Definition of Cultural Heritage -- References to ... - CIF - Icomos

ICCROM Working Group 'Heritage and Society' / / JJ
Cultural Landscapes: Cultural landscapes are particular landscapes that reflect
interaction over time between people and their surroundings
Cultural Qualities: Cultural qualities are attributes of cultural landscapes that reflect
human value systems
Value: Value is the value people give, either individually or collectively, and at local,
national or international level, to cultural qualities in landscape.
Significance: Significance reflects the assessment of total value we ascribe to cultural
and natural qualities in cultural landscapes, and thus how we evaluate their overall
worth to society, to a nation or to local communities. Significance may relate to one
particular quality or to a collection of several particular qualities.
3. TYPES OF CULTURAL LANDSCAPES:
Before considering cultural qualities, it is useful to consider differing types of cultural
landscapes.
Cultural landscapes may be of one or more of the following types:
Designed landscapes – gardens, parks or natural landscapes improved for aesthetic
reasons
Evolved landscape - landscapes which reflect strong association with human
processes; they may be relict or still evolving
Associative landscapes – landscapes associated with important historic people or
events, irrespective of other cultural qualities, and where they may be little material
evidence of this association
4. CULTURAL QUALITIES
Cultural qualities that people attribute to cultural landscapes may change or be reevaluated
in the light of new knowledge or changing value systems.
Cultural qualities may be discovered, such as archaeological, associational, scenic or
natural qualities, or be created, that is planned or designed. In the latter case, people
have sought to introduce new qualities that add value to the landscape.
Several qualities may be appreciated in the same landscape.
The process of defining qualities may need professional expertise and should be
multidisciplinary in nature, so that all potential qualities are considered and evaluated.
Cultural qualities may be found in:
- Testimony to a distinctive culture, its way of life or its artefacts, which may be
archaic or modern – through evidence that may be visible or invisible
- Exemplification of skill and scale in the design and construction of landscape
elements, through for instance a reflection of technologies or particular social
organisation
- Expression of aesthetic ideas/ideals/design skills
- Association with works of art, literary, pictorial or musical, that enhance
appreciation and understanding of the landscape
- Associations with myth, folklore, historical events or traditions
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