The research underscores the regional and national variations in legal frameworks, emphasizing the importance of robust protection mechanisms to address the vulnerabilities faced by these culturally significant areas.

Anderson, A. B., & Wosiński, M. (2023). The legal and legislative framework of the cultural landscapes of North Africa and Southwest Asia. Routledge Handbook of Cultural Landscape Practice, 123–131. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315203119-12