Dr Christian Haase
Learning History Lecture Semester 2 Week 5
History and Heritage
- Changes in our understanding of „heritage“
o Victorian Definition: 1877, William Morris: Preservation („any work
over which educated, artistic people would think it worth while to argue
at all.” / “restoration of the religious spirit”)
o Modern Definitions
1970s: UNESCO („Material Culture and Nature“)
2003: UNESCO („Immaterial Culture“)
2005: UNSECO („Plurality of Cultures“)
- Why has our understanding of what we consider as „heritage“ changed?
1) What is heritage?
2) Why do we collect material and immaterial heritage?
3) Who decides what we should inherit to future generations?
4) Who conserves it?
5) Who has access to it?
- „Heritage“ (Origins)
o Institutions for the PUBLIC conservation and interpretation of physical
artefacts (Museums, Archives etc.) have existed since antiquity
o However, compared to our „modern“understanding of „heritage“ they
were very different institutions
o The great museum of Alexandria (3rd century BC) was more a university
with books and scholars than a collection of historical artefacts
- Global „heritage“ preservation
o Various ways of collecting artefacts understood as „heritage“ have existed
across the globe in various ways:
o In China, emperors in the centuries BC collected arts, paintings, jade,
glass, pottery
o In Japan, Temples hosted great statues and other treasured and wholy
objects
o In Europe, Kings, Princess and the Church had large collections of
„heritage“ that are still preserved today
o [And of course: Every human being inherits material and immaterial
objects that are of significance to the individual person, the social group
or wider community]
- Renaissance (14th-17th century)
o Early „modern“ forms of „public“ heritage preservation and study emerge
in the Renaissance
o The Renaissance looked back to the classic time
o The fall of Constatinople (1453) generated a wave of Greek emigre
scholars bringing precious material to Europe
o Monastic libraries were sought out for the study of classic text
1
Learning History Lecture Semester 2 Week 5
History and Heritage
- Changes in our understanding of „heritage“
o Victorian Definition: 1877, William Morris: Preservation („any work
over which educated, artistic people would think it worth while to argue
at all.” / “restoration of the religious spirit”)
o Modern Definitions
1970s: UNESCO („Material Culture and Nature“)
2003: UNESCO („Immaterial Culture“)
2005: UNSECO („Plurality of Cultures“)
- Why has our understanding of what we consider as „heritage“ changed?
1) What is heritage?
2) Why do we collect material and immaterial heritage?
3) Who decides what we should inherit to future generations?
4) Who conserves it?
5) Who has access to it?
- „Heritage“ (Origins)
o Institutions for the PUBLIC conservation and interpretation of physical
artefacts (Museums, Archives etc.) have existed since antiquity
o However, compared to our „modern“understanding of „heritage“ they
were very different institutions
o The great museum of Alexandria (3rd century BC) was more a university
with books and scholars than a collection of historical artefacts
- Global „heritage“ preservation
o Various ways of collecting artefacts understood as „heritage“ have existed
across the globe in various ways:
o In China, emperors in the centuries BC collected arts, paintings, jade,
glass, pottery
o In Japan, Temples hosted great statues and other treasured and wholy
objects
o In Europe, Kings, Princess and the Church had large collections of
„heritage“ that are still preserved today
o [And of course: Every human being inherits material and immaterial
objects that are of significance to the individual person, the social group
or wider community]
- Renaissance (14th-17th century)
o Early „modern“ forms of „public“ heritage preservation and study emerge
in the Renaissance
o The Renaissance looked back to the classic time
o The fall of Constatinople (1453) generated a wave of Greek emigre
scholars bringing precious material to Europe
o Monastic libraries were sought out for the study of classic text
1
