Everyday threats faced by world heritage sites

Beyond their fearsome reputation for killing, maiming and terrorizing local populations (and the few foreigners who happen to fall into their hands), militant Islamist outfits like the Taliban and so-called Islamic State have become known for their enthusiastic pillaging and destruction of cultural heritage. While the razing of ancient monuments at Bamiyan (Afghanistan) and Palmyra (Syria) – both world heritage sites – are certainly among their most infamous handiwork, many lesser sites have also been targeted with equally grim results.

Triumphal arch at Palmyra (now destroyed) *

While the attention and oppobrium that these incidents garner is entirely understandable, it is worth keeping in mind that IS is not the only culprit. Heritage sites the world over are suffering cumulative damage caused by visitors and those working in the tourism business. While the scale of any particular incident is not comparable say to the destruction of an ancient tomb in Timbuktu, over time the impact can nonetheless be highly destructive.

Take for example the ancient rock-art of Tadrart Acacus in Libya. Having survived up to 12,000 years, the world heritage site have in recent times been wantonly vandalised by both tourists and tour guides.

Ancient rock art in Tadrart Acacus in Libya (credit: Robert D'Angelo)

These acts are inexcusable, and while arguably authorities should be doing more to safeguard heritage sites like Tradart Acacus, visitors must take responsibility as well, and be held to account when they are found to have damaged a site, whether through malice, carelessness or ignorance.

* The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. (1860 - 1929). Triumphal arch of temple at Palmyra, Syria. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-6192-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Heritage campaigners score a victory in Lahore

Heritage campaigners in Lahore, Pakistan scored a victory this week in their ongoing struggle to stop the government from building an elevated tram-line near Lahore Fort and Shalamar Gardens, part of a royal complex established in the 16th century under Mughal rule and today a UNESCO world heritage site.

Lahore Fort, ca 1889 (see citation below) *

 
On January 28, 2016 the Lahore High Court reportedly issued an injunction suspending all work within 60 meters of both sites. This ruling follows an intervention by UNESCO last week calling on the government to consider alternate routes that would not risk damaging the site.

Congratulations to those involved in stopping an ill-considered plan; we can only hope that the government accepts the ruling and explores alternate routes.

* Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. Lahore Gate, entrance to the fort at Delhi. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-6246-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

NASA imagery to help preserve Peru's Nasca Lines

Proving the point that any story that can draw on the glamour of NASA and its space program, media this week are reporting on an agreement reached whereby NASA will provide Peruvian authorities with radar imagery of the Nasca Lines to help protect from damage.

The Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca, scratched into Peru's rocky coastal desert between 500 BCE and 500 CE, were named a world heritagesite in 1994 and are famously one of archaeology's great enigmas.

Aerial view of a Nasca geoglyhph depicting a monkey

While the Nasca Lines have suffered damage over the years as a result of human activity - including tourism - their protection became a matter of international attention in the wake of an ill-fated protest in support of renewable energy by the environmentalist organization Greenpeace in 2014, which allegedly disturbed the Lines.

Under the agreement, imagery will be shared on a no-cost basis, allowing authorities to quickly spot potential threats to the Nasca Lines, and hopefully address them before any damage is done.

Lima newspaper El Comercio has given readers a sense of what the information to be provided with the publication of an image showing one of the geoglyphs along with apparent damage to the site.

Questionable restoration work threatens ancient pagoda at Myanmar's Mrauk-U

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Spanish philosopher George Santayana's words seem an apt characterization of the Myanmar Department of Archaeology as it pushes forward with questionable restoration work at Mrauk-U in Rakhine State. Mrauk-U was the capital of the Arakanese kingdom between the 15th to the 18th century, and boasts more 1,500 ancient pagodas.

Couloir-Koe-Thaung by Nils PERBET

As reported by the Myanmar Times this week, the Mrauk-U Heritage Trust has raised the alarm over the rebuilding of historic pagodas without regard for the original design, abandoning any pretence of historical authenticity. This follows on the heels of the reported destruction of part of the heritage zone some years ago for the construction of a railway.

While some continue to hold Mrauk-U as a potential world heritage site, the experience of Bagan does not offer much cause optimism. Impressive by any measure and undoubtedly one of Myanmar's top tourist attractions, Bagan's 1996 nomination as a world heritage was rejected by UNESCO, in part due to the prevalence of inauthentic restorations.

Pagodas at Bagan

We can only hope that the Rakhine State Government heeds the Mrauk-U Heritage Trust's warnings.

Greater transparency in assessing world heritage nominations

Given the prestige (not to mention the potential economic windfall) that follows from inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, it comes as no surprise that nominating countries and other stakeholders want to assure themselves that the review process was undertaken in a fair and transparent manner. Unfortunately, this assurance has been lacking as the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), charged by UNESCO with the preliminary screening of nominations, carries out its work behind closed doors.

Facing criticism regarding its review process (and perhaps seeking to preempt an external review), ICOMOS has reportedly revamped its screening and - effective for the crop of sites being considered this year - is now asking nominating countries to attend the internal meetings where their applications are discussed.

Transparency is usually a sound operating principle in any circumstance, and all the more so in the politically charged environment of world heritage sites.