Cultural heritage is the tangible and intangible assets of a group or society that define its identity, history, values, and traditions. It is the legacy that is entrusted to present and future generations.
It includes cultural objects, buildings, works of art and architecture, landscapes, archaeological sites, ruins and monuments. It also encompasses traditional craftsmanship, knowledge, customs and practices, and the way of life that is handed down through family history. Intangible cultural heritage consists of the heritage aspects that cannot be physically captured, such as music, dance and the oral tradition. In addition to this, it covers the spiritual heritage such as religions, myths and beliefs that shape a culture, as well as the history of the community, its language, customary law and social habits.
The emergence of the notion of cultural heritage is directly linked to the idea of preservation or conservation. This is because cultural heritage represents the result of a continuous selection process where human societies are constantly choosing what to remember and what to forget for posterity. This is the same selection process that determines which parts of the natural environment are worthy of being preserved or not.
Hence, it is not surprising that the concept of cultural heritage has evolved from being a mere academic pursuit in the past to being a full-blown societal concern. It has been the object of interest of antiquarians, historians, philologists, archaeologists, anthropologists, ethnographers, museum curators and archivists for many centuries. Its importance gained momentum in the post-World War II era with the drive to found independent nations out of the heritage of older civilizations and the subsequent rise of communities and associations focused on preserving and promoting their cultural heritage.
However, there are still challenges that are being faced by the defenders of cultural heritage. These can be attributed to economic and environmental factors. For example, museums struggle to maintain their cultural heritage due to lack of funds to repair them. The environment too is being threatened by climate change which is causing rapid environmental degradation and changing the habitat of living species. It is also not uncommon for some of the world’s cultural heritage to be destroyed due to conflict and terrorism.
There is a lot that needs to be done to preserve both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, but the good news is that it can be done. The key is to ensure that individuals value and understand their cultural heritage, thereby creating a culture of stewardship that is sustainable. As a part of this effort, we at Transkribus encourage individuals to contribute to the preservation of their own and other cultures’ heritage by deciphering and digitising historical documents and making them available for everyone to view. Moreover, we want to encourage people to join our efforts by volunteering their time and/or donating money to this cause. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you! Thank you for your support.