The use of video games as a sustainable tool for preserving existing archaeological data in an entertaining and interactive manner was investigated. The main aim of such investigation was to explore the potential benefits in terms of archaeological/heritage education, broadcasting, and representing data in a manner that is interactive and encourages critical thinking through play. Game Pass Shelter, located at Kamberg in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park was used to create a virtual environment in a video game that accurately represents traditional Bushmen rock art and folklore. Two phases were featured in the development of the video game: (i) getting feedback from gamers through a questionnaire I had designed, and (ii) using the identified recommendations to design the 2D video game using Unity Game Engine (a free video game development piece of software). This 2D video game, defined by authenticity to the represented folklore, features rock art motifs from Game Pass Shelter used against the backdrop of the Spoiling of the Eland traditional story. The video game begins with the ‘Rosetta Stone’ of southern African rock art and contextualises it using selected traditional folklore. Through this process, the video game aims to show why hunting was so important to the traditional Bushmen way of life. It further shows why eland were so valued and some unique beliefs that the Bushmen had concerning them. / Dissertation (MA (Archaeology))--university of Pretoria, 2020. / Anthropology and Archaeology / MA (Archaeology) / Unrestricted

Sustainability is one of the key challenges facing society in the twenty-first century. The adoption of sustainable practices in the heritage sector resonates with its long-established objectives to conserve and enhance the historic environment, although its implementation can also present significant dilemmas for the commodification, integrity, authenticity, accessibility and viability of these resources, particularly where sites are tourist attractions. The aim of this thesis was to investigate progress in the adoption of sustainable practices in heritage properties and sites in Devon and Cornwall. The findings were based on the compilation of an inventory of selected heritage resources; an extensive questionnaire survey of managers of historic houses and castles, historic churches, and museums and archives (416 responses), which investigated the extent of, and opinions about, sustainable management approaches; and semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with eight heritage managers, which probed key issues in much greater depth. The results of the research demonstrated some similarities with the adoption of sustainable practices in other sectors, such as the practical issues associated with costs and lack of knowledge. There were also some heritage-specific issues, such as perceived conflicts with protection duties, the consequences of being largely dependent upon volunteer staffing, and the institutional role of larger parent organisations, which have been overlooked in previous research. Most significantly, the results indicated that very few heritage sites produced sufficient surpluses to facilitate investment in sustainable practices that might ultimately enhance their financial viability and fund enhanced conservation activities. Future strategies for the sector as whole must therefore not only deal with capacity-building, such as access to information and training on sector-specific sustainable management, but also address the institutional factors governing heritage in the UK, such as strategic leadership, the most effective models for governance and funding mechanisms for sustainability, and the creation of local and regional heritage networks.

This work primarily examines the management of wet-preserved archaeological sites in England, through an exploration of value and analysis of current management approaches. The aim is to explore whether the current policy frameworks, in particular the role of preservation in situ, can provide a sustainable future for wet-preserved archaeological sites. This work further seeks to conceptualise the modelling of sustainability, preservation and management decision making in wetland archaeological sites. Looking at the last 40 year of wetland research through the work of the large-scale wetland survey projects, this work initially considers the current understanding of wet archaeological sites in England. It also examines aspects of heritage management through the legislative and policy frameworks and their legacy. This work considers the implications that legislative and policy positions have for the management of wetland archaeological sites and examines the theoretical concepts that underpin them. This includes exploring reflective management, the development of research frameworks, and scoring mechanisms for the designation of sites. It also looks at broader constructs of value through the concepts of cultural and economic values. Three existing archaeological sites, a ringwork at Borough Fen near Peterborough, a marsh fort at Sutton Common near Doncaster and a triple post-alignment near Beccles, will be presented as case studies. These sites serve as examples of how the management of sites has been approached. The results of the case study analysis are used to develop a series of conceptual models looking firstly at sustainability and preservation in situ, and, secondly at preservation, value and decision making. The study concludes that the presumption in favour of preservation in situ can be challenging for wet preserved archaeological sites. Deterioration of the preservation environment can in some cases produce a similar decline in significance. Preservation in situ may therefore not be the most appropriate option for archaeological sites in wetlands.

A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo a reflexão sobre conceitos, relações e informações relevantes para a criação de uma ferramenta de auxílio um banco de dados dedicada à gestão de bens patrimoniais em rede. Para tanto, incorpora em seu escopo o cotidiano de trabalho no Centro de Gestão de Informação e Documentação do Acervo Artístico-Cultural dos Palácios do Governo do Estado de São Paulo. A proposta desse estudo é desenvolver um modelo de normatização no registro, tratamento e pesquisa em sistema de informação para a construção de ferramenta de auxílio na gestão de patrimônio artístico, cultural e histórico do Estado de São Paulo. A investigação situa-se em um campo interdisciplinar que envolve a Museologia, a História da Arte, a Ciência da Informação e a Administração. Como exercício prático, a pesquisa ora apresentada propõe um modelo de organização, fluxo e recuperação de dados que inclui: ficha de inventário; ficha de catalogação; fluxo de trabalho e instrumento de avaliação. / The present research aims at reflecting on concepts, relations and relevant information for creating an aiding tool - a database management system for patrimonial asset network. Therefore, in its scope it includes the daily work at the Information and Documentation Management Center of the Curatorship of the collections of the palaces of São Paulo State Government. The main purpose of this dissertation is to develop a regulatory model in registering, treating and researching an information system in order to build an aiding tool for managing the State of São Paulo artistic, cultural and historic heritage. Bearing this in mind, the course of this investigation is directed to interdisciplinary studies that encompass Museology, History of Arts, Information Sciences and Administration. As a practical exercise, the research shown here suggests a model of organization and recovery of data that includes: inventory card files, catalog card files, workflow, and evaluation tools.

A arqueologia brasileira, bem como o próprio patrimônio arqueológico, ainda é pouco conhecida de grande parte da sociedade nacional. Esta tese defende o Turismo Arqueológico como uma atividade capaz de difundir essa ciência e, principalmente, capaz de proteger o patrimônio arqueológico. Essa defesa baseia-se (i) em discussões sobre a vulnerabilidade desse patrimônio devido, em parte, aos próprios estudos arqueológicos que estão sendo realizados no país por conta de grandes obras (gasodutos, polidutos, estradas, hidrelétricas etc.); (ii) no detalhamento conceitual de aspectos teóricos e práticos do turismo; (iii) na síntese de princípios de melhores práticas que podem auxiliar na implantação e desenvolvimento de projetos de Turismo Arqueológico dentro dos preceitos de sustentabilidade; (iv) na ênfase da importância da Interpretação Patrimonial para o planejamento da comunicação com os visitantes de locais com patrimônio culturais. A tese apresenta uma gama de atrativos arqueoturísticos diferentes entre si, mas pensados em complementariedade, destinados ao município de Iranduba, estado do Amazonas (Amazônia central brasileira). As propostas apresentadas mostram que é viável aproveitar turisticamente o patrimônio arqueológico local, embora lhe falte monumentalidade, e podem auxiliar no desenvolvimento de propostas similares país a fora / Brazilian archeology, along with its archeological heritage, is still little known to the great majority of the Brazilian society. This thesis maintains that Archeological Tourism is an activity not only able to disseminate the knowledge of archeological science but also and mainly to protect the archeological heritage. It is based on (i) discussions about this heritage\'s vulnerability partly due to archeological studies being carried out in Brazil as a result of the construction of great infrastructure projects (e.g. oil and gas pipelines, roads, hydroelectric dams and so forth); the conceptual exposition of theoretical and practical aspects of Tourism; (iii) the summary of Best Practice principles that might help to develop and implement projects in Archeological Tourism following the rules of sustainability. (iv) the emphasis on the importance of Heritage Interpretation for planning the communication with visitors to cultural heritage sites. This thesis proposes a series of attractive archeological tourism products for the municipality of Iranduba, in the state of Amazonas (Brazilian Central Amazon), that although diverse, are meant to complement each other in their purposes and uses. The presented proposals show the feasibility of using the local archeological heritage touristically, even if this lacks monumentality, helping with the development of similar proposals around the country

A arqueologia brasileira, bem como o próprio patrimônio arqueológico, ainda é pouco conhecida de grande parte da sociedade nacional. Esta tese defende o Turismo Arqueológico como uma atividade capaz de difundir essa ciência e, principalmente, capaz de proteger o patrimônio arqueológico. Essa defesa baseia-se (i) em discussões sobre a vulnerabilidade desse patrimônio devido, em parte, aos próprios estudos arqueológicos que estão sendo realizados no país por conta de grandes obras (gasodutos, polidutos, estradas, hidrelétricas etc.); (ii) no detalhamento conceitual de aspectos teóricos e práticos do turismo; (iii) na síntese de princípios de melhores práticas que podem auxiliar na implantação e desenvolvimento de projetos de Turismo Arqueológico dentro dos preceitos de sustentabilidade; (iv) na ênfase da importância da Interpretação Patrimonial para o planejamento da comunicação com os visitantes de locais com patrimônio culturais. A tese apresenta uma gama de atrativos arqueoturísticos diferentes entre si, mas pensados em complementariedade, destinados ao município de Iranduba, estado do Amazonas (Amazônia central brasileira). As propostas apresentadas mostram que é viável aproveitar turisticamente o patrimônio arqueológico local, embora lhe falte monumentalidade, e podem auxiliar no desenvolvimento de propostas similares país a fora / Brazilian archeology, along with its archeological heritage, is still little known to the great majority of the Brazilian society. This thesis maintains that Archeological Tourism is an activity not only able to disseminate the knowledge of archeological science but also and mainly to protect the archeological heritage. It is based on (i) discussions about this heritage\'s vulnerability partly due to archeological studies being carried out in Brazil as a result of the construction of great infrastructure projects (e.g. oil and gas pipelines, roads, hydroelectric dams and so forth); the conceptual exposition of theoretical and practical aspects of Tourism; (iii) the summary of Best Practice principles that might help to develop and implement projects in Archeological Tourism following the rules of sustainability. (iv) the emphasis on the importance of Heritage Interpretation for planning the communication with visitors to cultural heritage sites. This thesis proposes a series of attractive archeological tourism products for the municipality of Iranduba, in the state of Amazonas (Brazilian Central Amazon), that although diverse, are meant to complement each other in their purposes and uses. The presented proposals show the feasibility of using the local archeological heritage touristically, even if this lacks monumentality, helping with the development of similar proposals around the country

Museum studies in South Africa have predominately focused on addressing issues of politics and practice of museum displays and exhibitions, particularly in the period following the 1994 South African elections. These studies have led to the transformation of many past museum displays and exhibits. They have also opened up new research opportunities within the field of museum studies, such as the current study on social viability and economic sustainability of South African museums. In this research report I assess a range of museum operational models in and around Johannesburg and make recommendations about the best current operational model and on the potential model for future developments of culture and heritage museums in Johannesburg. Recommendations on some of the strategies that museums in and around Johannesburg need to adopt in order to develop further their social responsibility projects are given, based on my experience of how museums in Washington, D.C raised alternative funds towards such projects. The Section 21 Company model is seen as the best current museum operational model and has potential for future museum developments in Johannesburg.

Recovery from disaster is a challenging period for any community. Long-term recovery is important, especially in relation to the built heritage, but it is among the least explored phases of disaster. Identifying past problems is needed to reduce future recovery complications. This study investigates the long-term recovery of public and Non-Government Organizations (NGO) owned historic buildings after an earthquake in the light of chosen sustainability variables. It examines San Francisco after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake as a case study and analyzes time needs, community participation, and maintenance of historic character, to identify whether historic buildings faced special issues and the variables involved. The study uses different methods. It statistically compares data for a sample of public and NGO owned buildings in San Francisco and then analyzes the dynamics of recovery for three buildings that faced delays. The study has found that historic buildings faced delays in recovery but such delays were sometimes the results of major rehabilitation projects, thus having long-term benefits. There are many variables in the recovery process that delay historic buildings and can be addressed to reduce future delays, which are mostly results of the context, process, and players. Time needs for the recovery of buildings are affected by their function, damage level, and status. Also, the sustainability of the process needs to be addressed, mainly in terms of the way historic buildings are valued, and the degree to which such valuation allows them to be part of the heritage of the community at large.

Archaeological sites around the world are facing many challenges. These challenges include urban expansion, resource exploitation, tourism, governmental infrastructure programs such as road development and one of the most recently recognized challenges is climate change. The archaeological record of the Arctic tundra is particularly sensitive to fluctuations in the climate, with its fragile ecosystems and ground underlain by permafrost. The impact of increasing global temperatures is a major public issue of the 21st Century, and the ramifications on archaeological sites are significant. The impacts felt over the next century are predicted to range from a sea level rise of almost a metre to a 6.4°C rise in temperature (IPCC, 2007:13). Arctic archaeological sites often invoke a feeling of being in stasis, simply waiting for the next researcher to come along and discover them anew. In fact, the continued existence of these sites is taken for granted, and many are in fact under siege from environmental factors. While the Arctic may face some of the greatest environmental challenges to its archaeological record, it also has some of the greatest potential of in situ preservation in the world. The slow growth of infrastructure in many parts of the Arctic along with a very low population density has meant that threats from development are not as significant or pressing as in other locales both in Canada and throughout the world. This means that the potential to preserve the archaeological record for future generations and future technologies is substantial if the surrounding environment can be stabilized. This paper summarizes the effects of a warming climate upon archaeological sites and uses the Arctic as a focal point, as it is the northern regions that are currently recognized as the most environmentally vulnerable. The Sannirut site on Bylot Island, Nunavut presents an excellent case study on the importance of preservation policies as well as the practicalities on how it can be done with current technologies.

This study assesses the efforts of the State Historic Preservation Office in relating Historic Preservation (HP) with Heritage Tourism (HT) against principles of sustainability. It also seeks to contribute toward an integrated heritage management framework at the State Historic Preservation level that is based on theoretical principles and empirical study. The focus is on the heritage management practices as performed by the Texas Historical Commission (THC). This case offers good understanding about the relationship between two major interests involved in heritage management: HP and HT. It is used to conduct a constructive evaluation of the HP-HT relationship in terms of its ‘existence’ and ‘effectiveness’ guided by sustainability and good governance principles. The study uses qualitative research based on a constructivist paradigm. Data are gathered using three research methods: documents, in-depth interviews, and participant observation. Documents were collected about the THC’s heritage management programs, including: the Texas Heritage Trails Program and the Visionaries in Preservation program. Ten in-depth interviews were conducted with state and regional stakeholders involved in activities related to these programs. Observation was made for the visionary process in Nacogdoches, Texas. Coding and categorizing for the interviews and documentary evidences were used as the fundamental analytic process. Coding included open coding, selective coding for core categories, and development of patterns and themes. This process assisted in identifying categories, properties, themes and the relationships between them that eventually helped in building a cohesive understanding of the HP-HT relationship as performed by the THC. The research found that heritage management efforts of the THC are not consistent with sustainability and good governance principles. Effectiveness of these efforts is affected by factors of heritage management approaches, partnership building, capacity building attempts, strategic processes, authority devolution, and accountability relations. A new framework for integrated heritage management has been developed from this study to assist the state government in achieving not only good management but good governance, since it will guide the organizations to more closely align with the social and cultural realities of their communities and develop meaningful and responsive heritage management policies and strategies.