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Publications

Showing 921 – 940 of 15962 publications

Reconstructing the Ayutthaya Kingdom Waterway Network

Historic City of Ayutthaya — 2026 — WHEAEF837102A

Researchers have reconstructed the traditional waterway network of Ayutthaya City Island during the Ayutthaya Kingdom, revealing its historical significance and sustainable preservation potential. The study identified key waterways by analyzing paintings and maps from the era, comparing them with historical documents and early archaeological surveys. By overlaying these findings onto a base map using cross-referenced landmarks, the research highlights how Ayutthaya's water culture, including annual flood management, was ingeniously integrated into daily life. This reconstruction offers valuable insights for modern preservation efforts, contrasting traditional techniques with current practices. The work underscores the importance of understanding historical water systems in relation to broader urban and civilizational heritage.

Reconstructing the Historic Terrain of the Buyeo Royal Tombs for Enhancing the Understanding of World Heritage Authenticity Using Multi-Temporal Spatial Data

Baekje Historic Areas — 2026 — WHE8DE6E138D1

Reconstruction of the historic terrain of the Buyeo Royal Tombs, part of the UNESCO-listed Baekje Historic Areas, reveals that these royal funerary sites were strategically positioned on south-facing slopes outside the Sabi capital. This deliberate spatial planning reflects the funerary ideology and urban organization of the Baekje kingdom during the Sabi period (A.D. 538–660). The study employed multi-temporal spatial data, including historical maps, aerial photographs, archaeological excavation records, and contemporary datasets like LiDAR and UAV-based photogrammetry, to overcome methodological challenges in terrain reconstruction. A rigorous three-stage backward georeferencing procedure using Helmert and Thin-Plate Spline (TPS) transformations ensured accurate mapping of the pre-intervention landscape, providing insights into the original topographic context obscured by modern maintenance works conducted in 1966.

Reconstructing the organization and agricultural capacity of the Late Bronze Age kingdom of Ugarit: a statistical and spatial modelling approach

Ancient Villages of Northern Syria — 2026 — WHE3D0DE14B6B

Agricultural suitability modeling and spatial analysis reveal that the Late Bronze Age kingdom of Ugarit, located at Ras Shamra on Syria's northern coast, relied on a network of 200 hamlets to sustain its economy. The study quantifies the kingdom’s agricultural capacity for cereals, olives, and vines using suitability maps, while point pattern analysis integrates these findings with archaeological data to identify likely village locations. This approach provides new insights into Ugarit’s hinterland organization, highlighting economic differentiation among settlements and challenging previous estimates of its territorial extent.

Reconstruction Approaches for Historical Buildings in the Old City of Aleppo

Ancient City of Aleppo — 2026 — WHE5BA60F2731

A context-specific and adaptive approach to reconstruction, balancing authenticity, sustainability, and cultural heritage preservation while addressing urban needs, is essential for maintaining Aleppo’s cultural identity post-war. The study reviews international best practices and criteria to provide recommendations for informed decision-making in the Ancient City of Aleppo's reconstruction efforts.

Redefining Authenticity: Post-colonial Heritage Management and Living Swahili Urbanism in Lamu World Heritage Site, Kenya

Lamu Old Town — 2026 — WHE76CC7DDC8A

A new framework for heritage authenticity, rooted in African living traditions and community agency, challenges Eurocentric conservation paradigms. The study of Lamu Old Town, Kenyareveals how Swahili practices like Maulidi rituals, dhow-building, and lime-plaster renewal are marginalized in favor of static architectural preservation. Using post-colonial analysis of policies and management plans, the research critiques tourism pressures, mega-infrastructure (e.g., LAPSSET corridor), and climate change impacts while advocating for a 'Living Authenticity Framework' that prioritizes dynamic, justice-oriented conservation. This approach centers community knowledge sovereignty and climate-responsive care, offering a rights-based model to redefine African heritage stewardship.

Redefining conservation in world society : indigenous peoples’ challenges to green colonialism in the UNESCO World Heritage regime

Manú National Park — 2026 — WHEE9411A84A6

The UNESCO World Heritage regime is increasingly becoming a contested platform for addressing historical injustices, with its legitimacy hinging on Indigenous-led conservation approaches. This study reveals that while the formal recognition of Indigenous rights has expanded within the regime, implementation often remains partial and decoupled from actual conservation practices. The research employs a comparative analysis across four sites—Manú National Park (Peru), Tongariro National Park (Aotearoa/New Zealand), Lake Bogoria (Kenya), and Pimachiowin Aki (Canada)—using qualitative content analysis of official UNESCO records from 1987 to 2023. It demonstrates how Indigenous actors and human rights institutions can influence the regime's openness to inclusive conservation, challenging persistent exclusionary practices rooted in 'green colonialism.' The study also highlights the potential of UNESCO's documentary repository for tracing institutional change and reconstructing organizational realities.

Reexposition of the Museum and Park Complex in Jericho. A New Look at Ancient History

Ancient Jericho/Tell es-Sultan — 2026 — WHEF05801BF95

A groundbreaking reexposition of the Museum and Park Complex (MPC) in Jericho, the first such facility recreated outside Russia, offers a modernized perspective on ancient history. The project, part of a two-year research program led by RGGU, introduced expanded planning solutions that meet contemporary requirements while preserving historical significance. Key outcomes include an approved design, corporate identity development, and a 3D model for the MPC, enhancing educational engagement. Additionally, thesis work from UTSAD FII RGGU contributed innovative spatial designs, ensuring the complex's relevance in both academic and public contexts.

Refining the theoretical framework of modern Chinese sculpture: Insights from buddhist imagery in the longmen grottoes

Longmen Grottoes — 2026 — WHEAC2DF7F867

A comparative analysis of Buddhist sculptures at the Longmen Grottoes reveals profound influences on Chinese aesthetics, sculptural styles, and carving techniques from the Northern Dynasties to the Tang Dynasty. The study highlights how religious symbolism, formal characteristics, and relief techniques evolved in tandem with cultural dynamics, providing insights into the interplay between religious thought and artistic expression. By examining representative figures such as Buddha, Bodhisattva, and flying apsaras, researchers demonstrate a framework for understanding the development of Chinese sculpture with distinct local characteristics.

Regeneration of Malaysian World Heritage Sites (WHS): The Crucial Role of Domestic Tourists

The Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park’s Caves Complex — 2026 — WHEAD36EB0C7A

Domestic tourists play a crucial role in the regeneration of Malaysian World Heritage Sites (WHS), significantly influencing their longevity. A study found that the value placed on regeneration by domestic tourists positively affects their attitudes, internal and external norms, and moral obligations, which are essential for heritage conservation. The research, focusing on six Malaysian WHS including Niah Caves, employed quantitative analysis and informal discussions with tourists, using purposive sampling and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings highlight the importance of social and subjective norms in a bottom-up approach to ensure the sustainability of these sites for future generations. This study provides a robust theoretical model for behavioral research in heritage tourism.

Regional cooperation as a tool for strengthening slovak-ukrainian relations: practical experience and development prospects

Levoča, Spišský Hrad and the Associated Cultural Monuments — 2026 — WHE68D1DA4211

Interregional and intermunicipal cooperation emerges as a powerful tool for strengthening Slovak-Ukrainian relations, complementing traditional diplomatic instruments. The study highlights the catalytic role of official diplomacy alongside the complementary nature of public and business diplomacy, with NGOs like the Carpathian Platform playing a pivotal role due to their agility, resource access, and ability to innovate models of interaction. Using the partnership between Zhovkva (Ukraine) and Levoča (Slovakia) as a case study, the research demonstrates how such cooperation can foster sustainable international relations in cultural heritage, energy, local governance, education, and economics. The findings underscore the potential for deeper interregional collaboration to support Ukraine's European integration and address cross-border challenges like energy security.

Regional-scale responses of shorebird numbers to benthic food resources in the Dutch Wadden Sea: contrasts between six species

Wadden Sea — 2026 — WHEC2035FD32E

A decade-long study of the Dutch Wadden Sea reveals that changes in shorebird populations are not primarily driven by fluctuations in benthic food resources. While oystercatcher and curlew numbers declined, dunlin and grey plover populations increased, with red knot numbers fluctuating and bar-tailed godwit numbers remaining stable. The research combined comprehensive shorebird counts with annual benthic resource surveys from 2008 to 2023, finding that no single prey species could sustain most shorebird populations, which instead relied on multiple prey types. Only the red knot's population correlated with its preferred prey biomass, suggesting food resources are not the main driver of population changes for other species. This challenges the assumption that food availability is a primary regulator of shorebird numbers in this UNESCO-listed intertidal ecosystem.

Registros novedosos de dos especies de tapires en las estribaciones orientales de los Andes de Ecuador

Sangay National Park — 2026 — WHE13F38B5CF9

Researchers document novel records of the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and mountain tapir (T. pinchaque) in Ecuador's eastern Andean slopes, including the lowest known elevation for the latter at 975 meters. The study compiled direct observations, camera trap data, tracks, and predation evidence from protected areas like Llanganates and Sangay National Parks, as well as community territories. Notably, the two tapir species were found to overlap at the extremes of their altitudinal ranges, with three predation events attributed to Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus) and pumas (Puma concolor). The findings underscore the urgent need for strengthened conservation efforts due to threats from mining, road development, and hunting in these critical biodiversity areas.

Reimagining Cultural Heritage Site: Integrating Augmented Reality for Immersive Heritage and User Engagement

Hwaseong Fortress — 2026 — WHE37FAC87CC1

A user-centered framework for integrating augmented reality (AR) into UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as Hwaseong Fortress in South Korea, demonstrates that context-aware AR can significantly enhance visitor engagement and historical understanding without compromising cultural integrity. The study found that narrative-driven, low-intrusion AR interventions—including interactive holograms and ambient sensory elements—improved emotional connection to the site while maintaining its authenticity. Through exploratory design research, including site observations, visitor interviews, and prototyping, the authors identified key principles for balancing technological innovation with cultural preservation. These include spatial integrity, narrative clarity, and intuitive user experience, offering a transferable model for other heritage sites seeking to leverage AR for immersive storytelling.

Reimagining Sigiriya Frescoes: Legal Implications of Interpreting the Figures as Performers in Tangible Cultural Heritage Management

Ancient City of Sigiriya — 2026 — WHE589EC8E007

Existing legal frameworks in Sri Lanka and UNESCO guidelines for World Heritage Sites provide sufficient flexibility to reinterpret the Sigiriya frescoes as representations of performers without requiring statutory amendments. This reinterpretation could enhance the site's cultural value recognition by connecting tangible and intangible heritage elements, provided careful documentation ensures compliance with authenticity standards. The study demonstrates that while legal frameworks support interpretive evolution, successful reinterpretation must balance scholarly innovation with preservation integrity to maintain fundamental protection objectives for sites of Outstanding Universal Value.

Reinterpreting the Garden City: Green-Built Relations in Tel Aviv’s Metropolitan Planning

White City of Tel-Aviv – the Modern Movement — 2026 — WHE6D9C5B83DC

Green-built relations, a core principle of the Garden City concept adapted in Tel Aviv's 1925 plan by Patrick Geddes, extend beyond the UNESCO World Heritage inscribed White City area but are unevenly recognized across municipalities and planning documents. This study analyzed strategic plans, conservation frameworks, and master plans using a workshop involving 18 participants who evaluated six municipal planning documents against 31 predefined attributes. Findings reveal that these attributes, which underpin the Outstanding Universal Value of the site, persist in metropolitan planning but with significant variation. The research demonstrates green-built relations as a valuable framework for integrating heritage management with metropolitan planning and supporting Nature-Culture governance approaches.

Relations of Representatives of Transoxiana in Samarra during the Reigns of the Caliphs Al-Mutawakkil (847-861) and Al-Muntaṣir (861-862)

Samarra Archaeological City — 2026 — WHE50567E43F9

A critical stage in the decline of Abbasid central authority is revealed through the analysis of political dynamics in Samarra during the reigns of Caliphs al-Mutawakkil (847-861) and al-Muntaṣir (861-862). The study demonstrates that representatives from Transoxiana, including Turkic ghilman, Faraghina, and Ushrusanians, did not form a unified political group but operated within intricate patronage networks, military interests, and court rivalries. The research highlights the socio-spatial dimension of Samarra as a competitive settlement space among different military corps, drawing on archaeological and topographical studies alongside historical accounts from al-Ṭabarī, al-Yaʿqūbī, and al-Masʿūdī. This period marked the growing influence of Transoxianan elites in the caliphate's military-political system, contributing to the weakening of central authority.

Reliable probabilistic landslide susceptibility mapping using a calibrated stacked ensemble with bootstrap-based uncertainty

Upper Svaneti — 2026 — WHE97D07C897A

A groundbreaking landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) framework achieves unprecedented accuracy and reliability for mountainous regions, setting a new benchmark with an AUC of 0.979 and Brier score of 0.054 in the geomorphically complex Upper Svaneti region of northern Georgia. This study introduces a robust machine learning workflow that integrates CatBoost, Random Forest, Extra Trees, and a multilayer perceptron within an XGBoost meta-learner, optimized via spatial cross-validation to handle class imbalance effectively. Unlike conventional approaches, this method combines exploratory geomorphic structure analysis with probabilistic uncertainty quantification using bootstrap ensembles and isotonic calibration, ensuring statistically robust and probabilistically interpretable susceptibility maps. The systematic increase in susceptibility with slope angle further validates the model's geomorphic consistency, offering a reproducible solution for risk-informed planning in tectonically active landscapes.

Relic Worship in Buddhism and Its influence on Design, Symbolism and Spatial Organization of Buddhist Architecture

Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi — 2026 — WHE805D657BF0

Relic worship, central to Buddhism since the Buddha's death around 483 BCE, was not merely a practice but a driving force behind the development of Buddhist architecture. Emperor Ashoka's dissemination of relics in the 3rd century BCE marked a pivotal moment, propagating Buddhism and shaping its architectural forms. This study reveals that relic worship influenced the design, symbolism, and spatial organization of Buddhist monuments across four key sites: Sanchi, Amaravati, Ajanta, and Borobudur. These sites represent distinct stages in Buddhist architectural evolution, from ritual circumambulation at Sanchi to the integration of relics into monastic routines at Ajanta and the symbolic elevation seen in Borobudur's multi-level structure. The research demonstrates that relics remained the religious focus, evolving to reflect local cultural and artistic preferences while maintaining a unifying role in devotion, symbolism, and spatial organization.

Relief Mural in Santiniketan: Ramkinkar Baij’s Sculptural Language

Santiniketan — 2026 — WHE80E44917BD

Ramkinkar Baij, a pioneering figure in Indian sculpture, revolutionized relief mural art by integrating dynamic forms, expressive textures, and innovative techniques that reflect emotion and movement. His work in Santiniketan, including notable pieces like Mill Call and Santhal Family, merges with local environments to create a profound connection between art and community. This study highlights Baij's enduring impact on modern Indian sculpture, emphasizing his contributions to society and the lasting influence of his techniques on contemporary artistic language. By analyzing his visual language, concepts, and media innovations, the research underscores how his mural journey has inspired future generations, solidifying his legacy in both sculptural and mural art history.

Religious Imagery in Yoruba Sculpture: Form And Style in the Works of Adebisi Akanji

Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove — 2026 — WHEA5E3B01793

Adebisi Akanji's sculptures in the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove reveal deep cultural and spiritual significance, blending Yoruba religious concepts with contemporary art. Through abstraction, monumentality, and symbolic proportion, his works visually express Yoruba cosmology, spiritual belief, and ancestral continuity, rather than naturalistic representation. The study highlights how Akanji integrates materiality and environmental aesthetics to convey complex religious meanings, contributing to the preservation of indigenous visual traditions. Employing qualitative art-historical methods—including field observation, photographic documentation, and thematic analysis—the research provides a nuanced understanding of his stylistic innovations and their broader cultural impact.