HERITAGE

(Definitions and Conventions)

By: Addisu Yisma

(Architect, Conservator, Lecturer)
The past is not behind us, it is around us by architectural heritages.
CONTENTS
• Definitions
• Conventions
• Treaties
• Recommendations
• Ethiopian Context
 WHAT IS HERITAGE?

1. What is heritage as an idea and identity?

2. How do you define Heritage Conservation?
 HERITAGE AS IDEA
• Heritage is a legacy, an inheritance.
• It’s VALUE and NOT ITS AGE defines an heritage.
• Heritage is an identity – It’s an IDEA.
• Heritage is a BRIDGE BETWEEN PASTS AND FUTURES: The past
and the future are imagined entities - only the present is real.
 HERITAGE AS IDEA
• Heritage is NOT HISTORY.
• Heritage is the contemporary view of the past; it’s a product of
the present.
• Heritage is a CONTEMPORARY PRODUCT CREATED for the
satisfaction of contemporary needs.
 HERITAGE AS IDEA
• Heritage has no INTRINSIC values.
• All heritage values are EXTRINSIC; acquired, gained and
ascribed.
• Therefore, heritage VALUES are ALTERABLE AND CHANGEABLE.
 HERITAGE AS IDENTITY
Heritage offers that identity is constructed in three areas:
 As an INDIVIDUAL
 As part of a SOCIAL GROUP (collective identity)
 Through a sense of NATIONALITY

Heritage UNITES PEOPLE through a process of common

inheritance from a common past and to a common future.
 HERITAGE Vs HISTORY
Heritage is the contemporary uses of pasts.
• The past is what has happened, HISTORY is the attempt to
describe that on the basis of selected available records.
• Heritage is a PRODUCT OF THE PRESENT, purposefully developed
in response to current needs.
 BELONGINGNESS OF HERITAGE
• No one has monopoly on heritage.
• It’s of the past and belongs to everyone.
• That’s why heritage is a UNIVERSAL VALUE. [e.g. World Heritage
Sites]
 MEASURES ON HERITAGES
1. RENOVATION: Simply means to make an object look like new,
without regard for its historical importance, construction
materials & methods, time and place.
2. RECONSTRUCTION: Rebuilding a new imitation of the old by
introduction of new material into the fabric
3. RESTORATION: Defined as, a bringing back to a former
position or condition; most important criteria is the final
appearance.
4. CONSOLIDATION: Adding or applying supportive materials in
to the actual fabric in order to ensure its continued durability
and structural integrity
 MEASURES ON HERITAGES
5. PRESERVATION: Keeping the heritage in its existing state and
protecting it from further decay
6. REHABILITATION: Adapting the building to a contemporary
use which will be capable of sustaining it and minimizing loss
of cultural values.
7. REPRODUCTION: Copying an existing artifact in order to
replace some missing or decaying parts, or in extreme
circumstances moving the objects to a more sustainable
environment.
CONVENTION

What is convention?
 A usual or accepted way of
WHAT IS behaving, especially in social
situations, often following an old
CONVENTION? way of thinking or a custom in one
particular society. (Cambridge Dictionary)
 WHY CONVENTION?

Identification  Protection  Conservation  Presentation

 CONVENTIONS
• Recommendations
• Charters
• Treaties
• Conventions
• Policies

These are CONSENSUS DOCUMENTS on best practice, formulated

during a span of over 50 years, and intended to guide
governments, non-governmental organizations and professionals
in the field of cultural heritage.
 CONVENTIONS
The standard-setting documents fall into two categories
according to purpose:
• Issued by CULTURAL HERITAGE ORGANIZATIONS for general
protection and management
• Created by DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS for safeguarding
cultural heritage in planning and implementing infrastructure
projects
 TREATIES
• TREATIES are known as and are variously called CONVENTIONS,
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS, COVENANTS, ACTS, CHARTERS,
PACTS, STATUES etc.
• All of these terms denote the creation of written agreements
whereby two or more international subjects for the purpose of
regulating THEIR INTERESTS by international rules.
 TREATIES
Stages in formation of treaty:
1. Negotiations stage
2. Adoption stage
3. Signature stage
4. Ratification, acceptance, approval
5. Entry in to force
 RECOMMENDATIONS
• These are therefore not norms which are subjects to ratification
but which States are “invited to Apply”
• The aim of recommendations is to influence the development
of national laws and practices.
• Examples of recommendations are:
 2011,HUL
 1976, Safeguarding and Contemporary Role of Historic
Areas;
 1978, Protection of Movable cultural Property
 RECOMMENDATIONS
• Recommendation may take the form of Declarations which
though non-mandatory tend to be more ‘forceful’ than
Recommendations.
• Recommendations may be an initial step to ‘test the waters’
before a TREATY is formulated.
 LINKAGE BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL
CONVENTIONS AND THE LOCAL SYSTEMS

_______________________________________________________________
• International law
• State based law (domestic law)
• Community based law (customary law)
HISTORY (Conventions, charters & recommendations)
• (1931) Athens Charter (“Athens Charter”) International charter for
the restoration of historic Monuments and; the text was approved by
the 1st international congress of Architects and technicians of Historic
Monuments – (Athens)
• (1954) UNESCO Convention ( The Hague) Convention for the
protection of cultural property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
• (1956) UNESCO Recommendation (Excavations)
Recommendations on international principles applicable to
archaeological excavations - (New Delhi)
• (1960) UNESCO Recommendation (Museums) Recommendation
concerning the most effective means of rendering museums
accessible to everyone - (Paris)
• (1962) UNESCO Recommendation (Landscape) Recommendation
concerning the safeguarding of the beauty and character of
landscapes and sites - (Paris)
HISTORY (Conventions, charters & recommendations)
• (1964) UNESCO Recommendation (Illicit Transfer)
Recommendation on the means of prohibiting and preventing
the illicit export, import and transfer of ownership of cultural
property – (Paris)
• (1964) Venice Charter (“Venice Charter”) International
charter for the conservation and restoration of Monuments and
sites; the text was approved by the 2nd international congress
of Architects and technicians of Historic Monuments – (Venice)
• (1968) UNESCO Recommendation (Public Works)
Recommendation concerning the preservation of cultural
property endangered by public or private works - (Paris)
• (1970) UNESCO Convention (Illicit Transfer) Convention on the
means of prohibiting illicit import, export and transfer of
ownership of cultural property – (Paris)
HISTORY (Conventions, charters & recommendations)
• (1972) UNESCO Convention (World Heritage) Convention
concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural
heritage – (Paris)  Most popular one
• (1976) UNESCO Recommendation (Historic Areas)
Recommendation Concerning the safeguarding and
contemporary role of historic areas -- (Nairobi)
• (1978) UNESCO Recommendation (Movable)
Recommendation concerning the protection of movable
cultural property – (Paris)
• (1980) UNESCO Recommendation (Moving Images)
Recommendation concerning the safeguarding and
preservation of moving images – (Belgrade)
HISTORY (Conventions, charters & recommendations)
• (1982) ICOMOS Charter (Gardens) Historic Gardens –
(Florence)
• (1987) ICOMOS Charter (Historic Towns) Charter for the
Conservation of historic towns and urban Areas (Washington)
• (1990) ICOMOS Charter (Archaeology) International charter
for Archaeological Heritage Management
• (1992) New Zealand Charter, Charter for the conservation of
Places of Cultural Heritage
• (1999) ICOMOS Australia, Burra Charter (Revised Version)
• (1999) ICOMOS (Vernacular) Charter on the built vernacular
heritage
HISTORY (Conventions, charters & recommendations)
• (1999) ICOMOS (Timber Structure) Principles for the
Preservation of Historic Timber Structures
• (2000) UNESCO (Underwater Cultural Heritage) Convention on
the protection of the underwater cultural heritage
• (2001) UNESCO (Sacred Mountains) Conclusions and
Recommendations of the UNESCO Thematic Expert Meeting on
Asia Pacific Sacred Mountains
• (2003) UNESCO Convention (Intangible Cultural Heritage)
Convention for the safeguarding the intangible cultural
heritage
ETHIOPIAN CONTEXT

Conventions /Proclamations
 ETHIOPIAN CONTEXT
Menelik II Period
• (1905) Menelik’s intention to identify and preserve the
antiquities of his predecessors of the medieval rulers of Ethiopia.
• Menelik II expressed his desire for the German archaeological
mission to study the historical sites in Ethiopia
Italian Period
• The Italian inventory work recorded in the publications by Monti
della Corte:
 Castelli di Gondar (Rome 1938)
 Lalibela (Rome 1940)
 ETHIOPIAN CONTEXT
Proclamation No. 229/1966 (H/Sellassie Period)
• The first act of legislation, which created the basis for
safeguarding the cultural heritage by the State in Ethiopia.
• The cultural property which has to be protected is defined as
"antiquity"
• Which "shall mean any construction or any product of
human activity, or any object of historical or
archaeological interest, having its origin prior to 1850 E.C.”
 ETHIOPIAN CONTEXT
Proclamation No. 229/1966
• Antiquity were declared "to be property of the State"
• Had been administered by the Head of the Office of
Archaeology
• Office of Archaeology also had to supervise all discoveries
and restoration work, including the issue of permits for
archaeological excavations.
 ETHIOPIAN CONTEXT
Proclamation No 36/1989
• The basis for the proclamation No. 36/1989 law is proclamation
No 299/1966.
• Contemporary legislation on the protection of the cultural
heritage and UNESCO 1972
• It also partially consider UNESCO recommendations and
suggestions for Ethiopia
• UNESCO suggested that all objects more than 100 years old
are heritages
 ETHIOPIAN CONTEXT
The Proclamation 209/2000
• The Constitution 1995
• Cultural Policy 1997
• UNESCO’s Conventions and Recommendations
• 1989 Proclamation
• No Age-limit as 1966 and 1989
• Has Four Parts
• 48 Articles
 ETHIOPIAN CONTEXT
EIA Proclamation (299/2002
It states that impact means any changes to the environment or its
components that may affect human health or safety, flora,
fauna, soil, air, climate, natural and cultural heritage
END
 ASSIGNMENT II
1. The Athens charter for the Restoration of historic Monuments – 1931
2. The Venice Charter: International charter for the conservation and
restoration of Monuments and sites – 1964
3. UNESCO World Heritage Convention – 1972
4. Proclamation 229/1966
5. Proclamation 36/1989
6. Proclamation 209/2000
7. UN, UNESCO, ICOMOS, ICCROM, IUCN, WMF: Their meaning,
establishment, objectives, Ethiopian Context
8. Cultural and Natural Heritages, Ethiopian Context

Expectations:
 PPT presentation (the presentation should be brief and clear)
 Pdf document in soft copy