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Tree Goddess Scenes in the New Kingdom Private Tombs at Thebes

Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis — 2017 — WHEF63A1082FA

Ancient Egyptian private tombs from the New Kingdom at Thebes feature 58 scenes depicting tree goddesses, revealing their diverse forms and roles. These goddesses, often linked to sycamore fig (nht) or persea (iSd), appear in varied shapes without a fixed placement within tombs. They present gifts to the deceased, symbolizing protection and sustenance. The study analyzes these scenes to deduce differences across cemeteries, including goddess attributes, deceased positions, and associated deities. Employing descriptive and analytical methods, it catalogs all scenes while focusing on preservation status. Findings highlight the cultural significance of tree goddesses in Egyptian funerary art, offering insights into religious practices and tomb design.

Trends in Phenological Parameters and Relationship Between Land Surface Phenology and Climate Data in the Hyrcanian Forests of Iran

Hyrcanian Forests — 2017 — WHE5ADB505A51

A significant trend analysis of the Hyrcanian Forests in Iran reveals that the end of the growing season (EOS) has been shifting later by 0.14 days per year, correlating strongly with rising temperatures, particularly in the western regions where precipitation is abundant. Conversely, the start of the season (SOS) shows a slight delay of -0.16 days per year, strongly linked to total precipitation and mean temperature. This study leverages normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series data from 1981-2012, employing interpolation for outlier removal and cloud contamination correction, followed by the midpoint approach for phenological parameter retrieval and Theil-Sen trend estimation. Correlation coefficients derived from multiple linear regression further elucidate these relationships, providing critical insights into the drivers of vegetation dynamics in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Troubled lands: sovereignty and livelihoods in the Marquesas Islands

Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands — 2017 — WHEB56D3CDD09

Marquesan Islanders exercise sovereignty through daily subsistence activities, challenging France and French Polynesia's land regulations. A network of land owners, workers, and caretakers sustains customary tenure practices while resisting imposed structures. Fruit trees, seemingly planted for financial gain, serve as a political statement reflecting islanders' struggle for influence and the enduring power of their traditions.

Tsar Stephen Dušan and Mount Athos

Mount Athos — 2017 — WHEB2A406BE7A

Mount Athos held significant cultural and political importance for medieval Serbia, particularly under the Nemanja dynasty. This study reveals that Tsar Stephen Dušan (1331-1355) maintained strong ties with the Holy Mountain, extending generous support to Athonite monasteries. His policy was not merely a continuation of his predecessors' legacy but also a strategic move to secure the backing of the Greek clergy. The research explores how this relationship was shaped by both familial connections—such as Stephen Nemanja's retreat to Mount Athos—and broader geopolitical ambitions, shedding light on the complex interplay between Serbian governance and Orthodox religious institutions during this period.

Turismo de aventura, su impacto ambiental y propuesta de mitigación en la quebrada de Quillcayhuanca

Huascarán National Park — 2017 — WHE051F9567F2

Adventure tourism in the Quillcayhuanca Gorge, Huascarán National Park, significantly impacts natural resources, with trekking being the most detrimental activity. Over 1500 tourists annually, mostly foreigners, contribute to soil degradation (61%), water pollution (17.5%), and air quality deterioration (16.9%). Current conservation programs are insufficient, highlighting a critical need for mitigation strategies to protect this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The study employed surveys of local residents, direct observations, and documentary analysis to assess impacts and propose corrective measures.

Turismo enogastronomico nella Langa del Barolo: indagine presso i ristoratori

Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato — 2017 — WHE354BCEE043

Restaurant managers in the Langa del Barolo region, part of Italy's UNESCO-listed Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont, highly value and accept initiatives aimed at promoting wine and food tourism. The study found that traditional word-of-mouth recommendations remain influential but are increasingly supplemented by digital interactions via social media, which significantly expands global reach and engagement with tourists. This highlights the dual importance of local authenticity and modern digital tools in shaping enogastronomic tourism experiences.

Turismo gentrificador en ciudades patrimoniales. Exclusión y transformaciones urbano-arquitectónicas del patrimonio en Guanajuato, México

Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines — 2017 — WHECB688FA6E0

El turismo de élite actúa como un factor transformador en ciudades patrimoniales, alterando las tipologías tradicionales y generando una arquitectura fachadista que acentúa la exclusión social y fragmentación urbana. En Guanajuato, México, este proceso revela contradicciones donde el prestigio del destino depende de recursos culturales y patrimoniales, pero estos pueden verse amenazados por la explotación turística. El estudio analiza cómo el Estado, el mercado y una ciudadanía débil influyen en estas transformaciones, destacando los impactos negativos en el patrimonio urbano.

Turismo y Territorio en Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Parque Nacional Santa Rosa: del Monumento Nacional a la Conservación del Bosque Tropical Seco, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Area de Conservación Guanacaste — 2017 — WHED8EB2856C1

A key insight from this study is the critical role of community integration in enhancing conservation efforts within protected areas, particularly in the context of incipient tourism development. The research highlights that while Costa Rica's rich natural and cultural resources, including landscapes like the Parque Nacional Santa Rosa in the Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), attract tourism interest, the challenge lies in incorporating local communities to strengthen conservation beyond the core protected zones. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining secondary data review with field observations and interviews with local residents. This methodology revealed that despite the ACG's significance for research and its potential as a tourist destination, there is an ongoing need to balance ecological preservation with community engagement to ensure sustainable development in adjacent areas.

Turkic Burial Ground in the Bay-Bulun Area in Central Tuva

Deer Stone Monuments and Related Bronze Age Sites — 2017 — WHEFDEB7B14C6

A rare, intact Turkic-period burial complex was discovered at Krasnaya Gorka-19 in Central Tuva, featuring a deer stone monument and two accompanying horses. The site, excavated by the Tuva archaeological expedition in 2015, preserves unique carved signs (possibly tamgas) on a bow horn overlay that lack direct parallels in known Turkic scripts or regional symbol systems. Anthropological and paleozoological analyses provide insights into burial practices and equine husbandry during this period. The study highlights the site's significance within broader Bronze Age monument traditions of Tuva and Central Asia, contributing to our understanding of Turkic cultural and symbolic expressions.

Twelfth Century AD

Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture — 2017 — WHEB786E16725

Paleoclimate records from the Quelccaya ice cap and Lake Titicaca reveal a strong correlation between climate variations, particularly precipitation changes, and the rise and fall of pre-Hispanic civilizations in western Peru and Bolivia. This study highlights how climatic shifts, especially those linked to tropical processes like the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), influenced agrarian cultures in environmentally sensitive zones such as the Andean altiplano. Specifically, it examines the impacts of climate change on the development and dissolution of the Tiwanaku state, a significant political and spiritual center of the Tiwanaku culture. The findings underscore the vulnerability of complex societies to climatic variability, providing critical insights into the interplay between environmental conditions and human civilizations.

Twelfth-Century Pilgrimage Art in Bethlehem and Jerusalem: Points of Contact between Europe and the Crusader Kingdom

Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem — 2017 — WHEE7984E58EC

Twelfth-century pilgrimage art in Bethlehem reveals a significant cultural exchange between Europe and the Crusader Kingdom, with the Church of the Nativity showcasing the most extensive programme of pilgrim-sponsored art from that era. These large icons, adorning the church's columns, feature a diverse array of saintly figures, including cult images of the Virgin and Child, apostles, bishops, deacons, ascetics, soldier-saints, holy kings, and important female saints. Rarely, the pilgrims who commissioned these paintings were also represented. Additionally, an independent devotional icon links patron saints associated with three major Christian pilgrimage sites—Jerusalem, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela—suggesting a pilgrim's journey across all three locations.

Two Long-Term Intermittent Pulsars Discovered in the Palfa Survey

Jodrell Bank Observatory — 2017 — WHE627B0CB9EE

Researchers have identified two long-term intermittent pulsars, PSRs J1910+0517 and J1929+1357, expanding the known population of such objects to five. These pulsars exhibit extreme bimodal intermittency, switching between active (ON) and inactive (OFF) states with a notable evolution in activity observed for PSR J1929+1357. The study, conducted using data from the Pulsar Arecibo L-Band Feed Array survey and extended observations at Jodrell Bank Observatory, reveals that the spin-down rate of these pulsars is proportional to their activity. This discovery suggests a potential link between intermittency mechanisms and physical properties such as spin-down power and accelerating potential above polar caps, offering new insights into the behavior of intermittent pulsars.

Two new Oxalis (Oxalidaceae) species, including 5 varieties, from the Richtersveld of South Africa

Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape — 2017 — WHE27B7FA66A9

Researchers have identified two new Oxalis species and five varieties within the UNESCO-listed Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape, South Africa. The newly described species, Oxalis canaliculata and O. magnifolia, exhibit distinct morphological traits that set them apart from other southern African Oxalis species. Among these, O. canaliculata includes two unique varieties: var. trifoliolata, known from a single population, and var. graniticola, restricted to granite outcrops. Similarly, O. magnifolia var. reduplicata is confined to two nearby populations. The study combines morphological analysis with preliminary phylogenetic data from the nuclear ITS region to establish taxonomic distinctions. These findings contribute to the understanding of Oxalis biodiversity in the Richtersveld, highlighting the importance of this globally recognized landscape for conservation and scientific research.

U-Pb Ages and Hf Isotopes in Zircons from Parautochthonous Mesozoic Terranes in the Western Margin of Pangea: Implications for the Terrane Configurations in the Northern Andes

National Archeological Park of Tierradentro — 2017 — WHECCCF6A08B7

New U-Pb zircon dating and Hf isotopic analysis reveal that the Tierradentro unit, previously thought to be Grenvillian basement, is actually Permo-Triassic (271–234 Ma) in age. This challenges long-standing geological models of the Central Cordillera of Colombia. The study also identifies distinct Jurassic detrital zircon sources in the Cajamarca Complex, unlike those in other Central Cordillera plutonic rocks. These findings suggest that the Jurassic metasedimentary belt correlates with the Salado terrane in Ecuador and that Permo-Triassic granodioritic magmas intruded along the Otú-Pericos fault, reshaping our understanding of terrane configurations in the Northern Andes.

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, San Antonio, Texas, May 16–18, 2017

Carlsbad Caverns National Park — 2017 — WHE05FB373F4C

The U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group (KIG) Proceedings, held in San Antonio, Texas from May 16–18, 2017, highlights the evolution and contributions of KIG workshops since their inception in 2001. These biennial workshops, hosted at universities or research institutes near notable karst features, have fostered interdisciplinary collaboration on karst research across diverse geological settings, from Florida's Floridan aquifer to New Mexico's evaporite karst. The 2017 proceedings feature discussions on the future of karst research, led by experts like Dr. Penelope Boston, and field trips that included Carlsbad Caverns National Park, underscoring the significance of integrating cave and karst studies into broader Earth science frameworks.

Ubi Papa Ibi Roma

Durham Castle and Cathedral — 2017 — WHE7CDA51938F

Durham Castle and Cathedral, along with similar sites like Auckland Castle, hold unique significance not merely due to formal architectural similarities but as prime objects or parts of a sequence. This study challenges the conventional approach of comparing palaces solely based on stylistic resemblances, such as those seen in 14th-century Spanish, Italian, and French structures. Instead, it posits that a palace's importance lies in its role as an innovator or its position within a developmental lineage. If a building is a 'prime object,' it represents the first instance of an architectural innovation, regardless of its origin. Conversely, if it is part of a sequence, it reflects the influence of a preceding model. This approach reframes how we assess the historical and cultural impact of palaces like Durham Castle, emphasizing their role in architectural evolution rather than mere stylistic comparison.

Udział Polski w Początkowych Działaniach na Rzecz Realizacji Postanowień Konwencji

Historic Centre of Warsaw — 2017 — WHEE3A21AEE89

Poland played a pivotal role in shaping the global system for cultural heritage identification and preservation between 1975 and 1977, contributing foundational definitions and criteria that influenced UNESCO's World Heritage Convention. The 1976 Warsaw Governmental Experts Conference established key concepts for historic and traditional complexes, while Poland's delegation, led by a vice-president of the Committee in 1977, provided critical input on operational directives regarding historical value, authenticity, urban complexes, and technological artifacts. Polish nominations, including the urban complex of Cracow, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Warsaw Old Town (post-WWII rebuilt), and Auschwitz-Birkenau, exemplified these principles. In 1995, Poland's ICOMOS proposed a program on protection and management in cities of exceptional monumental value, later adopted by UNESCO.

Um lugar entre dois mundos: paisagens de Mbanza Kongo

Mbanza Kongo, Vestiges of the Capital of the former Kingdom of Kongo — 2017 — WHEDD0094B7C2

Mbanza Kongo, once the capital of the Kingdom of Kongo, serves as both a symbol of colonial narrative and a site of ancestral identity. The study reveals that while colonial narratives framed Mbanza Kongo as a legacy of Portuguese civilizatory presence, post-independence movements challenged this, emphasizing its role in African tradition and resistance against colonialism. The research identifies key sites like Kulumbimbi, Ntotila, and Yala-Nkuwu as pivotal links between the physical city and its ideative landscape, underscoring their significance in ancestral memory and anti-colonial struggle. This dual perspective highlights Mbanza Kongo as a dynamic space for both historical reflection and future societal reconstruction.

Umm el‐Jimal cathedral, Jordan: inscriptions and radiocarbon dates

Umm Al-Jimāl — 2017 — WHE8F6E366736

Radiocarbon dating of organic inclusions from the mortar of Umm el-Jimal cathedral's apse confirms that an inscription found on its floor dates to AD 556, aligning with the Bostra calendar and validating previous stylistic and architectural dating. The study used X-ray diffraction and microscopic analyses to characterize the lime-based, ashy mortar with high charcoal content, supporting the conclusion that the cathedral's construction fits a broader trend of increased church-building activity in northeast Jordan between AD 550 and 650.

Un autre dispositif portuaire à Paphos ?

Paphos — 2017 — WHEA4690FE549

Recent archaeological evidence at Paphos, Cyprus, challenges the traditional understanding of its Hellenistic-era port infrastructure. While the New Paphos harbour, established by the end of the 4th century BCE and described in ancient texts, is widely believed to be located south of the modern city, new observations suggest additional maritime installations existed northwest of the city's gate. These structures, potentially careenage docks for military fleet maintenance, may have been constructed during the 2nd century BCE or after 145 BCE when Paphos became a key Ptolemaic naval hub. Their eventual burial under rubble, likely due to sediment deposition and seismic activity in the late 1st century BCE, aligns with the reconstruction of the southern harbour and the introduction of new wall towers during the Roman Imperial period. This discovery sheds light on Paphos' strategic maritime role and its evolving port infrastructure.