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Showing 3121 – 3140 of 15962 publications

The Impacts of Upstream Damming of the Omo River on Flood-Retreat Agriculture and Food Security Among Dassanech Agro-pastoralists, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia

Lower Valley of the Omo — 2025 — WHEB632FABC43

Upstream damming of the Omo River has severely disrupted flood-retreat agriculture, a critical food source for the Dassanech agro-pastoralists in Ethiopia's Lower Omo Valley. This disruption has intensified humanitarian crises, including drought and flooding disasters, leading to starvation, disease, and interethnic conflict. The study, employing qualitative methods like key informant interviews and focus group discussions with 68 participants, reveals that damming and large-scale agricultural investments have eroded the communities' resilience, particularly in harsh agro-ecological conditions. The findings underscore the urgent need for sustainable ecosystem management to mitigate food insecurity and ensure survival in the face of climate change.

The importance of a new approach for sustainable revitalization of heritage buildings: Erbil Citadel Houses as best practices

Erbil Citadel — 2025 — WHE5029B7350A

A groundbreaking methodology for sustainable heritage reuse, applied to the UNESCO-listed Erbil Citadel houses, demonstrates how adaptive reuse can preserve cultural integrity while enabling modern functionality. This approach minimizes invasive construction and extends building lifespans, serving as a blueprint for global heritage conservation. By integrating strategies that balance architectural significance with contemporary uses—such as cultural centers, museums, and boutique accommodations—the study highlights the potential to stimulate economic activity and foster urban development without compromising historical identity. The framework offers a scalable model for other World Heritage Sites, emphasizing environmental sustainability, cultural continuity, and adaptive reuse as key pillars of heritage conservation.

The Importance of the Damage’s Map in Identifying Pathologies on Historical Buildings: A Study of the Carmo’s Church – Olinda – PE

Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda — 2025 — WHE9A5B5F425B

A damage map emerges as a critical tool for assessing the conservation state of historical buildings, particularly those with significant preservation interest. This study highlights its importance through a case analysis of Carmo's Church in Olinda, Brazil—a 16th-century Carmelite church and part of UNESCO’s World Heritage-listed Historic Centre. The research demonstrates that understanding construction techniques, materials, maintenance routines, and historical interventions is essential for diagnosing facade pathologies accurately. Despite recent restoration (2012), the study identifies new pathological manifestations appearing within four years, underscoring the need for long-term monitoring and comprehensive documentation to inform conservation strategies.

The Indus Water Distribution Administrative Seal (Type-w)

Dholavira: a Harappan City — 2025 — WHED38FE4E4FF

A groundbreaking analysis reveals that an Indus Valley seal from Dholavira encodes a complete municipal water-distribution system, offering the first functional decoding of its kind. The seal's six interconnected hydraulic motifs—intake grid, filtration gate, sediment control channels, pressure-balance shaft, diversion valve, and anti-backflow regulator—mirror excavated structures from major Harappan sites like Dholavira, Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and Lothal. Below these symbols, a storage vessel signifies controlled household allocation, while the buffalo emblem denotes administrative oversight. This interpretation, rooted in functional logic and archaeological parallels, demonstrates that Indus engineers used seals to represent real operational processes, providing a novel lens for understanding the Indus script through engineering systems rather than linguistic reconstruction.

The Influence of Environmental and Disturbance Factors on Plant Species Diversity, Composition, and Distribution in the Lower Montane Forest of Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania

Kilimanjaro National Park — 2025 — WHEB219E4E7C2

A study on the lower montane forest of Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania, reveals significant variations in plant species diversity and distribution across its western, southern, and eastern slopes. The research identifies soil pH, calcium content, clay content, potassium levels, carbon-nitrogen ratio, and silt as key environmental factors influencing plant community composition. Using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) on data from 65 plots along 13 transects, the study found a strong gradient between these soil characteristics and plant diversity, with the western slopes exhibiting the highest species richness at an average of 17.44 species. These findings provide critical insights for the conservation and restoration efforts in this unique ecosystem.

The Influence of Socio-Demographic Factors on Local Attitudes Towards Sustainable Tourism Development in Skadar Lake and Durmitor National Parks, Montenegro

Durmitor National Park — 2025 — WHEDE029D146C

Residents of Durmitor National Park exhibit more balanced attitudes toward tourism's impacts compared to those in Skadar Lake National Park, with higher ratings for both positive and negative aspects. Conversely, Skadar Lake residents show greater enthusiasm for tourism promotion and engagement. Socio-demographic factors, particularly education and age, significantly influence these perceptions. The study employed questionnaire data analyzed through multiple regression, ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation, ensuring robust statistical validity. These findings highlight the need to tailor sustainable tourism development strategies to local communities’ specific needs and attitudes in both parks.

The influence of socioeconomic factors on the knowledge of reptiles and mammals in the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Northeast Brazil

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park — 2025 — WHE3556E49A54

A study on Lençóis Maranhenses National Park reveals that locality is the sole socioeconomic factor significantly influencing local knowledge of reptiles and mammals. The research, conducted through semi-structured questionnaires and interviews, documented 36 species (including 53% non-avian reptiles and 47% mammals) across 10 orders, highlighting dietary, medicinal, and conflict-related interactions between residents and fauna. Despite analyzing variables like age, sex, education, and locality, only locality proved significant in shaping traditional faunal knowledge, underscoring the importance of geographic context in ecological understanding.

The Influence of Storynomics and Tourism Products on Interest in Visiting Prambanan Temple Tourism Park Yogyakarta

Prambanan Temple Compounds — 2025 — WHE492EA0301E

A study reveals that integrating local narratives, known as storynomics, and developing attractive tourism products significantly boosts tourist interest in Prambanan Temple Tourism Park. Using quantitative methods with 100 respondents, researchers found that storynomics, particularly the legend of Roro Jonggrang, is the dominant factor influencing visitation, followed by tourism products like local crafts and facilities. The findings underscore the importance of combining strong cultural narratives with well-designed tourism offerings to create unique experiences, offering valuable insights for destination managers aiming to enhance tourist engagement.

The Inherent Sustainability of Traditional Architecture in the Citadel of Erbil: With Reference to Residential Buildings in Erbil City

Erbil Citadel — 2025 — WHE3599D150F7

Traditional architecture in the Citadel of Erbil demonstrates inherent sustainability that can inform modern residential design. The study developed tailored Sustainability Assessment Methods (SEAM and SSAM) to evaluate environmental and social performance, comparing three traditional and three contemporary houses in Erbil. Findings suggest that traditional designs—rooted in local climate adaptation and cultural values—offer sustainable alternatives for contemporary urban planning. The research highlights the potential of integrating traditional architectural principles into modern residential buildings to enhance sustainability, providing actionable guidelines for policymakers and designers.

The Interwoven Empire: Unpacking Inca Statecraft Through Landscape, Materiality, and the Quipu's Algorithmic Logic

Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System — 2025 — WHE8A59C784FC

Inca statecraft was underpinned by a sophisticated interplay of landscape manipulation, material resource management, and algorithmic logic embedded in the quipu—a knotted cord system. This study reveals that the Inca Empire's administrative prowess extended beyond military control to include strategic reshaping of the Andean environment through roads, terraces, and monumental architecture, facilitating resource extraction and ideological dissemination. Additionally, the materiality of goods like textiles, ceramics, and metals played dual roles as economic drivers and symbols of authority. Computational analysis of quipu structures further demonstrates their algorithmic logic, offering insights into Inca bureaucratic processes. By integrating archaeological evidence, ethnohistorical accounts, and computational methods, this research provides a holistic framework for understanding the complexities of Inca governance.

The Invention of the Old City. A Didactic Experiment: Three Projects for Lübeck

Hanseatic City of Lübeck — 2025 — WHE72A52A9801

Recent urban transformations in Lübeck's medieval Gründungsviertel (Founders District) demonstrate the effectiveness of critical reconstruction principles, which blend historical morphology with contemporary design. This approach, tested through a didactic experiment at Politecnico di Milano, successfully replaced outdated post-war structures around the Marktplatz and Buddenbrookhaus with new buildings that reinterpret original forms while maintaining legibility. The study highlights how such interventions can preserve urban character while addressing modern needs, offering a model for other German city centers facing similar challenges.

The Keepers of Tradition: Clown Societies in the Casas Grandes and Puebloan Worlds

Archaeological Zone of Paquimé, Casas Grandes — 2025 — WHE583B23DB7F

Clown societies among the Casas Grandes culture, centered in Chihuahua, Mexico, played a significant role during the Medio Period (AD 1200–1450), with potential influence on the development of Puebloan clown societies. These clowns, often seen as avatars of Sun Youth, were integral to governance, katsina ritualism, medicine societies, and the agricultural cycle. The study combines archaeological, ethnohistorical, and ethnological data from the U.S. Southwest and northwest Mexico to uncover their complex roles and societal significance.

The Konark Temple’s Construction: A Critical Review of the Historical, Cultural, and Scientific Evidence

Sun Temple, Konârak — 2025 — WHE40C649B3ED

Ancient artisans of the Konark Temple demonstrated remarkable engineering ingenuity, including the transportation and lifting of colossal stones—such as the world's heaviest stone hoisted to about 200 feet—and the use of rust-resistant iron. The temple, built by Narasimhadeva I to commemorate his military victories and devotion to the Sun God, also showcases advanced astronomical knowledge and sophisticated foundation-laying techniques. A critical review of historical, cultural, and scientific evidence reveals the dual purpose behind its construction while highlighting the enduring legacy of ancient technical expertise. The study synthesizes findings from archaeological discoveries, indigenous knowledge, and scholarly sources, pointing to the need for further exploration of this monumental structure's construction methods.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra as a source of new senses of Ukrainian state-building (analysis of mediatised discursive practices in the wartime)

Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra — 2025 — WHE74DAFCDE8D

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, with its thousand-year history, emerges as a potent symbol for Ukrainian state-building and national identity, particularly during wartime. A case study of a Christmas culinary video program filmed in the Refectory Chamber of the Lavra revealed significant public resonance, challenging traditional Orthodox Church norms and sparking widespread discourse among Ukrainian society, clergy, and intellectuals. This event underscores the Lavra's role as a dynamic source of new meanings, bridging cultural heritage with contemporary national narratives. The study employs critical discourse analysis, argumentation theory, and case study methods to dissect media reactions and public conversations, highlighting the Lavra's transformative potential in shaping Ukraine's collective identity.

The Lake of Olympia: Sedimentary evidence of a mid- to late Holocene lake environment in the vicinity of ancient Olympia (western Peloponnese, Greece)

Archaeological Site of Olympia — 2025 — WHE0CFCF11A5A

Ancient Olympia, renowned as the site of the Panhellenic Games, was once situated at the shore of a mid-to-late Holocene lake that persisted from the 8th millennium BC until the 6th century AD. This discovery, based on sediment cores and multi-proxy analyses from the Basin of Makrisia and the adjacent Basin of Ladiko, reveals distinct phases of limnic conditions, including freshwater to eutrophic environments. Radiocarbon dating indicates the lake's existence during Olympia's peak cult period, with its disappearance linked to a significant drop in the Alpheios River's water level between the 13th and 14th centuries AD, forming the Olympia Terrace. The study also highlights the lake's impact on river discharge and sediment transport, along with its historical, archaeological, and geomorphological implications.

The Landscape of Goguryeo Royal Stone-Mound Tombs and the Implications of Funerary Place Named-Royal Titles

Complex of Koguryo Tombs — 2025 — WHE046E8454E6

Recent research on Goguryeo royal stone-mound tombs reveals that the emergence of Funerary Place Named–Royal Titles and the construction of exclusive, large-scale mound tombs were not merely administrative practices but deliberate manifestations of hierarchical authority. These tombs, characterized by segregated spaces and prominent locations within the capital at Gungnaeseong, contrasted sharply with densely arranged mid- and lower-ranking burials, reinforcing social hierarchy in both everyday life and across generations. The study suggests that Goguryeo rulers used these titles and landscapes to assert and expand their kingship, providing a stable chronological framework for cross-dating material culture across Northeast Asia. While unresolved debates persist regarding the identification of certain tombs, recent proposals have established a relatively consistent correspondence between identifiable kings and their burial sites.

The Language of Teotihuacan Writing

Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan — 2025 — WHE8175003BA5

A groundbreaking analysis proposes that Teotihuacan's writing system, long considered enigmatic, encodes a Uto-Aztecan language ancestral to Nahuatl, Cora, and Huichol. The study challenges the notion that Teotihuacan signs lack linguistic specificity by demonstrating their alignment with Mesoamerican scribal traditions, including logograms (rebus principle) and 'double spelling.' Through comparative glyphic analysis, researchers argue for a coherent linguistic foundation, offering new interpretations of previously undeciphered symbols. This breakthrough suggests Teotihuacan's writing was not merely symbolic but conveyed meaningful content tied to an identifiable language family, reshaping our understanding of this iconic Mesoamerican civilization.

The large lithic assemblage of Gombore I, level B (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia) and the early Acheulean technology in East Africa

Melka Kunture and Balchit: Archaeological and Palaeontological Sites in the Highland Area of Ethiopia — 2025 — WHE0D5C1F4599

Acheulean technology, a pivotal milestone in human evolution, shows signs of early development around 2.0 million years ago in the Ethiopian plateau, specifically at Melka Kunture. Analysis of Gombore I Level B, an extensively excavated Early Acheulean site, reveals decisive technological innovations beyond traditional handaxe shaping and large flake production. These include spatial segmentation of operational sequences, complex raw material selection, tool retouching, and advanced flake production systems like Kombewa and Prepared Core Technology. While retaining features of Oldowan technology, such as core-and-flake methods, the assemblage demonstrates a significant leap in toolmaking complexity, offering rare insights into the early stages of Acheulean development in East Africa.

The large mammal fossil fauna of the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa: a review

Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa — 2025 — WHEDC7EB54294

A review of the large mammal fossil fauna from South Africa's Cradle of Humankind reveals that while hominin fossils have been extensively studied, the site's abundant non-hominin faunal assemblages have been largely overlooked despite their potential for Plio-Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. The study highlights a trend across eight radiometrically dated sites—Bolt's Farm, Cooper's Cave, Drimolen, Haasgat, Hoogland, Malapa, Sterkfontein, and Swartkrans—that shows wooded landscapes transitioning to grasslands over time, primarily based on faunal abundance data. The review also underscores the need for more precise dating and comprehensive faunal reporting to better contextualize these sites, many of which have not been revisited or reanalyzed in decades.

The Late Helladic III Period

Minoan Palatial Centres — 2025 — WHE3864BC93CC

The Late Helladic III Period marks a significant shift in Crete, where Mycenaean influence replaces the Minoan Palatial Centers after the destruction of Knossos around 1375 BC. This era introduces fortified citadels with Cyclopean walls and palaces characterized by megaron structures, courtyards, and workshops, adorned with frescoes depicting scenes of palatial life. Mycenaean palaces, distinct from their Minoan predecessors, exhibit hierarchical organization centered around the 'wanax,' serving as administrative, economic, military, political, and religious hubs. Notably, Mycenae emerges as a leader in power and artistic innovation, exemplified by the Lion Gate and advanced metalwork and ivory carving traditions. Clay figurines further highlight the era's artistic expression, blending functional complexity with cultural homogeneity.