ACCU Training Reports 2020

Cultural Heritage Protection in the Asia-Pacific Region- Investigation, Preservation, and Management of Archaeological Sites- Management in Use of Heritage- Photography Techniques for Cultural Heritage

Preface
The Cultural Heritage Protection Cooperation Office, Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU Nara) has been
conducting various programmes on human resource development for cultural heritage since it was established in 1999.
We usually organise the Group Training Course and Thematic Training Course in Nara, Japan and the Regional Workshop
in a target country in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2020, however, we implemented all the programmes online due to theimpact of COVID-19.
This volume contains the country reports that participants present the current situation and challenges regarding cultural
heritage protection in respective countries and the final reports that summarise the training outcomes.

The contents of each programme are as follows:
Group Training Course (Online)-Target participants: young professionals with 5-10 years’ experience-Training period: 2 September – 1 October (for a month)-Theme: Investigation, Preservation, and Management of Archaeological Sites-Number of participants: 13 from 13 different countries

Thematic Training Course (Online)-Target participants: mid-career professionals with 10-15 years’ experience-Training period: 9 - 20 November (for 2 weeks)-Theme: ‘Management in Use of Heritage’-Number of participants: 22 from Bhutan who belong to the Department of Culture or other relative sectors of Royal
Government of Bhutan

Regional Workshop-Target participants: young professionals (depending on the situation of the host country)-Training period: 25-27 January (for 3 days)-Theme: Photography Techniques for Cultural Heritage-Number of participants: 20 from Sri Lanka who belong to the Department of Archaeology or the Department of National
MuseumContents

I.

Group Training Course
Country Reports
Final Reports

II.

Thematic Training Course
Country Reports

III.

Regional Workshop
Training Reports

I. Group Training Course
Country Reports

Bangladesh

Current Status of Heritage Management of the ArchaeologicalSites of Bangladesh
Md. Morshed RAYHANAssistant Professor
Department of Archaeology, Comilla University

Bangladesh is rich in cultural heritage. There are a number of archaeological sites and settlements consistingof different monuments in various forms and locations throughout the vast landscape of deltaic Bangladesh.
The purpose of this study is to highlight the issues related to protection of archaeological heritage sites in
Bangladesh.
Lack of Specialists in Cultural Heritage Protection and Restoration
The Department of Archaeology or DOA started the practice of archaeology in Bangladesh. This department
is the primary organisation for the archaeological research and protection of cultural heritage under theguidance of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
DOA has four regional offices located across the country including the head office in Dhaka. Since theindependence of Bangladesh, about 50 archaeological sites have been excavated. Apart from this, thedepartment also implements the renovation and conservation of ancient monuments, organises seminars,
conferences, and training sessions, and issues publications. There are three universities in Bangladesh that
conduct archaeological research in the country. Apart from this, few private organisations are involved inarchaeological research. Excavation and conservation form an important part of archaeological research. The
archaeological excavations and conservation works in Bangladesh are not scientific in many ways, and we
do not have skilled or expert level manpower to do this.
Staff Problems
A shortage of official staff dealing with protection and management activities at archaeological sites isanother problem. The DOA works with only 445 officers and employees countrywide. The Department ofArchaeology conducted a survey and found that there were more than 7,000 archaeological sites in the
country, but only 176 have been preserved and only 519 archaeological evidences have been identified forconservation so far. Therefore, necessary measures must be taken in terms of both security and identificationof problems in related areas to minimize any undesired vulnerability that may be affected by locals or tourists.
Financial Resources
Available financial resources for conservation and development of ongoing management plans are notsufficient for the numerous archaeological sites of the country. Each year, a specific amount of funds isallocated by the government for archaeological research and conservation of these areas. However, these
allocated resources are inadequate to meet the needs of areas compared to their importance.
Legislative, Regulatory and Contractual Protection Measures
Bangladesh has laws for the protection of archaeological sites, in particular the Bangladesh Antiquity Act
1968 (amended in 1976), which is responsible for the protection, preservation, and documentation of
Bangladesh’s national archaeological heritage. However, in practice the law is not always effective or
properly implemented. Moreover, several sections of the law are very outdated. New laws need to be enacted
by amending many sections of the existing law to keep pace with the present times.
Destruction of Archaeological Sites
The destruction of archaeological sites is a big problem in Bangladesh. In a recent research (Sen, 2008: 33637), it is mentioned that “According to A.K.M. Zakariah, Bheloya, in Kaharol Upazila, possessed several

Bangladesh
mounds and archaeological deposits in late 1960s. Our survey could not detect any of them except a portionof a mound which is now a place of a small locally built temple”. The destruction is caused by several reasons,such as: (i) local people destroy ancient sites to build new structures over ancient remains, (ii) villagers
demolish archaeological sites by turning them into cultivable land, and (iii) villagers destroy archaeologicalsites by digging them up to sell the soil and/or building materials obtained from the sites.
Moreover, rapid urbanization and development is one of the key problems in Bangladesh causing the loss ofarchaeological sites. Large areas of complex archaeological landscapes are becoming more fragmented,
modified and destroyed. There are also several structures made for various purposes in the site areas
characterized as temporary, permanent, and remains. The presence of such structures that are discordant withthe environment damages the impression of the archaeological sites and monuments.
Tourists coming to the area visit the archaeological site in an unrestricted and undefined fashion (e.g.,
climbing over ancient monuments, drawing graffiti on the surface of monuments and objects) and cause
serious harm to archaeological ruins.

Fig.1: Collecting bricks from an ancientmound, Mahasthangarh, Bogra

Fig.2: Unauthorized digging that turned
a site into cultivable land,
Mahasthangarh, Bogra

Fig.3: Development pressure, Lalbag Fort,
Dhaka

Deterioration of building materials
The deterioration of building materials, bricks, panel ornamentation, terracotta plaques, etc. is increasing due
to several external factors. Environmental processes and weather events can have a significant impact on thepreservation of archaeological sites. Heavy rainfall and flooding change the relative humidity that erodes thebuilding materials of archaeological sites and monuments. River erosion during the rainy season causes
destruction of sites. A vast majority of archaeological sites are near the coast, which are vulnerable to coastal
processes such as wave action that cause erosion and consequently the loss of archaeological material out ofsitu. Archaeological sites near coastal areas also face the problem of salinity, which causes serious damage
to the building materials.

Fig.4: Erosion due to flooding, Damril Nabaratna
Temple, SatkhiraFig.5: The effect of salinity on a building,Saroshsoti Atchji Bari, Satkhira

Bangladesh

Restoration
It was mentioned earlier that different monuments and architectural complexes were restored for protection
and conservation. However, some monuments have lost their original structure due to inappropriate
restoration work. In many cases, restoration work was carried out with substandard materials. Due to a lackof appropriate experts, non-specialists have conducted most of the restoration work in recent years.
Conservation efforts are being conducted on an individual basis instead of in an integrated manner.
Restoration work practices for some small-scale structures have been of low quality and not in accordancewith international standards. This situation has caused irreparable problems to monumental structures. The
restoration of the monuments in many cases failed to maintain the integrity of the sites.
Tourism/Visitor Management Plan
Protected areas, particularly archaeological sites, are some of tourism’s main attractions, and are subject togrowing visitation. Every year, large numbers of visitors visit the archaeological sites of Bangladesh. Thereis no appropriate public use plan (tourism/visitor management plan) for the archaeological sites in the areas.
Thus, tourists are not forced to visit the area in a careful and restricted manner. This situation increases therisk of damage to historical ruins and natural values of importance.
Local People’s Attitude Towards Archaeological Sites
Community participation in cultural heritage conservation has been a concern ever since the Venice Charter(1964) and is still to this day (Salmela, U, 2017). Surveys reveal that local people in many cases are ignored
during the implementation of heritage management programs. On the other hand, local people residing insurrounding areas of archaeological and cultural importance are poorly aware of their values and heritage
status.
COVID-19, Cultural Heritage Tourism and Sustainable Development
Archaeological heritage sites are places that are also tourist attractions. Cultural tourism plays a significant
role in the development of the socioeconomic conditions of any area. At the archaeological sites of thecountry, local people are engaged in different kinds of tourism-based activities for economic, social andcommunity development. They sell various gift items to visitors. They also manage food shops. Some are
involved in bringing visitors to the site using three-wheelers and rickshaws. The country's economy andpublic life have almost come to a standstill as a result of the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Archaeological sites with tourist attractions are also closed. People who depend on tourism are not able toearn money and their lives have become extremely difficult.
Recommendations
Recommendations and suggestions have been made based on collected data during fieldwork. These can beoutlined as:
The Department of Archaeology and government authorities should initiate necessary guidelines andmeasures for the protection and proper management of archaeological sites. It is also important tominimize issues of concern so as to retain the lost integrity value of archaeological sites andmonuments.
The fundamental reason for the problems related to archaeological heritage management is lack ofan adequate Management Plan. It is necessary to prepare appropriate management plans witheffective implementation for archaeological sites and monuments in order to deal with the abovediscussed issues specific to each site. It is necessary to establish a committee specific to these issues
to carry out management practices related to these sites, such as conservation and development, more
quickly and effectively. A participatory and holistic approach to prepare management plans for sites
and monuments is necessary to deal the related issues more efficiently.

Bangladesh
It is necessary to develop and implement an effective Visitor Management Plan in the framework of
the Management Plan for archaeological sites. In this way, visitors would be required to travel in an
informed and restricted manner by improving their knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards theprotected status of the sites. Thus, historical ruins and natural values can be protected from harmful
effects due to an increased number of visitors.
Strong efforts should be made to increase the awareness of the local population living in the vicinityof the archaeological sites and monuments on their significance. For this purpose, information
regarding the values and benefits of sites must be advertised in an effective manner. The participationof relevant organizations, institutions and agencies in arranging public training programs onconservation activities can contribute a lot in this regard. It is impossible to conduct conservation
activities in a steady manner without the support of the local population.
Problems concerning these issues can be resolved more easily and promptly by the formulation ofcontinuous active protection measures and consistent allocation of financial resources.
References
Sen, Swadhin. 2018. Northwestern Bangladesh: Sites and settlements, History of Bangladesh: Early Bengal
in Regional Perspectives (up to 1200 ce) [vol. 1], Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka.

IndiaProblems and Needs for Cultural Heritage Protection and
Restoration Activities in India
Sukriti GUPTA
Training Coordinator
IHA-INTACH Heritage Academy, Conservation Department,
INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage)
In India, heritage and culture have always been an essential part of our lives, both in active and passive forms
and as a conservation professional, I understand the vitality and significance of them. Passed down thegenerations, in various and vivid forms of culture, traditional practices, folklore and other knowledge
systems, this is what that defines us, our being. India has been a cradle to witness such a phenomenon for
centuries and the country still resounds with the rumination of its cultural past. Being a student ofconservation and now as a working professional, I have had the privilege of traveling across the country,
observing, experiencing and being engrossed by the country’s magnificent culture and heritage, making me
feel the responsibility of being a carrier, to pass it further down to the upcoming generations.
Understanding tentatively the working of the heritage sector in India
At present, there are more than 3,650 ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national
importance in India. These include both living heritage sites such as temples, mosques, churches, cemeteries
and other sites of national, historical, architectural and archaeological importance such as tombs, forts,
palaces, step-wells, rock-cut caves, and secular architecture as well as ancient mounds and sites. The actual
number of these sites, however, goes beyond what is mentioned here.
These monuments and sites are maintained and preserved through various circles of the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI), which works under the Ministry of Culture. The ASI is spread all over the country;
each state has its own Department of State Archaeology, which furthermore keeps a check on the status ofrecognition and protection of such sites on a more micro and local level. Many sites also have heritage
byelaws, which are specially prepared keeping in mind the importance and protection of these sites. Also,
each city has its own municipal corporations along with other government agencies, which look after the
local cultural heritage sites and practices.
Other than these government agencies, various other private organisations and NGOs such as INTACH(Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) are actively involved in identification and protection ofmany such sites which are still not recognised by the government and are “unprotected”.
All these institutions mainly look after various activities related to cultural heritage conservation andprotection in India. The various activities involve surveys, explorations and excavations, and preservation ofmonuments and antiquarian remains. The major aim of all the institutions revolves around the maintenance,
conservation and preservation of monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance alongwith the intangible practices associated with such tangible heritage.
As a young practitioner, I have tried to incorporate these issues as per my understanding while pursuing
cultural heritage protection and other allied activities. Some of them are listed below along with the utmost
and urgent measures that can be taken to combat the current situation.
Lack of professionals in the field and outdated practice methods:
Considering the vast span of the country and the extent of different cultures spread across it in every nook
and corner, there are still innumerable sites of importance that require due recognition and safeguarding. We
are still in a phase where an adequate workforce needs to be allocated to the sector or we might lose a major

Indiapart of the heritage. The approach is unidirectional and lacks contextualisation. Also, with current personnel
and cultural heritage managers working in the field, there is a lack of understanding of the interdisciplinary
nature of the field. There should be proper training and the imparting of professional expertise, which should
keep on evolving with time and place.
Another notable aspect is the use of outdated practices. ASI was established by the British in 1861. Theiridea of establishing the institute was to document the tangible remains and heritage properties spread acrossthe country and ‘protect them as found’. The approach was monument- and material-centric. With the passageof time, the need for improvising this approach was realised but somehow the practice modes and methods
are still the same and cater to that monument-centric approach. We are still following the westernised notionof heritage instead of developing our own localised policies.
However today, many professionals have begun to see heritage holistically and understand that it goes beyond
the set dimensions of materials and built forms. It involves much more complex realms than what is identified
and seen. Thus, the outdated approach needs to be discarded and different modes of learning that are more
about conservation practice should be encouraged, as they would provide more ground and support to ourassessments as professionals. Adequate importance must be given to the traditional knowledge systems thathave existed for many ages.

Figure 1: A neglected archaeological evidence outside a protected temple precinct: Monument-centric approach

Tourism: Boon or bane?
Heritage and cultural tourism is an integral part of the Indian economy and contributes heavily toemployment. With the ease of travel and proper availability of facilities, India has many domestic as well as
foreign tourists all year round. Another form of tourism that India experiences is religious tourism.
Considering the multiple religions that the country has, there is a year-round flow of tourists all around thecountry.
However, in the process of increasing footfall and gaining the desired number of tourists, we are somehow
forgetting the adverse effects of extreme exposure to such sites. Many heritage sites are of immense
archaeological value and are at constant risk of damage done by human exposure. Thus, it becomes essential
to regulate the tourist influx of such sites. In the case of religious sites, this risk persists a great deal.

IndiaFigure 3: Increase in the number of shops
adjoining an old mosque because of high footfall

Figure 3: Improvement in facilities and infrastructureleading to the loss of authenticity and integrity of the site

Also, in the wake of improving facilities and infrastructure in the adjoining areas of such sites, the authenticity
and integrity of the site along with its core essence is lost. This leads to homogenisation of the character ofsuch sites, ultimately leading to complete loss of the site’s uniqueness and exclusivity.
Also, many sites with low footfall are neglected in the process.

Figure 4: An important site, remotely located, neglected because of low footfall

Vandalism, insensitive interventions and poor management by the general public and government
bodies:Many heritage sites play an important part in working economic models and support micro and local
economies. The local people are benefactors of the immense potential that these sites have and are dependent
on it. But in the process, they tend to damage these sites and their value by encroachments, unsympathetic
additions and also, at times unknowingly by carrying out activities in and around them which are harmful.
Government agencies, on the other hand, carry out many activities under development schemes that pose agreat threat to such sites. As much as it is essential to improve the existing infrastructure, such measures andactivities should not be carried out at the cost of damaging heritage. Thus, a check on such development
activities should be carried out before their approval.

IndiaFigure 4: Shops, vendors and encroachments abutting a historic gateway and a temple complex

Figure 5: Unsympathetic interventions done by government agencies under a development scheme

Figure 7: Poor management of protected sites

This will only be possible when conservation of archaeological and cultural sites are not sidelines but form
part of regular development activities.
Negligence of local stakeholders:
The decisions regarding management and maintenance are mostly taken by the responsible authorities inseclusion. The models should include the local key stakeholders who are directly linked with the site and its
prospects. There should be a people-centric approach towards decision making, where heritage is not simply
regarded as an isolated entity but considered to have potential to play an active role in the lives ofcommunities and bring benefits to people. The suggested changes must be ingrained in a local understandingof needs and opportunities so that they bring long-lasting benefits to the stakeholders. The communities’Indiatraditional management systems and maintenance practices can be taken on board, making the process more
contextualised.

Figure 8: An abandoned complex used by local children
and people to rest

Figure 9: A vermillion seller outside a temple
precinct. The heritage which is offered inside is asource of livelihood, and also used for prayer andprotected by the stakeholders

Way Ahead - Training and propagation of heritage awareness at the local level will help fill the gap in
the longer run.
Cultural heritage has been created by people for themselves. One can say heritage to be “of’ the people, “for”
the people and “by” the people. Thus, it becomes essential to not only sensitise but to educate the people
concerned if we aspire to conserve these archaeological and cultural sites. In doing so, we are not only
addressing the immediate need of catering to these sites at the local level but also helping to create a society
where people will be more sympathetic to the heritage surrounding them and take measures accordingly tosafeguard it. The local stakeholders are much more aware of the problems and requirements pertaining to thearea and would be the best judge of how to deal with any scenario they encounter.
This will thereby reduce the effort needed for safeguarding the heritage and will help in achieving better
management of the sites as well. Along with this, strong communication and coordination between thedepartments, civil bodies, and communities concerned are required for successful implementation of themeasures.

Problems and Needs for the Protection and Preservation ofArchaeological Landscapes in Indonesia
Yosua Adrian PASARIBU
Material Culture Heritage Analyst
Directorate of Cultural Safeguarding,
Directorate General of Culture, Ministry of Education and Culture

The law that governs material cultural heritage preservation in Indonesia is Law of the Republic of Indonesia
Number 11 of 2010 Concerning Cultural Conservation. There are nearly 100,000 archaeological objects,
structures, buildings, sites, and regions which are recorded in Indonesia. From that large number, only about
1,620 are listed as cultural heritages which is eligible to receive preservation treatment by the state.
Archaeological sites in Indonesia are varied, from the sites of Homo erectus in Java and Flores from about
1.5 million years ago to the sites of the War of Independence from 1945 to 1949. Lately, prehistoric rock art
landscapes in South Sulawesi and East Kalimantan have been dated to ±40 thousand years ago, which places
them among the earliest art of the world. Majapahit, capital city of Trowulan from 14th-16th C, is also unique
because the archaeological landscapes are very large, and artefacts and structures are found in an area as wide
as 92.6 km². Banten Lama, capital city of the Sultanate of Banten (16th-19th C) and Chinatown of Lasem inCentral Java (17th – 20th C) are also examples of archaeological landscapes in Indonesia. Rock art sites inSouth Sulawesi and the two ancient cities which I mentioned earlier are located in developing suburban areas.
In this report, I will focus on the problems and needs of archaeological landscapes that we are facing inIndonesia over a wide area.
Problem 1: Urbanization and Development Pressure
Indonesia is developing very fast and many rural areas are now becoming suburbs of the city. The job
opportunities in cities are giving way to housing projects in suburban areas. Many archaeological sites havebeen located in rural areas for a long time, but in the last twenty years many rural areas have become
suburban, and as a result, large areas of complex archaeological landscapes are becoming fragmented andbeing destroyed. To make things more complicated, city planning in Indonesia is now governed by local
governments, usually city/district governments, but the preservation and management of archaeological sites
is still mainly the job of the central government (Ministry of Education and Culture and its branches).

Figure 1: Kaibon Palace in Banten Lama (19th C) is surroundedby recent settlements.

Figure 2: The sign says, “This public housing
is located above the Heritage Landscape of
Biting.” (14th C)

Problem 2: Lack of Management and Human Resources
I said earlier that heritage conservation is still the domain of the central government, even though Law
11/2010 had stipulated that city/district and provincial governments in Indonesia should be proactive incultural heritage preservation. There is also a lack of human resources in cultural heritage preservation andmanagement. The Indonesian Archaeologist Association has only 764 members from the country’s
population of 267 million. There are only six universities in Indonesia that have an archaeology program.
The number of conservation offices in Indonesia is also limited, and there are only 14 central government
branch offices that are responsible for preservation and management of ±1,620 archaeological sites in 34
provinces of Indonesia. There are archaeological sites and landscapes such as Rock Art Landscapes in East
Kalimantan and West Papua, Chinatown of Lasem in Central Java, etc. that have only gone through the
documentation process and have not yet received preservation, conservation, and management treatment.

Figure 3: Rock Art Landscapes in Misool Raja Ampat with its ±42 sites is far away from Ternate Conservation
Office, which make the sites vulnerable to vandalism.

Need 1: National Coordination of City Planning
Coordination between city/district governments, provincial governments, and the central government inIndonesia is the key to heritage preservation in the urban/suburban context. During 2016-2019, The
Government of Indonesia launched the One Map Policy project. The geoportal functioned as a national
information portal to serve as a point of reference for land use planning by all government institutions andthe public. Ministries, government institutions and regional administrations have to start using the integrated
thematic maps as the main point of reference for implementing development policies from now on. With thispolicy, development can be more accurately planned, not only based on data, but also based on the map.
The Ministry of Education and Culture has put 1,024 archaeological sites in the geoportal and the number
will continue to grow. The initiatives from local governments to preserve and manage archaeological sites
have been growing bigger over the last ten years. Many local governments coordinate with the National
Heritage Office in their region to gain a better understanding of the preservation and management ofarchaeological sites in their territory. The provinces of Banten and Yogyakarta are among the most active indoing that.
Need 2: Dissemination of Information
The issue of lack of management and human resources can alternatively be solved by the publicizing of
heritage values to stakeholders. The preservation of large quantities of land in an urban area as a cultural
heritage region in Indonesia is relatively new according to Law 11/2010, so it is relatively new for us to workwithin the scope of extensive land preservation as Material Culture Heritage. Many old buildings in heritage
cities in Indonesia are privately owned, so it is very important to inform the owners about the values of theirbuildings. In 2018 and 2019, the central government and local governments undertook a socialization
campaign about heritage preservation for the owners of old buildings, collectors, and the wider public in
Bandung, Palembang, Semarang, and Surabaya. The building tax for heritage buildings in big cities inIndonesia is usually discounted, and the value varies, between 50% and 100%. Governments are stillstruggling to help heritage building owners preserve, conserve, and manage their buildings according to thelaw. The central government is also publicizing the concept of cultural heritage to the wider public by creating
signage that contains information about the heritage value of archaeological sites and buildings.

Figure 4: Cultural heritage signage in Istiqlal

Figure 5: Owners of old buildings in Semarang

Mosque, Jakarta

register their buildings during the Heritage Campaign

Conclusion
This is a brief report about problems and needs for the protection and preservation of archaeologicallandscapes in Indonesia. The most challenging issue of archaeological sites in Indonesia is the preservation,
management, and utilization of privately owned heritage buildings/sites on large amounts of land (regions)in urban/suburban areas. We are now struggling to conduct better coordination with local governments andbuilding owners/landowners to work on the preservation, conservation, and management of heritage
structures, buildings, or sites in archaeological landscapes.

Figure 6: Old Houses in Chinatown of Lasem, Central Java are abandoned
because the younger generation have moved to big cities

Kiribati

Problems and needs for the protection and preservation ofcultural heritage sites in Kiribati
Teraaiti EUTA
Senior Museum Officer
Culture and Museum Division, Ministry of Internal Affairs

Kiribati consists of 33 atoll islands except for the island of Banaba in the Gilbert Islands, which is a raised
limestone island. Each island has its own history, which has been passed down from one generation to anotherin oral form. For information, some stories and myths link one island to another, which to date can be seen in theform of monuments, cultural sites and historical sites. The management and protection of these sites is the main
obstacle currently faced by Kiribati due to the following factors outlined below.
Lack of capacity for archaeological research
Cultural mapping is one of the major activities carried out by the Division, involving the mapping of both tangible
and intangible cultural heritages for all islands. The activity only records and documents a number of culturaland natural heritages as told by the islanders but without accurate evidence. For instance, the year or period given
regarding the lifespan of an object collected during the mapping is an assumption, so there is a need to conduct
more research to provide more accurate evidence. Among the cultural heritages found on the islands arenavigational stones, skeletons of human remains from World War II, old buildings and others. The management
and protection of these cultural heritages are lacking due to the fact that the division has no expertise in this area.
No regulations or by-laws for the preservation and management of cultural sites
Currently, Kiribati has no regulations or by-laws developed so far for the protection and management of culturalsites. There are a number of heritage sites that have been identified and documented as part of island information
but the management of this is weak. This is due to the fact that people believe that when they destroy culturalsites or any site that has cultural or historical value, they will suffer no penalty since there are no relevant
regulations or Acts under which such action can be taken.
In other cases, some sites have been destroyed as a means of accommodation when the area has enough space
for a number of people to live in. For instance, on South Tarawa, which we call the capital of Kiribati, one area
in Betio village used to be occupied by many houses. Nowadays, all of these houses have been destroyed as it
was found out later by the Americans that soldiers who died during the battle of Tarawa during WWII wereburied in this area. The research in this area is ongoing to collect human remains. Recognizing the importance ofregulations or by-laws that can be imposed will contribute to the preservation and management of the sites.
Limited funding
One of the government’s visions for the next 20 years is to restore the large number of cultural, natural andhistorical sites on all of the islands. The rehabilitation of such sites may require a lot of money. As it currently
stands, the proposal related to these rehabilitation activities cannot be funded under the recurrent budget, and thegovernment is seeking support from its development partners. At the moment, the activities have not yet started
as we await the availability of funding.
Disaster risk and human activity
In Kiribati, some cultural heritage sites have become endangered by climate change as well as by human activity,

Kiribati
which means they need urgent safe guidance and protection.
Components of disaster risk
- Sea level rise – tidal forces- Strong windComponents of human activities- Building of infrastructure development on areas that have cultural and natural values that are supposed
to be protected- Using some of the areas that have cultural and historical significance as a dumping ground- Destruction of buildings or sites that are supposed to be retained for cultural and historical purposes- Pollution
Photos of some of the cultural and natural sites that are important for archaeological research.

Rhyzophora stylosa mangroves from Aranuka Island, one of the islands from the central part of Kiribati

In brief, Aranuka Island is known for its old stand of Rhyzophora stylosa mangroves that have grown as tall as
coconut trees and form an outstanding high mountain feature and dense mangrove on the island. Notwithstanding
its scientific value, the Aranuka Island Mangrove Forests are nationally known as a cultural heritage site.
According to the native people of Aranuka, two clans of semi-deified ancestors have long dwelled in the
mangrove forests. The belief is that those ancestors have been dwelling there since ancient times up to the present.
According to indigenous Aranukan, the mangrove forests are somewhat interesting in the history of Aranuka.
One side of this mangrove forests area is very noisy with birds whilst the other side is seemingly to calm andpeaceful. Through the eyes of our culture, this local knowledge may contribute to help the organization undertake
academic studies as the Government of Kiribati is preserving and conserving cultural heritage sites for future
generations.

Kiribati
Protection of the Nnabakana is warranted on the grounds that:
o
o

o

o
o

the Nnabakana are made of loose coral stone slabs that can be easily broken up by fishers andpassers-by.
the site is very rich in marine resources. The passages on either side of the islets are full ofsmall fish at high tide and octopus at low tide; reef worms, and clams. Can be identified as amarine protected area for marine resources.
the Nnabakana are located at the edge of a coral-reef shoreline of two islets and are mostvulnerable to sea-level rise. Many of the lost stone warriors have been washed away by tidal
forces;the communities involved are unaware of the significant value of the Nnabakana as endangered
cultural heritage; andthe Nnabakana is a unique cultural heritage site that if protected, preserved and promoted willraise awareness and boost future focus on endangered cultural heritage.

Some significant features of cultural heritage are encompassed in the Nnabakana stories: the building of large
oceangoing sailing canoes, the skills of navigation, traditional weather forecasting, warfare of the people, andconsultation with the spirits.

A broken Nnabakana

Conclusion
In conclusion, the challenges and needs for cultural heritage protection in Kiribati mainly come from lack of
capacity, regulations, funding, and disasters and human activities.

Mongolia

Problem and Needs for Cultural Heritage Protection and
Restoration Activities in Mongolia
Nandintsetseg NARMANDAKH
Researcher/Conservator
Division of Fund and Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology,
Mongolian Academy of Sciences
In Mongolia, we have many problems and needs for cultural heritage protection because we have a variety ofculture. Although we must decide the best way to address each case, this paper will show only the main
problems and needs.
Lack of specialists in cultural heritage protection and restoration
In Mongolia, the main organization to protect, restore, store, research, develop and utilize cultural heritage is
the National Centre for Cultural Heritage, although it is not sufficient to protect all cultural heritage sites.
The Institute is taking a leadership role to undertake archaeological investigations in the territory of Mongolia
and to formulate key concepts of Mongolian ancient and medieval history. Its scientific activities are carriedout by over 40 archaeologists and seven main departments. The variety of artifacts has been greatly increasing
due to annual archaeological surveys, and this situation requires professional conservation. It is impossible for
the Institute to restore all of them in the laboratory, so some objects have been sent to foreign countries forconservation treatment. International projects for conservation or techniques: The Institute of Archaeology
is implementing joint research projects with 54 organizations including universities, museums and institutes in
16 countries. Fragile and rare artifacts found in the joint archaeological research fields needing immediate
restoration care have been sent to Russia, Germany, France, South Korea and other countries to undergo
conservation and restoration works. This Institute was in charge of doing basic tasks such as cleaning andrestoring the from the beginning of the archaeological conservation and restoration process.
Restoration of archaeological artifacts in the laboratory
In storage, the Institute of Archaeology has been preserving various kinds of archaeological objects, including
metal and wood objects, potteries, ceramics, stones, bones, and textiles that have been excavated since 1940.
Almost all of them have been excavated from nomadic burial sites, and they are usually damaged due toenvironmental factors such as temperature, humidity, light, and indoor pollutants. Currently, we do not havespecialized microscopes and tools, but we are restoring the objects through cleaning, bonding and consolidation
work at the archaeological sites and in the laboratory. The Division of Fund and Laboratory at the Institute ofArchaeology was established in 2006, and now there are two staff in charge of conservation treatment ofmetallic and ceramic objects. We are studying conservation and restoration of ceramic and metallic objects in
the Republic of Korea.

Treatment of archaeological site

Restoration in the laboratory

Mongolia
The project “Provision of conservation equipment to Mongolia” from CHA, KOREA
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Seoul on November 7, 2006 under the mutual agreement of
the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of Mongolia and Culture Heritage Administration of the
Republic of Korea.
The Institute of Archaeology has been interested in collaborating with international institutions of cultural
heritage protection to improve the situation of Mongolian tangible historical-cultural properties. The National
Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (ACPCS) has been playing a significant role for this purpose.
In 2006 and 2010, researcher R. Erdenetsetseg studied at the Conservation Science Centre for metalconservation treatment in accordance with the co-operational contract between the two Institutes. Some metal
artifacts, which are preserved at the Institute of Archaeology, were brought and restored there. At the Metal
laboratory of the NRICH, conservation treatment was carried out for three months on fifteen metal objects.
In 2011, I participated in the ACPCS Program, which provided me with both theoretical and methodologicalknowledge of conservation and restoration science, and the advantages of the use of new technology. Since thattraining, I’ve been interested in and studying preservation and conservation of archaeological artifacts made ofceramic.
In December 2011, the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea provided conservation equipment to theInstitute of Archaeology. This technical assistance was a great event and well-timed support for Mongolianarchaeological science. The provision of conservation equipment was a follow-up to the National ResearchInstitute of Cultural Heritage (ACPCS), a training program conducted by the NRICH. This project is creating a
new stage of conservation advancement in Mongolia. The equipment is being utilized for metal conservation
treatment according to the Korean methods learnt at the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage.
Recently we carried out our first conservation treatment of iron objects in a laboratory of the Institute.

Destruction of archaeological sites
The destruction of archaeological sites is a big problem in my area of responsibility. It is due to the following
reasons:-

Thieves steal antiques from tombs and archaeological sites to sell them on the black market
The local people have destroyed archaeological sites on public land by digging up the soil for sale.

Although Mongolia has laws for the protection of archaeological sites, it is difficult to stop or restrain theseillegal activities.

Mongolia

Destroyed archaeological sites

In conclusion, the problems and needs for cultural heritage protection and restoration activities in Mongolia
mainly come from the lack of specialist budget knowledge and understanding about the true process to protect
and preserve cultural heritage. As researchers, we aim to focus on the ethics of preserving cultural heritage,correcting misconceptions among the public and disseminating knowledge, and being involved in educational
work to pass on this knowledge to future generations.

NepalProblems and Needs for Cultural Heritage Protection and
Restoration Activities in Nepal
Shova MAHARJAN
ArchitectWorld Heritage Section, Department of Archaeology,
Government of Nepal
In Nepal, many archaeological sites belonging to different periods and cultures may be identified within the
territory. But due to lack of detailed research, the actual number of archaeological sites is not yet accurately
known. Among those archaeological sites few have been explored and excavated, while some are in theprocess of being studied, and others are still unknown and remain unexcavated. The Department ofArchaeology under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation is the main authentic government
body for handling exploration and excavation work. As an architect, I get opportunities to participate inseveral excavation projects, where we deal with many challenges and issues:
1. Archaeological Sites and Their Condition
Archaeological sites (Panditpur, Fa-khel) in which I have been involved are very rich in cultural history. But
due to various reasons they are facing a variety of problems. The main reasons are:••••

The lack of awareness of local people about archaeological sites, resulting in their starting
different illegal activities.
Construction of roads, sewer lines as a modern development at archaeological sites.
Digging and excavation works for creating big ponds and structures. Those ponds are used forfishery work and the structures are for poultry farming for the economic benefit of locals.
Encroachments onto sites and developing structures for habitants and cultivation works.

Figure 1: Cultivation and habitation•••

Figure 2: Risk of stone extraction

Extraction of stones and bricks for economic benefit
Effect of floods, earthquakes and landslides as well as soil erosion
Vegetation growth is a common problem at many sites, which are not well conserved or managed.

2. Human Resources for Archaeological Site Excavation and Conservation
The Department of Archaeology is the main authentic and central body for exploration, excavation andconservation works. In spite of that, the DOA has some limitations:•

It is impossible to carry out archaeological works with individuals only; the process needs multidisciplinary professionals (e.g., archaeologists, anthropologists, curators, draft persons, artNepal••historians, conservators, sociologists, heritage site managers, trained photographers, andchemists). But the DOA has a very limited numbers of professionals.
Professionals working directly in this field rarely get the chance for further study and toparticipate in training programs
In the case of prehistoric sites and excavations, due to lack of specialists (trained and skilled
manpower), excavation works are not able to be conducted. The only works carried out are incoordination with foreign resource persons or specialists making their own efforts.

3. Management of Cultural Heritage Sites
The management of cultural heritage and archaeological sites is quite challenging in Nepal. We are doing ourbest to achieve good management.
•••

Most excavated sites are well demarcated with wire fencing, and notice boards are placed whichcontain proper information and its preservation measures
Listings of sites are done after proper study, exploration and excavation with proper
documentation so that proper decisions can be taken according to the priorities of each site for
future planning.
Most of the sites are filled back or covered with earth after excavation. This sort of covering is
one of the best measures for preserving sites. However, some are exposed with proper
management and conservation. For example:

Figure 3: Excavation work••

Figure 4: Filling of trench after documentation

Lumbini is the best example of conservation: it is the place where Buddha was born and thefinds are conserved and exposed.
Panditpur is also a Buddha-era archaeological site where excavations were carried out in two
different sessions. All finds are well documented in drawings, reports, and photographs. Mudwalls, post holes, NVP ware, potteries/figurines and other finds are placed safely and trenches
are back filled so that all the history of the site is safe inside the earth.

4. Challenges in the Management and Conservation of Archaeological Sites
Due to a lack of trained manpower and limited budgets, many sites remain unexcavated, and excavated sites
are too difficult to conserve.
•••

In the case of prehistoric excavations, in our country there is a limited number of trained
personnel, so we need to depend on experts from neighbouring countries
Sites are excavated and documented, but due to lack of scientific data, in most cases averagedates are determined by typology of materials.
Long term planning is very rare for the protection of archaeological sites

Nepal
•

•
•

•
•

•

According to the physical and geographical characteristics of a site, it may be believed that thesite is very ancient, but when excavated it is found to be relatively new. Hence in many cases,
objectives are not fulfilled as expected due to lack of exploration and detailed surveys.
Lack of related and multidisciplinary professionals
Excavation is truly research work. It takes a long time for proper study, documentation andfindings to be completed, but lack of workmanship and time periods appointed by law will limit
the excavation work. This obviously affects the work and the findings.
We have a federal system now, but the organizational setup is not decentralized yet. Planning isgoing on for appointing archaeologists and conservation architects to each municipal-level unit.
Archaeological excavation and monument conservation are the two main objectives of the
Department of Archaeology. But due to necessity and the disaster of the 2015 earthquake, thefocus has been on conservation and preservation of monuments as the first priority andarchaeological conservation works as the second priority.
Most of the budget allocated to our department is focused on firstly, conservation of monuments,and secondly, archaeological works, so excavation and exploration work need to be done with avery small budget.

The April 2015 Nepal earthquake affected many cultural heritages in Nepal. In the post-earthquake period,
the main objective of the Department of Archaeology was to restore, conserve and renovate the monuments.
During that hectic time, the DOA also carried out rescue excavation works at various monuments in order toknow the chronology and historical background of the sites, as well as the condition of the foundation. At
that time experts from different countries also helped a lot. Various rescue excavations at World Heritage
Sites (e.g., Pashupati Monumental Zone, Hanuman Dhoka Palace) were carried out to know the condition offoundation. Similarly, excavations were also carried out at various Tentative World Heritage Sites as required.
In conclusion, as Nepal contains many virgin and prehistoric sites, maximum exploration should be done
while preparing an inventory. The sites which are explored should be conserved well and unexplored sites
should be conserved under the ground for future generations. The Department of Archaeology needs to bestrengthened for better archaeological site preservation and conservation works.
•
•
•
•
•

Staff/professionals of the DOA should be trained and should be involved in training programs
nationally and internationally.
Sufficient budgets should be allocated with appropriate timeframes for exploration, excavationand conservation.
All research, exploration, excavations and conservation works should be published so that
information will be disseminated
The formulation of proper rules and regulations and their effective execution
A strong political commitment is also required for a better future for excavation works in Nepal.

Problem and Needs for the Protection and Preservation ofArchaeological Sites in Pakistan
Zahida QUADRI
Assistant Director Excavation
Culture, Tourism, Antiquities and Archives Department,
Directorate of Antiquities and Archaeology, Government of Sindh
1. Introduction
Cultural and heritage property in Pakistan is protected under the Antiquities Act 1975. After the Eighteenth
Amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan was passed in 2010, several institutions were transferred fromthe domain of the federal government to the control of provincial governments. The Department ofArchaeology was also devolved to the provincial governments. Since then, all provinces have been
responsible for the management of the archaeological and heritage assets of their province. Each province
has its own separate archaeology department, which is functional and authorized at the provincial level. In
addition to the federal laws, all provinces except for Baluchistan have enacted their own heritage policies
and laws. The provincial archaeology departments have sufficient autonomy to make and implement
decisions regarding heritage and cultural property without any intrusion from the federal ministry.
This report mainly describes the problems, needs, and activities of the Culture, Tourism, Antiquities, andArchives Department of the Government of Sindh, where I belong and about which I am authorized to share
information, based on my own experience. However, all these are mostly common issues that are faced byother provinces as well.
Sindh province of Pakistan is home to nearly 3,000 sites and monuments, of which 1,600 are protectedunder the provincial Sindh Cultural Heritage (Protection) Act 1994, while 1,200 remain unprotected.
2. Problems in Site Management
2.1 Vandalism
Looting and vandalism around cultural properties are some of the most common problems and the biggest
threats to the cultural property of Pakistan. Illegal construction and burials have been noticed many times
inside and around archaeological sites; however, those sites are protected under the Antiquities Act 1975.
The act disallows new construction, burials, and other such activities. Through continuous monitoring andstrict security measures the problem has been overcome to some extent. Another problem is encroachment
and the destruction of cultural property by local communities and builders. Some pre-historic sites of
Karachi have now vanished under the Mega City Project of Bahria Town. During my survey of thearchaeological site at Mansurah, I reported regular cultivation of and encroachments onto the site. After this,a boundary wall was constructed [where possible] and a fence erected for the protection of the site. However,despite warnings and cautions, tourists—especially schoolchildren—walk on the wall for fun and stand or
sit on it to snap pictures. In the images below, at Islamic period sites of Mansura and Chukandi, in Fig. 1, aclear road/path over the ruins of the site is visible. While in Fig. 2, a tourist is standing on the remains andtaking a selfie.

3

Fig.1: A clear road/path over the ruins of the site is visible

Fig.3: Farms and field at thesite of Mansurah

Fig.2: Tourist posing for a selfie on the remains

Fig.4: Destruction of historicalgrave at Chukandi

Fig.5: Bricks of the site used formaking road

2.2 Lack of Coordination between Provincial Archaeology/Heritage Departments
Due to the Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan, the heritage sector is one of the areas
which have been facing challenges after devolution in terms of coordination and collaboration withinprovinces. The overall performance of provincial governments has greatly improved but the sharing of bestpractices concerning the protection of cultural properties is somewhat lacking. Besides, many seniorarchaeologists and experts have been posted back to their provinces, and this situation has created a serious
management crisis in Sindh and Baluchistan. The guidance and field training from senior experts which we(young employees) seek is missing, although whenever I contact them on a personal level for their advice,
I find them very kind and cooperative. But this cooperation needs to extend to the provincial level.
2.3 Lack of Professional Capabilities [equipment-training-new trends/techniques]
There is a lack of specialist expertise among professionals/government officers, especially in the case of
Sindh and Baluchistan. The heritage sector of these provinces is dependent on foreign archaeologicalmissions and international training but unfortunately, all officers are not capable of attending international
training, therefore they cannot play their role as required or expected. Due to the shortage of staff and lackof technical assistance after every excavation, we need to re-bury the excavation area to protect the remains,which takes both time and energy. See Fig. 6.

Fig.6: Re-burial of an excavated area in Chahunjo Daro and Banbhore

4Fig.7: Preservation of sites from rain.

Fig.8: Drainage for rainwater

Fig.9
Fig.10For the preservation of sites from rain (Fig. 7) and bushes (Fig. 10) we use human resources. Traditional
techniques approved by UNESCO are put into practice for the conservation and protection of culturalproperty (Figs. 12-13].

Fig.11

Fig.12

Fig.13

2.4 Lack of Research and Laboratory Analysis
Also, equipment and labs are insufficient. Therefore, excavations at major sites proceed under thesupervision of foreign missions. Due to the lack of scientific labs, samples are requested to be sent abroadfor testing and analysis purposes. In this scenario, local officers including me do not possess the requisiteknowledge of emerging trends in testing/analysing cultural heritage with new disciplines, subdisciplines,
and emergent digitalization and their protection technologies.

5

2.5 Lack of Sufficient Budget
The purchase of required equipment and construction of advanced scientific laboratories is possible if
cultural heritage departments allocate sufficient budget for it. The budget that is granted to provincial
heritage departments is inadequate for the preservation, conservation, and protection of cultural properties
in Pakistan.
3 Needs
3.1 Security and Preventive Measures
Risk preparedness for the protection of cultural heritage needs to be a priority in Pakistan. It is essential toset up an all-province network or working committee on the protection of cultural properties. Pakistan is acountry that is the victim of terrorism and armed conflict. A few very important sites in Northern Province
have been destroyed or otherwise adversely affected due to armed violence, while looting is the biggest
threat in Sindh and Baluchistan. The mission of that all-province working committee would include theprotection of cultural properties from damage, vandalism, illicit trafficking of artifacts, and looting,including in the event of armed conflict. The all-province working committee would be responsible forcoordination and act in emergencies. In this regard, provincial government departments along with thenational committees of international institutions, for example, ICOM Pakistan, IUCN Pakistan, andICOMOS Pakistan can play an effective role.
3.2 Trained Staff
Before training staff/officers of archaeology and heritage departments in Pakistan, it is important tounderstand that not all of them are fluent English speakers with the confidence to attend international
training sessions. There is therefore a need to set up training camps on a local level. For this purpose, senior
experts in Pakistan can be engaged. Again, coordination is required on the provincial level.
3.3 Social AwarenessIn the protection and management of cultural heritage sites in Pakistan, street protests, social media, andconferences can play a vital role. I have seen huge participation by Pakistani youth and civil society inheritage-related workshops and projects. For example, one important cultural property in Karachi city, the100-year-old building of the Jufelhurst school, has been restored as the result of a protest by civil society
against its bulldozing by local land developers due to its high property value. The destruction of culturalproperties can be prevented through the volunteering efforts of school students and civil society.
3.4 Laboratory
There are many universities in Pakistan which, if they collaborated with government institutions, thisproblem would be able to be addressed. The labs and equipment of geology, botany, environmental science,and related departments of universities might be useful for this purpose. The Archaeology Department
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is linked with universities; however, this is needed to be put into practice in otherprovinces as well.
4 Activities
4.1 Training of Staff and University Students
Concerning the above-mentioned issues, government archaeology and heritage departments have started thetraining of staff and university students (Figs. 14, 15, 16). For this purpose, workshops have been organized
by federal and provincial departments, where senior experts from different provinces are invited for lecturesand practical sessions. A one-week training course on basic conservation and analytical techniques in thepreservation of the tangible cultural heritage of Sindh was organized at the Water and Soil Investigation
Laboratory, Mohenjo Daro in 2019 (Fig. 17). Another workshop at Mohenjo Daro was organized on Indus
script. Also, an informal meeting of government officers with an international archaeology mission was held
within government offices for discussion and exchange of ideas (Fig. 18).

6

Fig.14

Fig.15

Fig.16

For the 2020 season at Banbhore and Chahunjo Daro, students from Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur; Sindh
University, Jamshoro; Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad; and Bahria University, Karachi were encouraged toparticipate.

Fig.17: One-week training course
at WASIL

Fig.18: Government officers and
Italian mission

Fig.19: Training camp at
Chahunjo Daro

4.2- Community Involvement
To prevent the site from looting and illicit trafficking of the artifact, which is usually done by local villagers,
our department and Heritage Foundation of Pakistan jointly initiated a project to involve the community insite management at the world heritage site of Makli. It’s an effort to engage male and female of the local
community in conservation projects as masons, kasha tiles making fig [20] and making handicraft for
visitors. fig [21] We are now looking forward to engaging local women as guides and males as a watchman.

Fig. 20. Making kasha tiles

Fig. 21. Handicrafts for sale

4.3 Conferences and Technical Sessions for Social AwarenessOn both the provincial and federal levels, we are organizing lectures, conferences, and workshops. I havemoderated two sessions where I received an overwhelming response from the public regarding in-person
involvement in heritage activities.
4.4 Coordination on a Regional Level
It is not possible for just one department to tackle the management, security conservation, and protection
issues of cultural property. Coordination within the regional department is necessary. At the Sindh level, my
fellow officers and I are personally coordinating with the police and rangers of different districts. In case ofdestruction or any kind of disturbance, stern action has been taken against the culprits. Although we have7

heritage and antiquities laws that can be implemented, we need to build a connection with law enforcement
agencies. The cooperation between our department and the security department is expanding day by day
and unprecedented steps have been taken for the safeguarding of historical places.
5 Conclusion
During my service of six years, I have observed that many of our site management problems have occurred
due to the lack of professional staff. We need technical experts and assistance, and for Goal 17 of the SDGs,
partnership in the cultural and heritage sector between provinces, neighbouring countries, and international
institutions such as UNESCO, ICCROM, ICOMOS, and ICOM is one of the best ways to deal with these
problems. Expert opinions will help us to make better decisions. There is a strong need to focus on policies
and good practices for the protection of monuments and archaeological sites. I am very much interested inbuilding a heritage protection network in the region.

Fig. 22. First digitalized map of the World Heritage Site of Makli

8

Philippines

Baselining the Risk and Vulnerabilities of Philippine Cultural
Heritage Sites
Kristine Kate A. LIM
Committee Head/ Board Member
Research and Publication Department,
Kapisanan ng mga Arkeologist sa Pilipinas, Inc.
At present, there are less focused research and policy initiatives that aim to systematically assess the risk andvulnerability of cultural heritage sites in the Philippines (Fig. 1). While there are a handful of impact studies
directed at built and intangible cultural heritage, this is still not enough to categorically lobby for the inclusionof cultural heritage protection in the national disaster risk agenda. In this report, I have documented several
sites in the country that demonstrate this pressing issue and the need to protect our cultural heritage sites. As
an archaeologist, I have presented sites here that I have explored which exhibit long-term evidence of culturaland environmental value for past and present communities. The report basically outlines three main
challenges: geophysical and climate change-related hazards and anthropogenic activities that put cultural
heritage sites at risk. It is proposed that generally, having an integrated framework and transboundary
perspective can enable more proactive responses in determining and managing risk and the vulnerabilities ofcultural heritage sites in the Philippines.
Problems
Geophysical-Related Hazards
Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where 75% of the earth’s volcanoes are located andthus, where intense volcanic eruptions and strong earthquakes occur. The related consequences of this include
tsunami, liquefaction, ground shaking, and landslides, which can lead to site destruction, besides loss of life.
The Budiao Church Ruins (Fig. 2) and the Camiguin Sunken Cemetery (Fig. 3) are products of the violent
volcanic eruptions of Mt. Mayon (1814) and Mt. Vulcan (1871), respectively. These events instantly turned
these traditional sites into archaeological sites that were only investigated more than a century later. Although
not an archaeological site, the 2013 7.2 magnitude earthquake which shook the Visayas region crushed mainly
the belfry and façade of the oldest church in the Philippines and a National Historical Landmark – Basilica
Minore del Sto. Niño (1565) (Fig. 4). Restoration works were initiated by a team of heritage conservationarchitects, engineers, and archaeologists after this event.
Climate-Related Hazards
The country is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change because of its geographical location anddevelopmental context. Events related to climate change in the Philippines are extreme heat, extreme rainfall,
prolonged drought and dry spells, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and water scarcity.
Present-day shorelines are more susceptible to erosion and flooding, placing more than 60 percent of thecountry’s population that lives in the coastal zone at greater risk. This is also one of the reasons why I focusedon investigating our maritime cultural landscape and the impact of climate change, because of the material
evidence of maritime traditions that can put these sites and materials at risk of destruction. Such can be seen
in burial grounds (e.g. Fig. 5), shell middens (e.g. Fig. 6), lighthouses, ports, harbours, etc. that are almost
inundated or flooded as the highest tide points to higher and higher levels. This has also been noticed byseveral community members when their coastal houses (Fig. 7) are flooded, especially during exacerbatedtyphoon or increased rainfall scenarios.

Philippines
Anthropogenic Activities
Human activities such as looting/treasure hunting, pollution, mining, tourism, poor land, sea, and coastal use
management applications, and other local security issues have also significantly altered the environment.
Much can be said about cultural heritage sites that exhibit damage because of various land, economic,
infrastructure, educational and policy-related issues and concerns.
In a survey I conducted last year, I asked archaeologists working in the Philippines of their perception
regarding the threats archaeological sites are facing, then and now. The 35 respondents listed treasure hunting,lack of public archaeology, illicit trade of cultural property, antique collecting, miseducation about cultural
resources, and lack of policy implementation as common issues they encounter which put archaeological sites
at risk. With this, the most pressing issues that they think should be addressed immediately are treasurehunting, miseducation, and lack of implementation of the law.
This can be seen in various excavation sites, where even after years of archaeological campaigns and thepassage of the National Cultural Heritage Act in 2009 (Republic Act [RA] 10066), we still have not prevented
treasure hunting. This was the case in the Bubog Site, Occidental Mindoro (Fig. 8) where some of the locals
we hired also acted as informants for treasure hunters, who thought they could possibly retrieve gold or whole
pottery artifacts, common materials looted in the Philippines. In another site, years of pot hunting in Del
Carmen, Siargao (Fig. 9) may eventually cause the collapse of a coastal rock shelter where more than 10 mof illegal excavation exposed human remains and associated burial goods (according to local narration). Thiswas similar to the discovery of the Tuhian, Catanauan wreck (Fig. 10) by local fishermen. Because it was
severely looted prior to our scientific investigation, we found only the lower hull and a few artifacts of thevessel, which if investigated intact, may have revealed more information about the Philippines’ role in Island
Southeast Asia maritime trading.
Treasure hunting at both land and underwater cultural heritage sites has been on-going since the 1900s and ispersisting still today. Through our informal interviews with some locals who engage in this type of activity,
a common answer as to why they do it is economic motivation. Moreover, treasure hunting is still legal in thePhilippines and is supposed to be regulated by the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP). Unfortunately,
just last year, two officials of the NMP were caught in an entrapment operation involving extortion in
exchange for the issuance of treasure permits ( https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/23/19/arrest-of-2-officialsstunsnational-museum ).
In relation to the lack of implementation and enforcement of the law and local policies, this can bedemonstrated by vandalized archaeological sites where high touristic and land development activities occur(e.g. Figs.11, 12). Moreover, archaeological impact assessments (AIA) for land development sites are only
done in certain parts of the country where a strong heritage zone is declared or when a private company withforeign collaborators requests an AIA. Given the lack of information or miseducation about cultural resources
and the implications of RA 10066, these problems put cultural heritage sites at risk, endangering theirpotential to live up to their true relevance in helping us to understand our past to be able to apply lessons forthe present and future.
Needs
Policy review/revision and a well-coordinated and educated bureaucracy/public
Treasure hunting, if considered the number one threat to archaeological sites, reflects deeper problems in oursociety (e.g., poverty, corruption, lack of education, etc.) which make us more vulnerable to disasters.
Currently, the legal protection of cultural heritage falls under RA 10066. However, policy and institutional
studies should be pursued as to how this law conflicts or overlaps other existing laws and local policies. The
fact that treasure hunting, while regulated, is still allowed is a blatant disregard of the said law, which
mandates the state to “conserve, develop, promote and popularize the nation's historical and cultural heritage

Philippinesand resources, as well as artistic creations” (RA 10066, Article 1 Section 2). If potential archaeological sites
are looted, then no one can know their true national historical and cultural value. With regards to policies andprotocols, miseducation of the heritage law and the lack of a well-coordinated bureaucracy causes thedestruction of potential archaeological sites when AIAs are not pursued by land developers or government
officials. Currently, AIAs are not explicitly mentioned in RA10066; instead, there are references toEnvironmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). However, the nature of EIAs means that they are focused on
environmental technical data, with little or no comprehensive assessment of cultural heritage and social
impact. In addition to this, we should have an intensified educational program for the public that encourages
or institutionalizes cultural regeneration, especially when culture is fully integrated in an area study.
Support/strengthen efforts in developing professionals, baseline data, and assessment tools/methods
The Philippine Registry of Cultural Properties (PReCuP) was only established in 2015; thus, the database of
our cultural materials and sites are not yet fully incorporated into this system. In effect, how will we protect
and conserve our cultural properties if we do not know the basics of what and where they are. Conservation
management plans (CMP) are only implemented by a few heritage conservation architects at only two
historical sites (San Sebastian Church and Intramuros, Manila). Assessing the risk and vulnerability status
may help in realizing the state of our cultural resources, and in turn garner more support for the cultural
heritage community and demonstrate the field’s relevance for the Philippine nation.

Philippines

Fig. 8. The aftermath of a treasure-hunted site at
Occidental Mindoro

Fig. 9. Treasure-hunted
coastal rock shelterwith exposed sedimentFig. 1. Map of the Philippines
showing cultural heritage sites(yellow dots) and high-risksites to climate change (darkgrey)

Singapore

Challenges and Needs for Protection of Archaeological
Heritage in Singapore
CAI Yinghong
Senior Manager
Heritage Research and Assessment Division,
National Heritage Board, Singapore

This report identifies the challenges and needs for the protection and management of archaeological heritagein Singapore, from my perspective as a heritage officer managing archaeological projects in Singapore.
As an island-state with limited land and natural resources, there are competing needs to cater to the growing
population while maintaining liveability in Singapore. Over the years, urban development has transformed
Singapore’s landscape rapidly, with iterations of construction and de-construction works. It is within thiscontext of competing needs for urban development and planning for living population that the safeguardingof archaeological heritage is required to be considered.
Archaeology excavations have been conducted in Singapore since 1984. The archaeological research has
helped to uncover the pre-colonial history of Singapore, providing insights on early settlements, trade, andcross-cultural interactions.
My division, the Heritage Research and Assessment division at the National Heritage Board, is tasked towork on efforts to safeguard and promote archaeological heritage in Singapore. These initiatives are part of
Our SG Heritage Plan (2018-2022)—a five-year blueprint for the heritage sector in Singapore. The division
coordinates archaeological matters and partners institutions to implement archaeological projects but does
not directly carry out archaeological excavations or post-excavation processing.

Figure 1: An archaeologist team from ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS) working on an archaeological site at
Empress Place, Singapore, in 2015

The following paragraphs highlight the challenges for archaeology in Singapore:
Lack of Archaeological Expertise
There are a limited number of archaeological professionals available in Singapore to implement local
archaeological projects. These professionals are currently tied to three main Institutions of Higher Learning:the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS), the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and the National

Singapore
University of Singapore (NUS). Archaeological expertise is embedded within one or two members in eachof the institutions, and projects are assisted by volunteers or students. There is uncertainty on whether there
is sufficient capacity within these institutions to support the conduct of archaeological excavations andprojects in the long run.
Backlog of Materials and Lack of Storage SpaceA large amount of excavated archaeological materials has accumulated from the projects conducted over the
past three decades, and many of the materials have yet to be processed. There is a lack of trained manpower
and resources to conduct post-excavation processing or to follow up with research and analysis of thematerials.
With continued excavations and recovery of more archaeological materials, storage has become anincreasingly pertinent issue. There is a need to review frameworks and strategies for post-excavation
recording, selection and dispersal of archaeological material to reduce the storage load.
Lack of Legislative Framework and Guidelines
There is currently a lack of legislation or regulatory frameworks for protecting archaeological heritage in
Singapore. Based on feedback from members of the archaeology community, key gaps include the need toclarify ownership of recovered archaeological artefacts, put in place regulations or guidelines governing how
archaeological excavations are conducted, and to protect archaeological sites and artefacts.
As part of efforts under the Heritage Plan for Singapore, NHB is exploring legislative changes to the NHB
Act to address the issues. The aim is to improve the protection of archaeological heritage in Singapore, bystrengthening the Act and introducing a framework to regulate archaeology in Singapore.
--With the challenges highlighted above, the following paragraphs elaborate on the needs and prospects forarchaeology in Singapore:
Need to Develop Archaeological Capabilities
There is a need to further develop archaeological technical expertise in Singapore, including building up theskill sets required for archaeological fieldwork, documentation and recording, and conservation ofarchaeological materials.
This could involve bringing in overseas expertise, as well as building up local capabilities. There could also
be efforts to work with local educational and research institutions to create greater interest and awareness,and to train the next generation of potential archaeologists.
NHB initiated archaeology training workshops for public officers in 2019 to engage agencies on initiatives
to safeguard and promote archaeology in Singapore. It has also partnered with the Nanyang Technological
University (NTU) to support tertiary students to conduct research on archaeology in Singapore and work on
the analysis of past site excavations. Through such collaborations, it is hoped that they could be a pipeline of
personnel with relevant expertise that could support future archaeological projects.

Singapore

Figure 2: Professor John Miksic sharing his knowledge of archaeology in Singapore with workshop participantsin 2019

Need for Archaeological Data Management
With the pertinent issue of lack of storage space for the accumulating archaeological materials, it is importantto put more effort into archaeological data management, including post-excavation recording and analysis ofarchaeological assemblages. There could be greater focus on the management of archaeological data,
including the use of digital databases.
Need for Integrated Heritage Planning
In view of the rapid urban transformation in Singapore, there is a need to work closely with land development
agencies to ensure that archaeological heritage is sufficiently considered prior to redevelopment. NHB has
been working with stakeholders to map out sites of archaeological interest and to ensure that archaeologicalinvestigations are carried out at an early stage or in tandem with development works where necessary.
Nonetheless, with the limited archaeological personnel and post-excavation resourcing available, a carefulbalance is required to be struck to prioritise sites and to develop methods that can safeguard archaeological
heritage with limited resourcing.
Dialogue and collaborations with museums and heritage institutions are also important to facilitate the useof archaeological assemblages for public education. Lastly, the safeguarding of archaeological heritage also
requires the involvement of the public, in order to make the protection of heritage meaningful and relevant
for communities.
In conclusion, the safeguarding of archaeological heritage involves working closely with various
stakeholders—including public agencies, museum and heritage professionals, research and educational
institutions, heritage interest groups or community groups, as well as the general public.

Sri Lanka

Problems and Needs for the Protection and Preservation ofArchaeological Sites in Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
K.G. Mahinda Karunarathna
Development Officer
Section of Archaeological Explorations,Regional Office (Central Province), Department of Archaeology

Introduction
Sri Lanka, or Ceylon, is a teardrop-shaped island, located off the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent in the
Indian Ocean. The island has a total area of 65,610 km2 and is called “the Pearl of the Indian Ocean” due to thesize, and economic and cultural values of the country.
Historical Background in Sri Lanka
The history of the country goes back to the Paleolithic period of the Prehistoric era (250,000-150,000 BP).
According to archaeological investigations in Sri Lanka, nine main cultural periods have been identified . They
are the Prehistoric Period, Protohistoric Period, Neolithic Period, Early Historic Period, Medieval Historic
Period, Later Medieval Historic Period, Kandyan Period, Colonial Period and Modern Period.
Archaeological Sites in Sri Lanka
According to the Director General, Department of Archaeology, there are 215,000 archaeological sites thatbelong to the above cultural periods in Sri Lanka. There are 2,642 registered protected archaeological sites, 174
registered archaeological reserves and 8 World Heritage Sites on the island. Although Sri Lanka is a very small
country, the density of archaeological sites is very high.
Problems of Archaeological Sites in Sri Lanka
Treasure Hunting
The main problem that faces archaeological sites is “Treasure Hunting” or looting of the sites or artefacts. Thereis about one case of treasure hunting reported to the Department of Archaeology daily on average. According toa survey of the Department of Archaeology, 20-25 cases are reported monthly and 250-300 cases reported
annually.
Destroying archaeological sites and artefacts in order to find treasure is a tragedy in the field of archaeology
today. The perpetrators destroy invaluable artefacts without any thought to the consequences . Sometimes they
destroy images of the Lord Buddha or images of gods or goddesses. About 75% of Sri Lankans are Theravada
Buddhists, and most of the sites are also Buddhist archaeological sites, but unfortunately, these Buddhist sites
also face this tragedy daily.
Treasure hunters damage or dig into the head, chest or other parts of ancient Buddha statues to find hidden
treasure. According to the Theravada Buddhist tradition of the country, Buddhist devotees often enshrine sacredrelics of Lord Buddha or Arahath Monks with semi precious or precious gemstones, gold, ornamental metal
Bodhi trees or leaves, and small Buddha statues in the image of Lord Buddha. The treasure hunters want to lootitems like these from the bodies of the ancient statues of the country.

Sri Lanka

Figs.1&2: The chest area of the statues have been destroyed by treasure hunters.
Fig.1 (left): Samadhi Buddha Statue of Gadaladeniya Rajamaha Vihara (Temple) (1344 AD), Kandy;
Fig.2 (right): Keulegma Rajamaha Viharaya (1469-1815), Teldeniya.

Stupa or Dagaba are also sacred Buddhist archaeological sites in the Sri Lankan context. Treasure huntersdestroy these heritages also to find the treasure. Most of the stupas are archaeological sites, and our ancestors
enshrined sacred relics of Lord Buddha or Arahath Monks and other offerings inside the stupas for devotees toworship. Unfortunately, ancient stupas have become the main target of looters today.
Myths and Mythical Texts of Ola Leaf
Nidan Wadula is a book (Ola leaf) that was written in the 13th century AD. The main objective of this text is todescribe the places where mythical treasure was deposited in the past. The information described in the Nidan
Wadula misleads the treasure hunters. Unfortunately, they use this book as a guidebook for finding treasure, andas a result of this activity, archaeological sites are being destroyed daily.
“Nidan” or “Treasure” is a very popular myth in Sri Lankan society today, and the Nidan Wadula has helped tospread this concept to the community. Most people in Sri Lankan society accept this myth as truth, and due tothis dangerous rationale, they destroy valuable archaeological sites to find this mythical treasure.
Civil War and Effects
Archaeological sites located in the North and East provinces faced three decades of civil war (1983 -2009) in Sri
Lanka. Some archaeological sites were damaged or destroyed due to the battles between government forces and
LTTE terrorists. The Dutch Fort in Jaffna (1618 AD) is a remarkable example of this. The fort was badly damaged
and some parts demolished by attacks in the Dutch Fort area in 1990. Most of the ancient religious archaeologicalsites were located in hilly areas. Both the terrorists and government forces built their camps on this archaeologicalsite for military purposes. It also caused damage to some other archaeological sites of the area.
Archaeology and Politics
There should be a good relationship between politicians and archaeological sites for proper heritage management
in any country, because they represent the main stakeholders of the country, as are those in the field of heritage
management. Sometimes they create acts and regulations for protecting heritage, But, unfortunately, mostpoliticians violate the rules that they make. Sometimes, the decisions that they obtain work to destroy the valuable
heritage of the country. The Mayor of the Urban Council of Kurunagala demolished a Royal Audience (Royal
Assembly Hall) of Kurunagala Kingdom (13th century) in July 2020. The Department of Archaeology of Sri
Lanka did not give permission to remove this ancient building from its location; unfortunately, the Mayor
demolished the building without the permission of the Director General of Department of Archaeology. He
violated the law, but the current government has not yet taken any legal action against the Mayor.

Sri Lanka

Figs.3&4: Royal Audience in Kurunagala Kingdom,Fig 3 (left): Before the destruction
Fig.4 (right): After the destruction

Protection and Preservation of Archaeological Sites in Sri Lanka
Protection, Conservation and Preservation of Archaeological Sites and other Antiquities
The Department of Archaeology is the pioneer organization that protects the archaeological heritage of thecountry, with its main objective being to promote proper management of the archaeological heritage of Sri Lanka.
Developing human and institutional resources; protecting and unearthing archaeological sites, monuments andmovable artefacts; enhancing public awareness; conserving archaeological sites and monuments, and movable
artefacts; and carrying out research are some responsibilities of the Department of Archaeology.
In 1980, the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) was established under an Act of Parliament [Act No. 57 of 1980]. CCF
is one of the principal heritage management institutions in Sri Lanka. Archaeological investigations; conservationof built heritage, artefacts, murals and other decorative works; scientific research related to heritage conservation;and provision of heritage information, and development of visitor infrastructure utilized at heritage sites are some
responsibilities of the CCF. CCF is currently handling 30 major archaeological projects located throughout theisland. The World Heritage “Ancient City of Sigiriya” and “Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple” with murals aresome examples. The Maritime Archaeology Unit (MAU) of the CCF at Galle is the pioneering research centre
on underwater archaeology in Sri Lanka. Underwater archaeological exploration, excavation, underwater cultural
heritage management, conservation, establishing and maintaining the Maritime Archaeological Museum, andpublications and public awareness activities are some responsibilities of the MAU. The Godawaya (oldest
shipwreck in the Asia Pacific region - about 2000 years old) project is handled by the MAU under the supervisionof the Department of Archaeology.

Fig.5: Godawaya, 2000-year-old shipwreck excavation, 2019

Sri Lanka
Acts and Amendments
The Antiquities Act No. 09 of 1940, Antiquities (Amendment) Act No. 24 of 1998, Enhancement of Fines(Amendment) Act No. 12 of 2005, Recovery of Govt. Possession Act No. 07 of 1979, etc. are used for the purposeof protecting archaeological sites and other antiquities on the island. The Department of Archaeology takes legal
action to protect archaeological sites and other antiquities, making use of the Antiquities Ordinance and otherActs incidental to it and taking legal action through the courts to punish persons who violate the provisions ofsuch Acts.
Needs for Preserving Archaeological Sites
Developing the human resources of the Department of Archaeology and the CCF is a major need for preserving
the archaeological sites on the island. Increasing public support for the protection of archaeological sites,
enhancing public awareness of the value of archaeological sites and other antiquities, achieving greater efficiency
in legal tasks, and obtaining international cooperation and support are some of the needs to protect and preservearchaeological heritages on the island of Sri Lanka.

Uzbekistan

Salinity and Climatic Impact on the Conservation Status ofArchaeological Monuments in the Territory of Uzbekistan
Omon Uktamovich MAMIROV
Archaeologist
Landscape Archaeology,
National Archaeological Centre of the Academy of Sciences

Today, 8,788 objects of cultural heritage are included on the national list in the territory of the Republic of
Uzbekistan, of which 4,208 are archaeological monuments.
The ruins of Ancient Khavas are not only the oldest and largest archaeological monument of the Syrdarya
region, but also of the entire Mirzachul. The magnificent remains of this place, which were part of Ancient
Ustrushana, are now located in the southwestern part of the present-day town of Khavas, opposite the
Karvonsaroy neighborhood. Today, the total area of the monument is about 12 hectares. The monument ismade up of two parts, namely the huge arches in the northwest , which are distinguished and separated byadjacent walls. The main center of the town, the arches and the remains of the town have been fully
preserved up to the present day. The location of Ancient Khavas in the Southern Banokat network of theGreat Silk Road determines its historical significance.
Archaeological research on the monument began at the end of the 20th century and continues to this day. As
a result of the research carried out in recent years, some achievements have been realized.
Archaeological research conducted here testifies that life in the monument lasted almost without
interruption from the 4th century BC until the 20th century AD.
Today, the surface of the monument comprises a thick, salty soil layer affected by very strong salinity. Thissituation strongly impacts the deterioration of the monument and the work carried out by archaeologicalresearch teams.
It can be said that the most of the archaeological monuments in the Central Asian region were built of clay.
Since ancient times, clay was the most widely used raw material in the architectural sphere. Its primaryprocessed form is clay pellets (guwala), mud walls (pakhsa) and raw brick, which have been used inconstruction works in this region since the neolithic period.
One of the peculiarities of the monument of Ancient Khavas is that as a result of active life and residence
over many years, a very thick cultural strata has formed. By the time of the developed Middle Ages and thelast Middle Ages, the climate in the region became dryer, and the ancient stream located there began to dry
up. This was clarified by research carried out in the remote areas of the monument. In particular, themonument grew a little in the 11th to 12th centuries BC, and houses began to be built on the upper side of
the old stream banks.
Archaeological studies have shown that in the area of the monument that was developed in the last
medieval period, clay for construction was obtained from the same land itself without being transported
from another place. Our conclusion was arrived at due the discovery of a large number of excavated sites
for economic purposes and potholes for obtaining clay for construction. In this regard, it can be said thatthe presence of various organic wastes and ash residues in the composition of the raw brick and mud walls
confirms this.

UzbekistanThese factors led to a strong degree of salinity and soil depletion in the monument area over the following
centuries, and as a result, the monument area was abandoned.
In other monuments with this problem, especially in archaeological monuments consisting of one or two
cultural strata, this case is better than the case of conservation, without a strong reflection to this extent.
Almost all the monuments in the steppe and steppe climatic regions of the territory of Uzbekistan are on theverge of destruction today due to the impact of a strong degree of salinity. Climate change, aridization andsalinity are largely attributable to anthropogenic influences. It can be said that many archaeologicalmonuments in the steppe territories have for many years served as a wintering site for a nomadic herdsman
population. Traces of semi-basement and economic activity identified in the territory of the monument in
Ancient Khavas are an obvious example of this. In most cases, migratory breeders found it desirable to use
only the interior, without touching the foundation and main walls of the houses where they had previously
lived, the second time to change the interior of the housing or use household items.
There has been a cultural closeness between Fergana Valley and Ustrushana territory since ancient times.
These links are evidenced by material evidence. Today, even in the archaeological monuments in the valley
territory, salinity is becoming more and more prevalent. The high population density in the valley territory
has caused an increase in the number of trees and agricultural crops around the archaeological monuments.
Local peasants plant trees such as mulberry and date in order to fight against salinity. They also wash salt
from the soil with the help of running water.

In the territory of Syrdarya, in the winter season, salt washing is carried out with the help of running waterin the fields, and in the summer they use a “drainage” system of underground water. The drainage systempulls up underground water and salinity from a 400-500 m radius and discharges it through the trenches.
Although this system exists near the archaeological monument, it cannot completely eliminate the salinity
in the monument area. Therefore, the search for effective measures to prevent salinity is an urgent problem.
Several archaeological monuments have been opened in the territory of the Republic in the last 20-25 years
and are being conserved. In particular, the old Kuva monument was opened in 2004 and the monument was
fully conserved. However, important artifacts are being destroyed due to the effect of sand and salinity inplaces where archaeological research has been conducted. At this time, if the necessary measures are nottaken, the monument may lose its historical status and value.
Installation of a planting and drainage system involving trees such as mulberry and others in order to fightagainst salinity in the border zones around the archaeological monuments can help us in this situation.
However, a system of preserving the territory from salinity, which was conducted for archaeologicalresearch, has not yet been developed.

Uzbekistan

The purpose of my participation in this training is to further enrich my knowledge of the preservation ofmonuments and artifacts which should be preserved for future generations. It is also to study factors which
are a threat to today’s archaeological monuments, and to identify effective prevention methods.
Considering the fact that several innovations are coming into play in the course of archaeological researchin the next few years, it will be possible to achieve great success with the deeper study of such problems
and the preservation of archaeological objects by eliminating them.

Viet Nam

Conservation Staff in Vietnam Museums: Challenges andCooperation
NGUYEN Quang Khanh
Vice Director
Management Board, Kien Giang Museum,
Department of Culture and Sports
Abstract
In the development of the Vietnam museum system, the role of human resources in the preservation andpromotion of the collection values is vital in providing long-term solutions for the preservation of artifacts,
objects and documents. Preservation of these materials will enable better research, display of artifacts andwider dissemination to the public. To do this, the museum conservation staff have to do their museum workwith good skills, appropriate qualifications, and professional conservation techniques. The article analyses thecurrent situation of human resources in Vietnam museums responsible for carrying out conservation, andattempts to provide solutions in training museum personnel to improve their capabilities to meet the required
quality and standards relating to the integration and development of museums in Asia.
Keywords: Human resources, conservation, Vietnam museums, conservation, conservation staff.
Introduction
At present, Vietnam has 154 museums including 123 museums belonging to the government (State museums),
and 31 private museums (non-State museums). The system of Vietnam museums is made up of a large team ofprofessionals and systematically trained officials. These staff teams have access to modern science andtechnological advances as they contribute to the enhancement of museums aligned with the latest trends, withpossible integration and collaboration with other museums in the region and around the world.
However, it can be seen clearly that there is not enough staff in the field of conservation in Vietnam. Moreover,many areas in Vietnam are still very weak in terms of proficiency in foreign languages. Also, the ability ofconservation staff to be in line with the requirements for international integration in museum development isinsufficient.
Vietnam envisions having many modern museums in the future. In order to manage and operate those museums
effectively, we need to develop human resources and equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge. In
Vietnam, it has been confirmed that training them is necessary to address urgent and long-term problems andplans.
* Table 1: Distribution of Vietnam museums

No

Names

Northern
VietnamCentralVietnamSouthern
Vietnam

Total
Museums

1

State museums

45

35

43

123

2

Non-State museums

14

11

6

31

3

Total

59

46

49

154

4

Percentage (%)

38.3%

29.9%

31.8%

100%

Notes

Viet Nam

Assessment of the Current Situation of Human Resources in Vietnam Museums and the Field of
Archaeology
In 2019, there were more than 3,000 persons working in Vietnam museums and the field of archaeology,
including more than 1,800 people with university degrees and 200 people with postgraduate degrees. Over 50%of the museum staff had conservation-museum qualifications, about 4.5% had master’s degrees, 1.2% doctoral
degrees, and about 0.3% Associate Professor or Ph.D. degrees.
The current human resources are unevenly distributed, resulting in uneven operational efficiency among
regions. Accordingly, the large museums located in the city centre have 70 to 90% of staff with university
qualifications, while this rate for museums in rural areas is only 20 to 40%.
The number of human resources working in museums and the field of archaeology is not currently able to meetdevelopment requirements. In terms of quality, the museum system lacks people with a high level of expertise.
For example, the National Museum of History has technical means for preserving archaeological artifacts ofcopper and ceramic; Ho Chi Minh Museum has the means for preserving paper documents, photographs, andfabrics; Vietnam Fine Arts Museum can preserve artworks of oil painting, lacquer, silk, etc.—but they lack realprofessionals in the field of object preservation. This situation has already existed for quite a long time.
Human resources working in the conservation field in Vietnam currently do not meet the working requirements
of modern museums. Current staff possess only part of the specialized knowledge needed, and do not yet meetthe international standards of knowledge, ability, and application of the necessary skills in a museum setting.
Human resources in the contemporary context comprise the following: display design staff and relevant titles;
scientific preservation staff; artifact and document conservation staff; building educational programs staff(currently mostly guides); marketing staff; project development staff, media-communication staff.
There are not many persons working as scientific experts or professional researchers in the conservation field in
Vietnam. Vietnam is interested in experts and well-trained personnel in the conservation field to work inarchives, heritage sites, and museums.
Human resources working in museums still lack the soft skills needed for effective communication, promoting
teamwork and collective strength, and connecting with people through museum activities. The specialized
sections of museums still lack methods for recognizing and evaluating artifacts, as well as in conserving anddisplaying museum objects. In addition, some people do not have English language proficiency, which makes it
difficult for them to conduct research using documents from other countries and to take advantage ofopportunities to learn and update their knowledge with the latest issues and new developments relating tomuseums.
Human resources involved in conservation need to have training in multi-disciplinary fields. In Vietnam,
training institutions currently do not have any specialized training courses on conservation activities. What they
have are mainly from conservation-related disciplines, such as cultural heritage, history, archaeology,
ethnography, cultural studies, literature, folklore, foreign languages, fine arts, architecture, construction, andchemistry.
The conservation field in Vietnam now forms one of the aspects of museum studies being offered at two
universities in Vietnam: Hanoi University of Culture in the North and Ho Chi Minh City University of CultureViet Namin Southern Vietnam. Furthermore, human resources for conservation are also trained by other universities inrelated fields such as history, archaeology, heritage management, etc.
Concerning staff working at the museum, the staff have primarily trained themselves through on-the-job
experience, and very few people are allowed to study in short-term or long-term courses. Although there havebeen many attempts to develop and train conservation staff, human resources for conservation tasks in Vietnam
are still in a very low position and face many difficulties as compared to other countries in Southeast Asia.
In recent years, Vietnam has been involved in innovations in many fields, but human resources working in thefield of museum and heritage conservation still have insecurities because of their slow development. Currently,
Vietnam does not have a concrete strategy to train high-quality human resources for conservation work at
heritage agencies, archival centres, and museums. For conservation specialization, the highest level comes froma university bachelor's degree. If an employee wants to study at a higher level such as a master's program, he or
she must change to another equivalent field, for example, history, cultural management, or cultural studies.
The object collections will be promoted effectively in the future if the conservation staff have creative
activities. It can be seen clearly that training human resources is necessary for Vietnam in the present day. For
training, the following basic requirements are needed: general skills, heritage conservation skills, management
skills, media information, and artifact management skills, as well as competence in regularly updating the latest
achievements in conservation from around the world.
On the one hand, Vietnam is a developing country. According to a report in 2019, only 1,800 of 3,000 staff
working in the conservation field had bachelor’s degrees, and this is the highest-level qualification ofconservation staff in Vietnam. Vietnam is aiming to increase the training quality and improve postgraduate
qualifications. However, the conservation field in Vietnam does not have any postgraduate training andeducation. Therefore, investing in Vietnam is the right strategy to increase the training of staff working atconservation, museums and cultural heritage institutions. The staff should be sent to other universities outside
Vietnam.
The percentage of conservation staff studying and undergoing training in conservation-archaeology courses atthe postgraduate level needs to increase from 10 to 20%, especially, in the Mekong Delta region in Southern
Vietnam. Human resources in conservation working at Vietnam museums are in urgent need of coordinationand connection to help the development of conservation in Vietnam to at least meet the needs of preserving thecountry’s heritage over the next 20 years.
* Table 2: Percentage of human resources working at Vietnam museums

No

Names

Bachelor’s

Master’s

Ph.D.

Others

Total

1

Staff numbers

1,800

200

09

991

3000

2

Conservation –Museum degrees

1,800

00

00

00

1800

3

Other degrees

00

200

09

991

1200

4

Percentage (%)

60%

6.7%

0.3%

33%

100%

Viet NamConclusion
Vietnam's museum-archaeology system is considered the backbone of the national strategy for heritage
conservation and promotion in the country. In this system, conservation plays a significant role in themaintenance and development of heritage collection values. Human resources are an indispensable element in
the development of the museum system.
The present findings indicate the most common causes of limited human resources in Vietnam museums. Most
museum staff were found to have bachelor's degrees. However, this educational background was found to offer
little variation across disciplines. Hence, the training should continuously concentrate on the development of
human resources, including the quantity and quality of staff for undertaking assigned tasks effectively. In thefield of museums and archaeology in Vietnam, training human resources at the postgraduate level is a priority
cooperative mission of local institutions.
The present findings indicate the most common causes of the limited human resource capacity of Vietnam to be(1) the pressure for collection preservation and pressure within conservation and area development, (2) the lackof conservators and archaeologists, (3) limited human and institutional capacity (4) the international integrationof conservation.
In summary, the demand for training human resources in conservation is huge in Vietnam, especially for
postgraduate programs, because Vietnam does not yet provide higher education qualifications in this sector. In
the development trend of the region, Vietnam is looking forward to cooperating with other countries inproviding training in specialized conservation, archaeology, cultural heritage and museums at the postgraduatelevel. This will not only to provide opportunities for Vietnam but also establish connections with other nations
for greater understanding, cultural exchange, and especially, the development of conservation human resources
to serve the community in awareness-raising and contributing to the progress of countries and regions in thenear future.
References
1. Chau Hong Thang, (2015) "Outstanding values in the Mekong Delta region of the Ha Tien - Kien Luonglimestone mountains, Kien Giang province, Journal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Sciences, 2 (67), p. 187.
2. Luu Tran Tieu (2015), "Sea and island culture - Protection and promotion", Scientific conference on island
culture and sea. pp. 495-499.
3. Nguyen Quang Khanh (2018), "Conservation Solutions to protect and promote the cultural heritage values of
ethnic minorities in the Mekong Delta in the trend of international integration", Proceedings of international
workshops, National University of Ho Chi Minh City - Publishing House.
4. UNESCO (2012). Guidelines for Implementation of the World Heritage Convention 1972 (Vietnamese). s.l.
printed by UNESCO Office in Vietnam.
5. The author investigated documents by telephoning institutes, local museums, and archaeological centres inVietnam, December 15, 2019 to June 2, 2020.

II. Group Training Course
Final Reports

Final Report
Md. Morshed RAYHAN (Bangladesh)

The long-term action plans are:
1. Save and protect our cultural and archaeological heritage for future generations from further destruction.
2. Build skilled human resources in the field of archaeology to ensure an effective heritage protection
practise and utilise our archaeological heritage.
3. Build institutional collaboration among universities and public and private organizations to adopt ascientific approach in the field of archaeological research.
4. Build a cultural heritage protection policy for Bangladesh.
5. Develop people-centric heritage management plan to protect the cultural and archaeological heritage aswell as initiate projects to ensure the benefits of heritage to the local community.
6. Become a leader in the sector of archaeological conservation and heritage management andsubsequently build a strong network with the national and international communities to uphold
Bangladesh archaeology.
7. Work with Department of Archaeology and other heritage protection authorities, local governments, sitemanagers, local communities and other stakeholders in order to support their conservation activities.
8. Conduct a detailed archaeological survey project in Bangladesh to ensure conservation of sites andmonuments as well in situ preservation.
9. Conduct a Heritage Impact Assessment project at World Heritage Sites and other Archaeological sitesof Bangladesh.
Short-term action plans are:
1. Report and share the training outcomes with the Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO and
Department of Archaeology regarding the completion of the Group Training Course.
2. Share the gained knowledge with my colleagues and students.
3. Make a team to practice the techniques learnt from the training to gain further skill on several technicalaspects like photography, 3-D documentation and restoration and management of different artefacts.
4. Conduct field research projects and case studies where the obtained knowledge from the training could
be implemented and publish the research outcomes in national and international journals.
5. Comilla, where my workplace is located is a city of historical importance. More than 50 ancient
Buddhist settlements of the 7th to 12th century AD exist in this area that are listed in the tentative list. I
will work with the Comilla Regional Office of Department of Archaeology, Local Government, Site
Managers, Local Communities and Other Stakeholders to protect and prepare a management plan for
the archaeological sites of the area.
6. Continue to interact and exchange information with ACCA after completion of each project initiated on
the basis of training outcome.
2. Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report
The major challenges in Bangladesh archaeology are destruction of archaeological sites due to rapid
urbanization, turning archaeological sites into cultivable land, building new architecture over the ancientremains, reuse of ancient construction materials by local people, lack of public awareness, improper visitor
management plans, climate change effects etc. In many cases the techniques and methods of archaeologicalresearch are not so much scientific. Management, storage and treatment of excavated artefacts also lacks inproper scientific approach. Several sections of the ‘Antiquity Act’ are outdated regarding protection of thearchaeological heritage of Bangladesh.
The Public plays a significant role in the protection of cultural heritage. It is important to make aware thepublic about the significance of archaeological heritage and utilise our archaeological heritage, bringing thebenefits of heritage to the local community. This could be achieved by implementation of people-centric
heritage management plans.
Proper documentation is key to archaeological research. Photographic documentation is an integral part ofarchaeological research. The techniques of shooting high quality photographs can be implemented here in
our country. 3-D and digital documentation can help us keep records of archaeological sites, monuments
and other artefacts.
Cultural Properties Protection is closely dependent on legislative protection measures. The legal system ofJapan regarding cultural properties is one of the best practice guidelines to define, protect and manage
archaeological heritage. Bangladesh needs an amendment in the ‘Antiquities Act’ that could be done after
reviewing several international legal systems including Japan’s.
Protection of cultural heritage depends on a systemic archaeological research program and Japan sets an
example of efficient and effective archaeological research. The techniques and methods applied in theprocess of identification of sites, excavation, recording of features, analysis of excavated data, reportpublication and projects to utilise the archaeological sites could be implemented in any area of the world.
Adopting these techniques in practice would certainly help Bangladesh archaeology.
Lifting techniques of fragile artefacts from the excavation site is very much effective for artefact
management. Techniques to temporarily increase the strength of artefacts using different resins or othermaterials is an effective way to collect artefacts with good condition. This methodology will also bebeneficial to the collection of artefacts during excavation in our country.
The practice of washing excavated artefacts, joining and reconstructing their shape, recording and storing iscarried out in a classy manner using various scientific tools and techniques. This procedure will certainly
benefit any country especially Bangladesh in the process of artefact management.
Being a tropical country, heavy rainfall, flood, and fluctuation of temperature during day and night time
affects our cultural heritage. The impact of Global climate change also plays a role in deteriorating culturaland archaeological properties of Bangladesh. Though Bangladesh is not a land of frequent earthquakes like
Japan, the case examples of utilisation of buried cultural properties are very much encouraging for us toface natural disaster challenges and devise new techniques to protect our cultural heritage from climatic
issues.

Final Report
Sukriti GUPTA (India)
The training programme on Cultural Heritage Protection not just dealt with the investigation, preservationand management of archaeological sites and artefacts but also gave a general idea of cultural Heritage
protection in Japan. It was indeed a learning opportunity to understand the practice modes and methods ofthe country and imbibe such best practices in our regions too.
There are a lot of things that should ideally be done in either the regions or worldwide but are practicallynot feasible due to several constraints and limitations. However, with my understanding and learning fromthe course, here are certain short-term actions that can be initiated and can be followed by long term plans
which would deal with cultural Heritage Protection in my country.
SHORT-TERM PLANS
Introducing and incorporating subsidy schemes and incentive plans for general public
In order to generate interest in the initial phase, introduction of subsidy schemes and various incentive
plans to not only hand over important cultural property to the govt. and the concerned authorities but also
encourage them to maintain and manage the cultural properties, tangible and intangible both.
We do have certain schemes for heritage property owners, where they are encouraged to manage theirproperties with the help of financial aid by the govt. but that needs to be expanded more. Given theopportunity of working with many live sites, we can suggest certain schemes. After assessing the response,
we can come up with standardised practices.
Improving the “Cultural Quality” and shifting the approach from ‘Preservation’ to ‘Utilization’The aspect of focusing on Cultural property’s Utilisation must be focused on rather than just its
preservation and protection. Not only will this approach give a sense of connection to the people associatedwith it, but will also make it more relevant with the changing times increasing the exposure of its value tomore and more people.
Self –Evaluation of the conservation and management practices
It is really essential to keep updating the practice techniques with the changing times and assess thetechniques and processes simultaneously. We do have practice models where we carry out impact
assessments before commencement of the work and also evaluation of the processes once it is finished up
to a certain period of time, but this needs to be mainstreamed and carried out everywhere.
Training, Awareness and Capacity Building of Stakeholders and Heritage Professionals
To make the heritage relevant, it is essential to encourage public participation in not only the protection ofcultural properties, but also in decisions regarding their protection by govt. In order to do that, the people
should be sensitised of the responsibility and made aware about their role in heritage protection.
Likewise, heritage protection is a multidisciplinary field, where a lot of people from different disciplinesare involved for safeguarding the heritage. Thus, it becomes necessary for each professional to have amultidisciplinary approach to do that and there should be training courses to impart that knowledge andseek better workability as well as co-ordination.
LONG -TERM PLANS
Formulation of a Cultural Policy and laws for heritage protection
We have Conservation Policy in place which elaborates on a certain set of rules but is based on theideology of the archaeological survey of India which was laid down by British. It is very monument centricand does not cater to cultural property protection holistically. The laws are different for different states andcities and there is no coinciding point for them. Thus, there needs to be a national cultural policy that
overcomes problems like these and a standardised set of rules and regulations like in the case of Japan.
Proper Co-ordination between people, managerial bodies and the Govt.
Once, the local context of heritage and cultural properties protection is in place and is taken up by the local
govt. and people accordingly, there will be a proper and systematic interstate work flow exchange.
Seeking partnerships from different countries
In the current scenario, most of the countries engage in knowledge exchange which needs to be encouraged
more. It is essential to exchange ideas and views in the fraternity which gives us a better understanding
about different situations. We might be even able to build up an organisation or a community which canactually take actions in cases where heritage is at stake rather than just formulation of guidelines.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONSPractice of outdated practice methods can be overcome by constant upgradation of working methods which
can be achieved by exposure to practice of other country’s professionals. For this, such training
programmes are a boon and shall be encouraged more and for different disciplines.

Training and propagation of heritage awareness at local level will help fill the gap in the longer
run. Cultural heritage has been created by people for themselves. One can say heritage to be “of’ thepeople, “for” the people and “by” the people. Thus, it becomes essential to not only sensitize but toeducate the people associated, if we aspire to conserve these archaeological and cultural sites. In doing
so, we are not only addressing to the immediate need of catering to these sites at the local level but
also will be able to create a society where people will be more sympathetic to the heritage surrounding
them and will take measures accordingly to safeguard it. The local stakeholders are much more awareof the problems and requirements pertaining to the area and would be the best judge of the scenario.
This will thereby reduce the efforts taken for safeguarding and will help in better management of the sites
as well. Along with this, a strong communication and co-ordination between concerned departments, civil
bodies, and communities is required for successful implementation of the measures.

Final Test Format
Yosua Adrian PASARIBU (Indonesia)

1. Long-term and short-term action plans developed from the training outcomes.
In the first week of this training, I was promoted to Head of the National Tangible Cultural Heritage
Designation Team. I am happy because I can use all the subjects in this training in my long-term andshort-term action plans in this new position. My long-term action plans are to create a proper and ideal
process of designation of National Tangible Cultural Heritage such as the documentation of the designatedobjects and their management plans. I will use the People-Centred Approach and the nature-cultureinterlinkages in the National Cultural Heritage designation process. The knowledge about how Japan
manages their Cultural Properties is very useful to me in my long-term action plans about National Cultural
Heritage management in Indonesia, especially the Council of Cultural Affairs and its subdivision ofCultural Properties, which investigates important issues concerning preservation and utilisation of culturalproperties as an advisory body for the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. I
think Indonesia should have the same advisory body in the future.
I’m working in the Directorate of Cultural Safeguarding, Directorate General of Culture, Ministry of
Education and Culture, so I can evaluate how we can do our best to protect and utilize our cultural heritages.
I will try to cooperate better with owners of cultural heritages, local communities, local governments, andthe private sector in the broadest possible spectrum in the preservation and utilization of Indonesian
Cultural Heritages. The philosophy of presenting Cultural Properties as scientifically accurately as can beto the public in Cultural Properties management in Japan is very attractive to me. Indonesia is a very big
country and has been decentralized for twenty years, with 34 provinces and 514 districts/cities. Although
we have our relatively new Law for Cultural Heritage Preservation (2010), it is challenging to implement
the law to so many autonomous districts/cities. There are many districts/cities which already have their own
regulations according to the National Law about Cultural Heritage Preservation, and I will try my best tocommunicate and create productive coordination with local governments in terms of cultural heritage
preservation and utilization. It can be in the form of national training for their young professionals like thisACCU Nara training.
My short-term action plans are to make documentation of national collections in the state gallery andmuseums in Jakarta next month and make a designation plan of the Old City of Lasem in Rembang, Central
Java as a National Cultural Heritage Region. I will cooperate with gallery and museum curators on making
photographs of the collections with the new knowledge from this training. I have already been cooperatingwith the district government of Rembang and Lasem local communities since last year about its destination
as a National Cultural Heritage Region. The district’s law about preservation of Old City of Lasem will belaunched at the end of this year. We will be working for the next months to create its management plans
with new knowledge from this training. I am planning to coordinate with stake holders in Misool, Raja
Ampat, West Papua about its rock art prehistoric landscape designation as a National Cultural Heritage
Region next year. I will use the nature-culture interlinkages approaches there because Misool is a protectedmarine area.

Figure 1: Old Town of Lasem Delineation Plan

Figure 2: Cu An Kiong Temple, 18th C, Lasem

Figure 3: Rock Art Sites in Central Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua

Figure 4: Depiction of Tuna (Thunnus) in Prehistoric Rock Art Region of Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua

2. Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report
I mentioned about urbanisation and development pressure as a challenge in my country report. I did
mention too that National Government is working hard to coordinate development in many sectors with the
One Map Policy, which is done to make better decisions on planning development in cities which havecultural and natural preservation assets. As I have learned in this course, I am also working on the National
Development Project on Old City of Lasem. This project is a collaboration between the Ministry of Public
Works and Housing, Ministry of Education and Culture, Central Java Province Government, Rembang
District Government, related experts, local communities and the private sector. The approach of this project
has been harmonious with the People-Centred Approach by ICCROM. I will try my best to implement andcommunicate what I have learned in this course in the project. I think communication is the key in Cultural
Heritage Management in a big and decentralized country like in the Indonesian case.
I am really thankful that I could participate in this course, especially in the discussion about philosophiesbehind Cultural Properties Preservation and Utilisation. In Indonesia, Central Government is periodicallydoing the same courses for local governments or private professionals in Cultural Heritage sector, but frommy experience, we are so rarely speaking about the philosophy behind the preservation and utilisation. I
don’t mean that technical aspects are not important, they are very important, but with so many people frommany autonomous local governments or companies, it is more important to discuss about why we arepreserving and utilise cultural heritages. It will be more productive to Indonesia, if the young professionals
in cultural heritage sectors can have the same levels of knowledge and understanding about current nationaland global laws, situation, and issues of cultural heritage protection. These young professionals in the
future can inform and persuade their local governments and stake holders to preserve and utilise theircultural heritages in the proper and desired manners.
I mentioned about the preservation, management, and utilisation of private-owned heritage buildings/sites
in large amounts of land (regions) in urban/suburban areas as the most challenging issue of archaeologicalsites in Indonesia. We are now struggling to do better coordination with Local Governments andbuilding/landowners to work in preservation, conservation, and management of heritage structures,
buildings, or sites in archaeological landscapes. I learned in this lecture about management of Cultural
Properties in Japan, and how National and Prefecture Government help to fund private-owned Cultural
Properties preservation and utilisation before a Managerial Body is formed. We still don’t have specificregulations about this government support of private-owned Cultural Heritage, but I realised that this is thebest possible solution for National Heritage preservation and utilisation challenges in Indonesia. I will workon this issue in the long-term action plans.

Final Report
Teraaiti EUTA (Kiribati)
1. Long-term and short-term action plans developed from the training outcomes
Objective: Aim to preserve and manage the archaeological sites in Kiribati that are been affected byhuman and disaster activities
Strategies

Activities

Responsible

Duration

Culture and

1-2 years

Indicators

Ratification of

1. Provide a draft information

the Convention

paper to the Administration

MuseumConvention

related to theseeking Cabinet decision

Divisionratified for the

At least one

conservation andprotection andmanagement ofconservation ofarchaeologicalarchaeological

sites

sites

Improvingstaff’s capacity• Provide training to staff on

Culture andthe handling, excavating,Museum staff

6 months

Number of staff
trainedappropriate methods, etc• Identifying baseline
information and preparatory
work such as developing
appropriate research
procedures anddocumentation tools (camera,sound recorder, etc
Stock-taking
number of
heritage sitesthat areendangered

1. Review cultural mapping
reports
2. Categorise number of TCH &Culture and

1-2 years

The number ofMuseumheritage sites that

Divisionare endangered

ICH
3. Heritage impact assessment
4. Create and update thedatabase record

Development

1. Meetings with stakeholders

Culture andRegulations andboth internal and external toMuseum andor regulation

Policies for theseek their technical advice onother relevant

developed withinprotection andtheir areas

Ministries andthe timeframe

island councils

given

management of

2. Research on relevant policies

archaeological

3. Inviting an International or

sites

Local Adviser if necessary todevelop the National Policy

2-4 years

At least a policy

1-2 years

Implementation

1. Conduct meetings

Culture andof the initiative

2. Applying a bottom-up

Museumgiven to finalise

At least 2 years

activity or

approach by involving people

Division andprocedures for the

projectin the decision making

other relevant

implementation of

3. Provide a report

parties orthe

4. Seek funding support if

stakeholders

activity/project

necessary

2. Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report
Possible solutions are:
1. Signing of Conventions related to the conservation and management of archaeological sites
2. Development of Regulations and Policies for the protection and conservation of archaeological sites
3. Strengthening our partnership with International and Regional Organizations for the protection andconservation of archaeological sites.

Final Test Format
Narmandakh NARMANDAKH (Mongolia)
Long-term and short-term action plans developed from the training outcomes-This training workshop gave us a great opportunity to learn about the most advanced technology
and activities, which are being applied in the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. I
believe that this experience obtained from the training workshop will be used in the conservation
and restoration activities of cultural heritage in Mongolia.

-

I have to do the following work:
My work sector is restoration of archaeological artifacts. I want to get familiarised withconservation treatment, restoration techniques and conservation science, especially on the organic
objects of conservation and restoration techniques with detailed studies for each category,including detailed comparative studies, analysis, summaries and comments for each content.

Future plan-

Resource and theory; To translate the theoretical and methodological areas into Mongolian
language to develop our country’s research methodology-

Registration of excavation and storage artifacts-

Get special permission for conservation treatment of CH-

To develop human resources/prepare students with knowledge and laboratory practice-First, I have to obtain analysis equipment and a simple microscope-

Very systematic, non-damaging and not expensive methods for conservation and preservation ofcultural heritage

Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report-

The successful completion of the Programme would have a significant impact for Mongolia for
accuracy and developing conservation treatment, restoration techniques, and conservation science.

-

Cultural heritage is important to our culture and we are introducing laws, and correct information
for legal people. We have to work together with museums and institute organisation.

-

We have to prepare professional researchers. There is a need to protect and disseminate cultural
heritage. Our government's focus on training human resources and budgeting for the protection ofcultural heritage is a priority.

Final Report
Shova MAHARJAN (Nepal)
1. Long-term and short-term action plans developed from the training outcomes
The Group Training course on cultural heritage protection in Asia-Pacific region for young professionals
was run from 2nd September to 1st October 2020. This course was conducted online (self-paced learning)with zoom sessions. The curriculum of this course contains very comprehensive basic knowledge andtechniques in the field of investigation, preservation and management of archaeological sites.
I am very happy to be a part of this training course representing Nepal. Many archaeological sites, cultural
heritages, and world heritage sites are the pride of Nepal, where a lot of conservation, exploration andexcavation works are going on. After participation in this training programme. I am enlightened with broad
knowledge in different dimensions. That knowledge can be directly applied in some of my projects while insome cases special guidance and planning may be essential.
In a short period of time, with proper co-ordination with professionals and departments, I think I can use
my training knowledge and initiate short-term action plans to contribute in archaeological conservation
work.
Firstly, awareness of conservation work is essential. In the present day, for archaeologicalexcavation and conservation work, locals should be well communicated with. We should arrange
the meeting between the local communities. We must make them clear about what type of work weare doing and for what purpose and its benefit locally and for the whole nation. This will obviously
ease our work and gain public participation.
In archaeological sites findings are recorded, documented, reports are written and books are
published. In order to let it be known by all communities excavated sites should not be filled backin all cases. According to importance, sites should be exposed with conservation.

Fig.1: Trenches showing stone wall at Makawanpur

Fig.2: Back filling of trench after documentation

Documentation plays a great role in conservation;
hence methods of documentation can be improved
with detailed drawings, and photographic techniques learnt in different lectures of this course.
For the conservation works in Nepal traditional techniques are used but both traditional andmodern technology can be used with proper justification from scenarios of global practices.

Presentation of sites is lacking in our case, which plays a great role so whether either surface
presentation or 3D presentation is required can be decided according to the site and its value.
Excavation works, methods, findings of artifacts, recording of data, context numbering, andphotography can be upgraded with the knowledge shared in ACCU training program.
Environment control for storage of artifacts, registration methods, and controllingdeterioration of metal artifacts in museums can be upgraded with proper discussion with thestaffs and heads of department and the concerned working professionals.
Historic Sites can be managed with increasing relationships between communities, their
engagement, supervision and working together.

After the training course I realised various important things which should be considered in our planningwork for heritage conservation, which needs deep study and research work to be prepared. It cannot be
implemented immediately. But we need to develop long term action plans.
People centric approach in cultural heritage is a very modern approach in my opinion, as
conventional (material centric) approach is still used in our case. We do excavations, record themand cover them with report publication. But all this conservation is for people of today and future
generations so all conservation work should be people centric and people should benefit frompractices and places. It will develop greater ownership and develop intercultural understanding.
Linking heritage to sustainability is a very appropriate approach in the present day. In our
thinking heritage is a gift of our ancestors, and should be transferred as it is to the future. So,
protection is essential and if that heritage can be linked to sustainability it will be greater assets forus. In Nepal mostly temples are a type of sustainable in a way, as different rituals are related withthem, different types of worship are carried out. But in the case of archaeological sites as wellsustainability should be noted so that proper planning for it will be needed.
Law for the protection of cultural properties and maintenance management is very essential in thepresent day for systematic development. Either archaeological sites or cultural heritage sites should
be preserved with proper laws and guidelines.
Formulation of a Master plan for the maintenance improvement of historic sites is guidance forthe protection work. If individual sites are preserved without concern for the surroundings, heritage
will lose its identity. So, focusing on holistic approach a conservation Master plan should be
developed.
Advanced new technologies, equipment, recording systems and digital techniques should be
introduced in future as a long-term approach.
2. Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report
In Nepal, many archaeological sites belonging to different periods and cultures may be identified. Due tolack of proper exploration and detailed study, accurate numbers of archaeological sites are not known yet.
Some are excavated, some are conserved while some are still unknown yet. My country is facing a lot of
problems in cultural heritage protection.
As I have mentioned some of the problems in the country report that we are facing in protection andexcavation work. After the participation in this training course of ACCU 2020, I think all the problems

have some solutions.
Archaeological sites are in degrading condition due to encroachment on land, extraction of stonebricks, new construction of houses, fishery ponds and new roads over sites, and natural disasters.
These problems are creating challenges for protection of sites. In my opinion these problems canbe solved by formulation of laws and guidelines for protection of cultural properties, as we havenot formulated yet. Hence protection law will guide to proper protection and talk about
encroachment and new construction on sites. Similarly, conservation awareness of communities,
engagement of people in activities and proper formulation of plans targeting community
beneficiaries will also help in proper work. Disaster prevention measures also need to be
introduced.
Human resources for sites can be managed by proper training work nationally or internationally,
sharing of knowledge among professionals, continuing practice and focus on research work.
Management of sites plays a great role. For proper management, self-evaluation is needed withbasic information of a site, then formulation of plan is needed. According to the heritage site
preservation, conservation, and maintenance works are carried out with preservation methods,
operation and improvement of management framework, information sharing and co-ordination
with concerned communities or authorities, findings from excavations are stored and sent tolaboratories, special artefacts are maintained and exhibited in museums after conservation.

Fig.3: Brick well as findings in Panditpur excavation

Fig.4: Sectional elevation of Panditpur site

Fig.5: Terracotta figurine from Panditpur

Fig.6: Terracotta pottery at Panditpur

After earthquake of 2015, Nepal government is much focused on monument conservation thenarchaeological conservation. All the cultural heritage is conserved in its original form following
conservation guidelines of 2015. The value and authenticity of monuments are tried to be maintained asmuch as possible with use of traditional technology and materials.

Fig7: Chilancho stupa damaged

Fig.8: Damaged Shakyamuni

during earthquake2015

Buddha during earthquake

Fig.9:Bihar during earthquake

In conclusion, this ACCU 2020 training program helps me to know about global trends of cultural heritage
protection. In lectures we have seen different conservation projects, their presentation, management andutilisation. Even the example of Hiroshima jo-castle shifted from one place to another is remarkable. Hence
maintenance policy and management of historic sites seems very effective in Japan. Cyclic model,
management framework of historic sites with detailed documentation, and formulation of master plan withheritage impact assessment of historic sites are the key points of this training.

Final Report
Zahida QUADRI (Pakistan)
The ACCU Nara Training program, lectures, and topics are very useful and informative. Most of the topics
addressed today’s needs and current issues that we are facing while maintaining cultural properties. Japan
has a very organized and systematic approach to heritage. After attending this course, I realized that limited
resources are not a big challenge, but the lack of a systematic approach. Besides, this has given a few
opportunities for bringing together professionals from Asian countries. The training was a good opportunity
to promote this interaction, which will help to develop future heritage partnerships in the region.
Long term action plan
Government-Private Partnership
In Pakistan, there is no practice to involve/approach the private sector/institutions/ organizations forheritage or cultural property management. I am highly impressed with the role of the Gangoji Institute for
Research of Cultural Property and I would like to introduce such approaches in my country as well.
Making it More People-centred
The participation of community members in the heritage conservation project is another best practice that I
am interested to initiate in our region. We tried to establish links between people and culture at the World
Heritage Site of Makli but that was on a small scale.
Salvage Archaeology/Excavation Practice
The concept of Salvage archaeology/excavation for documentation and preservation of buried culturalproperty is not so common in Pakistan. There are many sites in Sindh even, which we have lost in the nameof development projects. One I have mentioned, The Bahria Town Project that has bulldozed the prehistoric
past of Karachi.
Subsidies or Maintenance AssistanceThis is very important to provide subsidies and maintenance assistance to the owners of cultural properties.
As we cannot offer any to them, therefore they are afraid of having their cultural property listed on
Protected Heritage List. They try their level best to demolish heritage secretly.
Sustainable Heritage Management
The first and the last lecture of the course were very much focused on the role of Heritage in sustaining
local communities: not only reinforcing local identity, traditions, and practices but also bringing economic
benefits through well-managed tourism. This approach has been implemented in KPK but not in the rest of
the provinces. [Peshawar Heritage Trail project information is publicly available on the internet.]

Short term action plan
A few important strategies that are easy to implement and adopt at the initial stage:
Use of self-evaluation sheet should be mandatory for officers in the field, the soil colour chartbook
is very innovative for both work and research purpose.
Supportive conservation or preservation plans should be part of development plans.
The reconstruction of the Goryokaku fort from an old archival photo is an impressive success story
that can be implemented.
The thread of supervision of cultural property at a town, district, and city-level is effective to not
only control vandalism but it will open avenues for jobs. We have a job problem in this sector, thisframework will help us to accommodate young professionals.
Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report
1. Vandalism
It is possible to involve officers of concerned departments and human resource at the town, district, andcity level to protect cultural property from vandalism. It will also open avenues for jobs. We have a serious
problem with jobs in this sector, this framework will help us to accommodate young professionals.
2. Lack of Research and Laboratory Analysis
It is possible to seek help from universities and the private sector in research and development. It gives the
public and private institutions a sense of ownership toward their heritage. It again will be helpful to create
more avenues for students and motivates people to study and take part in this field.
3. Trained Staff
Staff training is possible through lectures and sample videos, this I have learned from this online course.

Final Report
Kristine Kate A. LIM (Philippines)
1. Long-term and short-term action plans developed from the training outcomes
Short term
What you have to do
As an archipelagic nation located in the tropics, the Philippines heritage sites and materials are vulnerable
to varying disasters; anthropogenic and naturally related. While different threats place such valuable
resources at risk, there are many layers of challenges one must navigate in order to address their proper careand management. At the moment, while going over this course, I realized that there are frameworks,
approaches, and strategies which I can explore further that are aligned with the common issues we face inthe region. In is in this respect that I have to study further and apply these techniques I learned, for ensuring
the proper documentation of artifacts and in monitoring archaeological sites I work at. Furthermore, I canalso do this by having to engage local stakeholders I have worked with and encouraging discussions thatwould lead us to knowing community perceptions on the importance and the status of certain heritage sites
and materials.
Given this time of pandemic, we can still somehow do this remotely by utilizing the internet and digitally
documenting local cultural properties, at least for those that have access and are open to doing this. In myworkplace alone, we have numerous artifacts that need to be photographed and must be reaccessioned forconservation, research, and teaching purposes. In the meantime, I also have to present to my immediatecolleagues the outcome of this training such that I will be able to share my learning and solicit further
interaction and collaborative action plans which we can also plan in the short and long term.
What you want to do
In my current Ph.D. research, I aim to develop and conduct a vulnerability assessment of maritime culturallandscapes to climatic and geohazards and anthropogenic activities in the Philippines. As archaeologists,
we face not just the challenge of locating sites of interest but at the same time, loss of archaeologicalinformation beneficial to present communities and future generations. From the lectures and sharing done, I
want to incorporate these things learned in my study and be able to test their applicability in the field.
These include taking into account differing values of heritage sites and materials and by employing
people-centred approach in conservation management planning and work. When it comes to documentation
strategies, at the moment while we cannot go out in the field, I can focus on rearranging artefacts andmaking a more systemic approach in photographing important findings.
What you can do
While we utilize our community quarantine by working at home, I will review the lessons done and see
how I can organize some of my colleagues to share this experience and brainstorm on possible
archaeological conservation management activities and monitoring remotely. More so, I can also startbuilding a database of resources (written and network organizations) to refer to about this.

Long term
What you have to do
My key take-away from what I have learned in Japan’s bureaucracy is the need for appropriate policies andclear and detailed guidelines on the proper treatment of cultural properties. In this regard, I have tocontinuously lobby and engage our archaeological community to strengthen rules and regulations,especially in a system like in the Philippines where the Cultural Heritage Law is relatively new (just a
decade old) and current assessment points are just coming up. As a community, we should be able to gather
the support of advocates directly or indirectly working in our field and by simply examining thesignificance of these sites and materials for better care and management.
What you want to do
I want to be able to map and carry out a full-blown assessment of archaeological sites in the Philippines. In
doing such, I want to be able to incorporate and strengthen impact assessments into disaster risk reduction
management plans. More so, I also want to develop tourism management plans that consider the technicalaspect of archaeological sites and materials.
What you can do
As I gain more knowledge and experience, I can start building a network and partnership of professionals
and local community stakeholders that work on archaeological sites documentation, conservation, andmanagement.
2. Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report
Looking back at my country report and the knowledge I gained in this course, while the national law on
cultural heritage is just taking place, I, together with my colleagues and heritage advocates can work on
localised policies and guidelines to safeguard, document, and manage archaeological sites and materials.
As demonstrated in Japan and the sharing of my other classmates, there is so much room for improvement
in how much we communicate with the public and apply existing strategies to better protect our culturalproperties. By constantly engaging with other people, we may also adopt and learn from good or bestpractices in this line of work.
Transparency in work and communication are important aspects in the heritage field such that it directly
touches someone’s perception in life. The importance of communicating and including different people in
the archaeological work has been able to demonstrate how research, conservation, and management work
can be better than by just interpreting one’s findings in the comforts of one’s immediate circle.
The format of ACCU and ICCROM’s capacity building is something that transforms the heritage field bybuilding on the strengths of us professionals so that we may be able to involve and connect to varying
stakeholders towards the same cause or aim. Although I emphasized in my report back then the need todevelop specific assessment methods and collect baseline data, I realized that this is just a short-term
objective and should not be the primary and end goal. By considering or creating value of archaeological
heritage for the living communities, we may be able contribute for the overall wellbeing of a society thathas more lasting impact for the future generations.

Final Report
Yinghong CAI (Singapore)The 2020 online training programme on “Investigation, Preservation and Management of ArchaeologicalSites” organised by ACCU Nara has provided me with opportunities to learn about cultural heritage
management systems in Japan and in other parts of the world.
Though the course is anchored by the topic and specificities of archaeological heritage management, it has
highlighted the crucial need to plan and manage archaeological heritage within the broader context ofcultural heritage management and sustainable development. The opening and closing lectures reiterated theglobal trends and paradigm shift in cultural heritage protection – from what had been an experts-driven
approach focusing on material culture (e.g. monuments, structures, artefacts) to a values-based andpeople-centred approach. This is an important point for heritage professionals to constantly keep in mind.
The specificities of archaeological heritage management were also explained in detail through the course.
This involved insights into the cultural heritage protection system in Japan, technicalities related to theresearch and documentation of archaeological features and archaeological artefacts, as well as the
management and utilisation of archaeological heritage.
Short-Term Plans
i. Sharing and Dissemination of Learning Points
I plan to share the key learning points from this online training course with my immediate colleagues
working on archaeological heritage and heritage site management, and to cascade concepts and approaches
to relevant teams.
The details would help to better inform us on archaeological processes, techniques and current trends,
which would be useful in improving our work on cultural heritage management.
ii. Promoting use of Digital Tools in Archaeology Projects
The utilisation of digital tools for heritage documentation, such as GPR, Lidar and the Structure from
Motion – Multi View Stereo (SfM-MVS) mentioned in the lectures, is an area that could be further
explored in the conduct of our archaeological projects. These digital documentation techniques have notbeen sufficiently utilised in our current projects, and may contribute to greater efficiency in the researchand documentation of future archaeological heritage works. Nonetheless, this would also depend on theavailability of sufficient expertise in local industries to advise on and implement these digital
documentation techniques for the purpose of archaeology projects.
iii. Refining Archaeological Protection Frameworks
The legislative framework on the “Law for Protection for Buried Cultural Properties” in Japan included
mention of articles relating to archaeological excavation, discovery of remains in various situations,reinforcement and handling of excavated artefacts. The details in Japan’s framework have demonstrated

that archaeological heritage protection is a complex process with multiple stages and sub-stages, involving
coordination with non-heritage agencies such as land planning authorities, civil engineering teams, thepolice, private land owners and private developers. From these details, I note that processes for
coordination, administration and consultations will have to be carefully worked through with multiple
stakeholders.
The legislative framework and articles are useful points of references for me – to contribute as learningreferences when being involved in the review and refinement of archaeological heritage protection
framework in Singapore.
Long-Term Plans
i. Promoting Interest in Archaeological Heritage Management
The online course and discussions have highlighted that archaeological heritage management involves
specialised techniques and there are a wide range of professionals (archaeologists, researchers, material
specialists, specialised institutions, heritage site managers, heritage administrators, conservators, curatorsetc.) required to oversee, support and implement the different stages of documentation, research,
conservation and utilisation of archaeological heritage. In the context of Singapore, the activation of such aspectrum of manpower and resourcing would not be possible if there is no sufficient awareness and interestin the protection of archaeological heritage.
Hence, the ongoing and long-term agenda would be to raise awareness on archaeology in Singapore and tocultivate interest, so as to continue building up a community to protect and manage archaeological heritagein Singapore.
ii. Enhancing planning frameworks to integrate heritage with Sustainable Development
The lecturers in this course have reiterated the need to plan and manage archaeological heritage within awider context, to bring benefits to society and contribute towards sustainable development.
This would similarly be a long-term objective in Singapore, to devise approaches to integratearchaeological heritage into planning and development, and to formulate strategic heritage plans that cancontribute towards Sustainable Development Goals.
Possible Solutions
i. Building Archaeological Capacities
There had been reiterations throughout the course on the importance of enhancing public understanding andproviding access to outcomes of archaeological heritage work, as a way to build interest. This would be an
important first step to grow the community of archaeological heritage personnel keen to contribute towards
these protection efforts.
The course has also provided access to the global archaeological heritage management network, as well as
contacts from institutions involved in training and capacity-building. These contacts could potentially betapped upon for future capacity-building efforts in Singapore, to grow local archaeological capacities andskill-sets.

ii. Enhancing Archaeological Data Management
The meticulous processes for post-excavation works, including cleaning, sorting, labelling, registration andstorage conducted by dedicated professionals were elaborated in detail in the lecture by NNRICP.
In Singapore, there would similarly need to be dedicated efforts and resources put into managing thesearchaeological records, to make the data accessible to future personnel. The use of digital tools and digitalrecords will be explored in greater detail.
iii. Integrated Heritage PlanningAs highlighted in the course, archaeological heritage needs to be planned and managed within the broader
context of cultural heritage management. The lectures have illustrated that archaeological heritage should
not be examined in silos, as there are often close connections with living heritage and communities related
to the site. A more people-centred approach would need to be explored in archaeological projects, to ensurethat the archaeological works can bring benefits to society.
iv. Building Archaeological Capacities
There had been reiterations throughout the course on the importance of enhancing public understanding andproviding access to outcomes of archaeological heritage work, as a way to build interest. This would be an
important first step to grow the community of archaeological heritage personnel keen to contribute towards
these protection efforts.
The course has also provided access to the global archaeological heritage management network, as well as
contacts from institutions involved in training and capacity-building. These contacts could potentially betapped upon for future capacity-building efforts in Singapore, to grow local archaeological capacities andskill-sets.
v. Enhancing Archaeological Data Management
The meticulous processes for post-excavation works, including cleaning, sorting, labelling, registration andstorage conducted by dedicated professionals were elaborated in detail in the lecture by NNRICP.
In Singapore, there would similarly need to be dedicated efforts and resources put into managing thesearchaeological records, to make the data accessible to future personnel. The use of digital tools and digitalrecords will be explored in greater detail.
vi. Integrated Heritage PlanningAs highlighted in the course, archaeological heritage needs to be planned and managed within the broader
context of cultural heritage management. The lectures have illustrated that archaeological heritage should
not be examined in silos, as there are often close connections with living heritage and communities related
to the site. A more people-centred approach would need to be explored in archaeological projects, to ensurethat the archaeological works can bring benefits to society.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank ACCU Nara for the opportunity to participate in this online course, and for theplanning team’s efforts taken in coordinating and administering the online programme throughout theCOVID pandemic. I would also like to thank the various course lecturers for delivering the videos, and Dr
Gamini Wijesuriya and Dr Joseph King for the insightful sessions conducted on Zoom. I am glad to be able
to virtually meet the course participants from around the world, and hope that there could be opportunities
next time to meet and discuss in person.

Final Test Format
K.G. Mahinda Karunarathna (Sri Lanka)
The Group Training Course on Cultural Heritage Management Protection in the Asia Pacific Region Investigation, Preservation, and Management of Archaeological sites that was held in 02 September to 1
October 2020 was very helpful to improve my knowledge on the above themes.
I am working for the Archaeological Exploration branch of Regional office (Central), Department ofArchaeology, Sri Lanka. My main responsibility (duty) is recording (documentation) the movable artefactsof the Central Province. Describing, drawing, photographing, storing and preventive conserving are some
activities of the documentation. This online course was very relevant to my subject. Therefore, this course
was facilitated to develop my knowledge on artefacts documentation.
My other duties are participation in the archaeological explorations (terrestrial) and underwaterarchaeological explorations and excavations all over the Island, recording and registering newarchaeological sites in the Central Province, carrying out the investigations on treasure hunting cases and
AIAs in the region and law and legal activities on movable and immovable artefacts and monuments in theregion. According to my duties at the Department of Archaeology; this Group Training Course for Young
Professionals on Cultural Heritage Protection in the Asia Pacific Region 2020 was a great opportunity todevelop my abilities in this field.
Long-term and short-term action plans
The exploration team of Central Province carried out an exploration in the region of Minipe, Sri Lanka dueto the large scale and quantity of the archaeological sites of the area. These exploration and excavation
programmes have extended as a 10 years’ project. New knowledge that I earned through this course will be
a great opportunity to improve the efficiency of these investigations.
GPR or Ground Penetrating Radar is a very interesting method that can be used to identify the underground,pits, foundation stones, holes, grooves etc. This technology is used in the archaeological sites in Japan.
We can apply remote sensing techniques like this for the archaeological explorations in Minipe, Sri Lanka.

Fig.1, 2: Minipe exploration 2019 - Asamodaganyaya _Mesolithic Period Tool factory siteOur team plans to excavate selected archaeological sites in the Minipe area in coming years, we can apply
non disturbance methods before the excavations.
In Japan (but not in Sri Lanka), they use heavy machines to excavate (test pit) in the construction sites as anarchaeological impact assessment (AIA). They remove the top-level soils to find the level with archaeology
features. This method can be applied for construction sites when carrying out AIAs in Sri Lanka also,
because it will help to manage the time duration, because we get a very long time period to give the final
decision on the site that we carry out an AIA, as a result of it, we can reduce that time duration by using
methods like this.
According to my duty list at the Department of Archaeology, I plan to record movable artefacts by using
the new methods and new technology. So, I would apply new knowledge and experience earned from thiscourse for these movable artefacts documentation projects.
We have a 10 years plan to record all the movable artefacts found from the Central province of Sri Lanka.
We record the movable artefacts by using traditional methods such as measured drawing, photographing etc.
but we learnt new methods from this course that can be used for the artefacts documentation. New drawing
methods and photographical methods that are used in Japan are very interesting. Specially, the lessons on
various artefacts photographing methods are very important. We can apply these methods to our activities
on documentation in Sri Lanka. Our Department has a good professional camera, but unfortunately, we did
not know the methods of artefacts photography, but this course was very valuable to learn them properly.

Figs. 3, 4: Photographic documentation of Kandyan Period (about 300 years old) Metal Buddha Statues

The methods of pottery assembly or reassembly can be applied for the Sri Lankan context also. We unearth
thousands of thousands of parts of pottery from the archaeological explorations and excavations in the
Island annually. But most of the time we don’t assemble or reassemble the pottery. We can apply above
methods to preserve the pottery in Sri Lanka.
Using methods of 3D documentation is a new trend in the field of cultural heritage management. Long andshort range stationary scanners, handy scanners, CTs are some examples. They are very expensive methods
that can be used for cultural property documentation. Creating 3D models by using SfM and MVS are very
interesting methods. We can apply some methods by using open source for the Sri Lankan context also.
Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report
The main problem that faces the archaeology sites is “Treasure Hunting” or looting the archaeology sites orartefacts. Destroying the archaeological sites and artefacts to find the treasure is a tragedy in the field ofArchaeology today. Enhancing of public awareness of the value of the archaeological sites and otherantiquities, trying to wash up the dangerous myths from the society are also very important.
“Nidan” or “Treasure” is a very popular myth in the current society of Sri Lanka, the book, Nidan wadulaalso caused to spread this concept to the community. Most of the people of the Sri Lankan society accept
this myth as a truth. Due to this dangerous reason, they destroy the valuable archaeological sites to find thismythical treasure.
Archaeological sites located in the North and East provinces faced the 3 decades’ civil war (1983 -2009) in
Sri Lanka. Some archaeological sites were damaged or destroyed due to the attacks between state forcesand LTTE terrorists. But fortunately, Sri Lanka government got a decision to record and conserve thearchaeological sites located in the war areas recently. Jaffna Dutch fort is the best example for it.
Department of Archaeology and CCF conserved and opened the Jaffna Fort for the public today.

Figs. 5, 6 Jaffna Fort after the conservation

Most of the politicians violate the rules that they made. Sometimes, decisions that they obtained will cause
the destruction of the valuable heritage of the country. Mayor of the Urban Council of Kurunagala,demolished a Royal Audience (Royal Assembly Hall) of Kurunagala Kingdom (13th Century) in July 2020.
Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka did not give the permission to remove this ancient building from thecurrent place, but unfortunately, Mayor broke down the building without permission of Director General of
Department of Archaeology. He violated the acts of Archaeology. Sri Lankan government should make agood and strong law

to preserve the heritage of the Island.

Figs.7,8: Royal Audience in Kurunagala Kingdom, before the destruction (left), after the destruction (right)

Increasing the public support to protect the Archaeological sites, enhancing of public awareness of thevalue of the Archaeological sites and other antiquities, developing the efficiency of the legal tasks, getting
the international cooperation and support are some needs to protect and preserve the Archaeological
Heritages in the Island, Sri Lanka.

Final Report
Omon Uktamovich MAMIROV (Uzbekistan)

1. Long-term and short-term action plans developed from the training outcomes
I will plan to conduct archaeological excavations at the Ancient Khavas site in the near future. I will use theknowledge I have gained in these archaeological excavations. I try to use modern technical tools when
conducting archaeological excavations. However, we do not have technical tools and equipment like
LiDAR in our country, so I use the classical style in drawing a topographic plan. The ruins of the Ancient
Khavas town are not only the oldest and largest archaeological monument of Syrdarya region, but also theentire Mirzachul. The magnificent remains of this place, which were part of the Ancient Ustrushana, are
now located in the south-western part of the present town of Khavas, opposite the Karvonsaroyneighbourhood. Today, the total area of the monument is about 12 hectares (“Fig. 1”). The monument ismade up of two parts, namely the north-west huge arches, which are distinguished and separated byadjacent walls. The main centre of the town, the arches and the remains of the town have been preserved
until today in full scale. The location of Ancient Khavas in the Southern Banokat network of the Great Silk
Road determines its historical significance.

Fig.1

The archaeological research of the monument began at the end of the 20th century and continues to this day.
As a result of the research carried out in recent years, there have been some achievements. Archaeologicalresearch conducted here testifies that life in the monument lasted almost without interruption from the 4th
century BC till the 20th century.
Today, on the surface of the monument there is a thick salty soil layer, under the influence of very strong
salinity. This circumstance strongly influences the deterioration of the monument and the work carried out
by archaeological research.
It can be said that the greater part of the archaeological monuments in the Central Asian territory was builtof clay. Since ancient times, clay was the most widely used raw material of the architectural sphere. Its
primary processed form is “clay pellets (guwala)”, “mud wall (pakhsa)” and raw brick, which have beenused in construction works since the Neolithic period in this territory.

One of the peculiarities of the monument at Ancient Khavas is that as a result of active life and residence
for many years a very thick cultural stratum has formed. By the time of the developed Middle Ages and thelate Middle Ages, the climate of the territory began to dry up, and the ancient stream began to dry up. Thiswas clarified by the research carried out in the remote areas of the monument. In particular, the monument
grew a little in the 11-12 centuries BC, and houses began to be built on the upper side of the old stream
banks.
Archaeological studies have shown that the area of the monument developed and in the late medieval
period, clay in construction was obtained from the same land itself without being transported from otherplaces. Our reaching of such a conclusion was caused by the discovery of a large number of excavated sites
for economic purposes and potholes for obtaining clay for construction. In this regard, it can be said thatthe presence of various organic wastes and ash residues in the composition of raw brick and mud wall clay
once again confirms this.
These factors have led to a strong degree of salinity and soil depletion in the monument area over the next
centuries, and as a result, the monument area has been abandoned by humans. In other monuments with this,especially in the archaeological monuments consisting of one or two cultural strata, this case is better thanthe case of conservation, without a strong reflection to this extent (“Fig.2”).
Almost all the monuments in the steppe and steppe climatic regions of the territory of Uzbekistan are on theverge of destruction today under the influence of a strong degree of salinity. Climate change, aridisationand salinity are largely attributable to anthropogenic influences. It can be said that many archaeologicalmonuments in the steppe territories have for many years served as wintering sites of a nomadic herdsman
population. Traces of semi-basement and economic activity identified in the territory of the monument in
the Ancient Khavas are an obvious example of this (“Fig.3”). In most cases, migratory breeders found it
desirable to use only the interior, without touching the foundation and main walls of the houses, where they
had previously lived, the second time to change the interior housing or use household items.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Between Fergana Valley and Ustrushana territory there has been a cultural closeness from ancient times.
These links are evidenced by material evidence. Today, even in the archaeological monuments in the valley
territory, salinity is becoming more and more. The dense location of population in the valley territory
caused an increase in the number of trees and agricultural crops around the archaeological monuments.
Local peasants plant trees, such as mulberry, date, in order to fight against salinity. They also wash salt
from the soil with the help of running water.

2. Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report
In the territory of Syrdarya, in the winter season, salt washing is carried out with the help of running waterin the fields, and in the summer they use the “drainage” system of underground waters. The drainage
system pulls out underground water and salinity at 400-500 m radius and it is discharged through trenches.
Although this system exists near the archaeological monument, it cannot completely eliminate the salinity
in the monument area. Therefore, the search for excellent measures to prevent salinity is an urgent problem.
Several archaeological monuments have been opened in the territory of the republic during the last 20-25
years and are being conserved. In particular, the old Kuva monument was opened in 2004 and themonument was fully conserved. Important artifacts are being destroyed by salt in sand causing salinisationin places where archaeological research has been conducted. At this time, if the necessary measures are nottaken, the monument can lose its historical status and value.
The installation of the planting and drainage system of trees such as mulberry and others in order to fightagainst salinity in the border zones around the archaeological monuments can help us in this situation.
However, the system of preserving the territory from salinity, which was conducted for archaeologicalresearch, has not yet been developed.
The purpose of my participation in this training is to further enrich my knowledge of preservingmonuments and artifacts, which should be preserved for future generations. It is also to study factors which
are a threat to today’s archaeological monuments, and to identify effective methods of their prevention.
Considering the fact that several innovations are coming into play in the course of archaeological researchin the following years, it is possible to achieve great success in the work of deeper study of such problems
and the preservation of archaeological objects by eliminating them.

Final ReportNGUYEN Quang Khanh (Viet Nam)
1. Long-term and short-term action plans developed from the training outcomesThanks to the course subjects, I have seen many videos from experts and have an opportunity to learn thevalue of cultural heritage in archaeology sites and conservation artefacts values. Moreover, the knowledgeof the course is raising my historical-cultural knowledge and promoting my eagerness to protect the local
heritage.
To apply what I learned from the course, I am going to have a long-term plan, (period 2021 – 2025) for
excavation of the archaeological sites of the prehistory period in a locality named Funan (Oc Eo) culture
from I – VI centuries AD, and some ancient ceramics of Thailand which were found at the Phu Quoc Island
shipwrecks in Southern Vietnam.
In order to research Funan (Oc Eo) culture in the Mekong Delta, I have a plan to invite many experts tomake a survey excavation of these sites and using my approach of knowledge from this course, to analyse
the results. In addition, I am going to invite some experts who have good knowledge of Funan (Oc Eo)
culture I – VI centuries AD in Japan to participate in this project in the future.
2. Possible solutions for the challenges mentioned in the country report
On the one hand, Mekong Delta's archaeology, and museum systems are considered the backbone of thenational strategy for heritage conservation and promotion in Vietnam. In this system, archaeology researchand conservation play a significant role in the maintenance and development of the heritage collection
values. Budget and human resource are indispensable elements in the development strategy.
On the other hand, the other findings indicate the possible solutions in the Mekong Delta other than lack ofbudget and human resources, to be:- The training of skills for the heritage collection preservation and area development in thearchaeology field.
- The propaganda methods to carry out the mission in heritage culture.
- The enhancement needs of limited human and institutional capacity in the international integration ofconservation.
In summary, the demand for short-term and long-term training in conservation is huge in Vietnam,
especially for postgraduate programs, because Vietnam is not qualified yet for higher education in this
sector. In the development trend of the region, Mekong Delta is looking forward to cooperating withcountries in training in specialized conservation, cultural heritage, archaeology, and museums. This job has
not only to give an opportunity for Mekong Delta, Vietnam but also a connection with other nations tounderstand, for cultural exchange, and especially, the development of conservation human resources toserve community awareness-raising, contributing to the progress of countries and regions in the near future.

III. Thematic Training Course
Country Reports

Challenges of Management in Use of Living Heritage
Department of Culture, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs,
Royal Government of Bhutan
Introduction
Cultural heritage in Bhutan is the integral part of our identity, unity and continuity and forms indisputablephysical records of the historical, artistic and technical achievements of the Bhutanese through many
centuries. Heritage sites in Bhutan are some of the most beautiful expressions of the ancient culture of thepeople of Bhutan. The heritage sites in Bhutan encompass both the tangible and intangible heritage that has
been passed down preciously from generation to generation.
The protection and promotion of heritage sites greatly contributes towards the preservation of culture, which
is one of the pillars of Gross National Happiness, the guiding philosophy for development in Bhutan. Almost
all heritage sites in Bhutan are a living heritage, a rich cultural heritage that is still in use and towards which
Bhutanese have a strong affiliation, as it is directly linked to our daily life, understanding and practices.

Chubjakha Dzong, Paro

Punakha Dzong, Punakha

Dechenphu Lhakhang, Thimphu

Farmhouse in Changjokha, Punakha

Ura-Doshi Village, Bumthang

Dungkhar Nagtshang (Manor house), Lhuentse

While preserving the original fabric of the sites and other associated heritage sites and associated heritage
values, the cultural traditions (often linked with these sites) have constantly evolved with time bymaintaining their identity and relevance to society. With the advent of modernization and development
taking place at a rapid pace and continuation of usage of the heritage sites, changes are inevitable, thus
becoming a challenging issue in the field of conservation of heritage sites in Bhutan.
The Department of Culture under the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs has been working towards the
management and protection of its heritage sites, and sustaining the cultural heritage values associated withthese heritage sites in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Bill, 2016.
The Cultural Heritage Bill of Bhutan, which once enacted will be the first holistic legislative document on
cultural heritage in Bhutan including heritage sites, thus aims to provide value-based protection for heritage
sites in the country. The Bill is to protect not only heritage buildings but also cultural sites including rural
settlements and their surrounding settings. It also recognizes Bhutan, as a whole, as a unique culturallandscape bearing witness to the distinctive history, wisdom and customs of the people. The advent ofmodernization, which includes the introduction of new construction techniques and materials, and changes
in the lifestyle and mindset of the people, puts pressure on the conservation of heritage sites in Bhutan.
Issues and Challenges
Akin to most other countries, Bhutan faces challenges while endeavouring to protect and promote ourheritage sites. The following are some of the issues and challenges faced in the field of protection andconservation of heritage sites in Bhutan.
a) No heritage act or legal document
At present there is no heritage act or any legal document governing the rules and regulations for theprotection of heritage sites in Bhutan. Therefore, this poses a great challenge when defining responsibilities
and accountability regarding the protection and restoration of heritage sites. However, the Department ofCulture has drafted its first bill on cultural heritage, the Cultural Heritage Bill 2016, which is submitted forendorsement. Once the Heritage Act is enacted and adopted, this would govern and ensure the protection ofheritage sites in Bhutan.
b) Awareness, understanding and appreciation of heritage sites
The first and foremost challenge faced is the lack of awareness, understanding and appreciation among the
local public on the importance of conservation of our precious heritage sites in Bhutan. The concept ofconservation is not familiar to many of the stakeholders; therefore, the public is not aware of the need forconservation and doesn’t understand and realize the values of the old fabric of heritage sites, which makes
it difficult for conservators while executing conservation works. Many stakeholders wish to dismantle ourvaluable old structures and replace them with new structures. However, the importance of creatingawareness and appreciation among the public is one of the top priorities given by the government of Bhutan.
Realizing the importance of advocacy, the Department has carried out several activities to reach out to the
public. In collaboration with the Royal Education Council of Bhutan, the Department has carried out the
introspection of the school curriculum to strengthen the cultural heritage content focused on primarychildren. The initiative is to introduce primary kids to the cultural aspects of Bhutan. Information on
Bhutan’s culture explaining the basic idea of tangible and intangible cultural heritage has been introduced
into the social studies syllabus. The Department has plans to extend this initiative to secondary and higher
education in the future. Similarly, the Department produces publications of National Important Conservation
Projects and distributes these to relevant agencies for reference.

c) Proposals for renovation, reconstruction and new construction
It is believed in Bhutan that making offerings to religious sites, most of which are heritage sites, earns merit,which encourages many people to make the heritage sites better. Hence the embellishment of heritage is the
predominant practice and poses huge challenges to conservation work. Such embellishment is an age-old
spiritual practice, and the act itself is intangible heritage. Thus, tangible and intangible heritage comes into
conflict and the resolution of this is sometimes not amicable.
With the growing number of applications and proposals for renovation, reconstruction and new constructionof/in heritage sites, the agency has to be more prepared and sensible about the changes. The applications are
submitted to Districts by the applicants, which are then submitted to the Department of Culture for scrutiny.
In doing so, the Department faces a severe challenge, especially when it comes to local professionals wholack the capacity and the required knowledge to take things forward as intended or recommended by the
Department. Therefore, capacity building and professional development for local professionals in the fieldof cultural heritage has become critically important for the protection and management of heritage sites.
d) Change in needs
Monastic bodies are the main custodians of heritage sites in Bhutan, and are identified as the key
management partners. Thus, sensitizing and educating the monastic body on the management and protectionof heritage sites is one of the main challenges faced by the Department. In Bhutan, it has been the trend that
proposals for changes to heritage sites are mainly brought about by the custodians (the monastic body) and
it is important to sensitize the proponents (the monastic body) on the tolerance of change on the heritage
sites. Therefore, it is found that is extremely important to communicate with monastic bodies on theimportance of preservation and protection of heritage sites. In order to achieve the target, the office has
instituted an office with representatives from monastic body, which will serve as the bridge between the twoorganizations. It is also important to enhance the skills and knowledge of the newly instituted office.
Most heritage sites in Bhutan are occupied by the monastic body, and Dzongs also serve as government
offices. Therefore, due to the fact that heritage sites in Bhutan are living heritage sites, one of the issues andchallenges faced while executing protection and conservation work is that the people who live in heritage
sites or are associated with heritage sites demand changes aligned with their current lifestyle. Some of thechanges are for better sanitary and water facilities inside the heritage sites. This, when executed mostly
without proper monitoring and implementation, weakens the structure and adds to the vulnerability of thestructure to natural hazards, especially earthquakes. The structures, being old and designed according thetechnologies and population of residents of the particular time they were built, can fail to accommodate newtechnologies and the growing number of occupancy and modern requirements.
Understanding the need for intervention, the Department has ventured into the preparation of a management
plan for important heritage sites. As an important project implemented in the 12th FYP, the Department ofCulture will prepare management plans for five important heritage sites in Bhutan. Completed with the
management plan of Punakha Dzong in the first fiscal year of 12th FYP, the government has earmarked Paro
Taktshang in the second fiscal year for management plan preparation, in consideration of the importance ofthe site and also opportunities and challenges from the tourism industry on the site. Apart from value-based
protection proposals for heritage sites, the management plan also identifies management partners andaddresses risk mitigation and preparedness.
e) Privately-owned heritage in urban areas
With the dawn of modernization and urbanization, heritage sites have come under serious threat. This poses
immense pressure on the nation’s efforts to preserve and promote our cultural heritage as old low-risetraditional structures are being replaced by new, bigger and high-rise modern structures. While state-owned

heritages are safe, it becomes challenging for privately-owned heritage sites, especially farmhouses due tothe aforementioned factor.
As land values in urban areas are only increasing with time, it’s only natural that one would aspire to derive
maximum benefit from the small pieces of land available. There is always this push and pull between theconservation of old low-rise traditional houses and economically benefiting from the construction of modernbuildings with increasing numbers of storeys and the optimum size permissible by the by-laws of the
precinct (structural plan or local area plan).
It was established during the consultation meeting with private house owners and relevant agencies on 16th
January, 2020 jointly facilitated by the Department of Culture and Japanese experts from the Tokyo National
Research Institute for Cultural Properties that the authenticity of the structure is very important in order torecognize a building as cultural heritage; therefore, any major intervention is not desirable. At the same time,conservation work is very expensive and would be a burden to the house owners. Since the Royal
Government of Bhutan cannot provide direct financial support to private house owners even if the house isdeemed a very important cultural property, the house owners are reluctant to finance the restoration of thehouse without major interventions to the structure. International donors also can’t render support as there is
no legal system in place that ensures or recognizes a structure as an important cultural property.
However, if the Cultural Heritage Bill is enacted, there are provisions for registration and designation ofcultural properties irrespective of the ownership based on the cultural heritage values associated with thebuilding or site. In that regard, state funds can be allocated for the protection of private houses if deemed
important.

Restoration and rehabilitation of a farm house in Babesa, Thimphu city, supported by the Department
of CultureBesides financial support, the Department has rendered support to house owners with documentation,
preparation of utilization proposals, and monitoring, apart from the timber concession, along with othergovernment agencies. It was found that there is a great opportunity to strengthen government and private
partnership in the preservation of cultural heritage. It also motivates other private house owners to venturein the same direction and rejuvenates the pride of ownership and contributions.
The conservation of heritage in urban areas has become important as it gives a reference of comparison
between modernization and the past; a constant reminder to citizens, especially the younger generation
dwelling in urban areas, to comprehend, appreciate and contemplate the importance of cultural heritage andidentity. In addition, the protection of heritage will be tangible evidence of the rich Bhutanese history,
culture and traditions to all walks of life. While development is necessary, sound development respectingcore values (cultural heritage) has become undeniably paramount.
With the trend and pace of modernization, it can be projected that before long, heritage in rural areas will
be under the scope of these changes. With the effort of both the private sector and government, a better pathfor the changes can be demonstrated, to showcase a good example to the rest of the nation of the national
interest in, and importance of, the protection of cultural heritage.
f) Tourism and heritage sites
The Department of Culture is burdened with numerous restoration and conservation projects without any
funds, thus hampering the conservation and protection of heritage sites. Further, at present there is nofunding provided from the revenue generated by tourism for the preservation, protection and developmentof heritage sites, even though the sustainability of Bhutan’s tourism largely depends on the culture of Bhutan.
Realizing this, Bhutan has started to issue tickets for entry to important heritage sites, with the funds raised
being directed to the Monuments Fund of Bhutan.
Besides, the flourishing of tourism only puts more pressure on heritage sites, and with the increase in thenumber of tourists, extra amenities and facilities have become necessary. For enhancing the trekking
experience, different agencies are proposing with various developmental activities, with the Tourism
Council of Bhutan in the forefront. These developmental activities pose threats to the landscape and sanctityof the heritage sites if not carried out sensibly.

Changing scenery in Gangtey village, Phobjikha, Wangdue Phodrang
It has become common practice in rural areas, for farmhouses to be rehabilitated to provide home-stay fortourists. This modality demands changes and upgrades to the farmhouses to provide modern facilities. In
some cases, the farmhouses are extended to accommodate more tourists. In addition, temporary sheds arealso surfacing which serve as souvenir shops and accommodations for workers working at hotels, small

restaurants, etc. If all the farmhouses are altered in scale and architectural facades and appear as new modern
structures, the landscape of the settlement would be under threat.

Chimi Lhakhang and settlement, Punakha

New modern structure under construction

Tshento-Shari village, Paro Taktshang Valley, Paro

New hotel constructed in Tsento-Shari village

Temporary buckle houses along the roadAt popular heritage sites, huge commercial structures have also started to be built, changing the landscapeof the village and the site. This kind of development is very challenging to control as the jurisdiction falls
under the Ministry of Work and Human Settlement, and without the proper legislative framework, thedepartment is handicapped. However, for the important heritage sites, the Department will prepare amanagement plan which will address the immediate surroundings including the settlements and set
guidelines to protect the cultural heritage values of the site, settlements and landscape (in view of the culturallandscape).

IV. Regional Workshop
Training Reports

Mahesh Priyankara GURUMETIYA
Archaeology Reprographer
Photography Division, Department of Archaeology

I would like to thank ACCU Nara, Mr Prasanna B. Rathnayake, and the Department of Archaeology in Sri
Lanka for giving us this opportunity to participate in this workshop. Also, I would like to thank Mr Ichiro
Nakamura, official research photographer, and his team for spending their time for us. Because of the COVID
situation, we had to participate in this programme though online.
It was suitable that we participated in the programme in Sri Lanka because there are large number of culturalproperties across the country. It is very worth to get the latest knowledge from Japan. In this workshop, wegot basic knowledge of lighting, using of correct background, camera settings, how to store digital data, andproblems in photographing, which were useful for us to apply for our future activities.
In the future workshop, I would like to learn how to take photographs of painting and large monuments in
our country in particular. Also, I wish to learn how to photograph objects with calculate real measurements.
It is necessary to conduct a training programme to provide the latest technology and most suitable software
which are used in Japan. I think it is very helpful for us to understand better. If ACCU organises a practicaltraining here in Sri Lanka, it will be more helpful for all of us than online sessions.

Sumedha Deepthi KUMARI
Archaeology Reprographer
Photography Division, Department of Archaeology

I would like thank ACCU Nara, Mr. Prasanna B. Rathnayake, Mr. Ichiro Nakamura, an official research
photographer and his team for providing me with this opportunity to enhance my knowledge in photography.
I enjoyed the training regarding camera settings, lighting, backgrounds, storing etc. I would like to learn more
about Japanese methodologies and technologies used in documenting its traditional paintings. Learning thelighting method and the new technology used in Japan such as types of photographs was very useful for me
to expand my knowledge and skill.
Photographing mural paintings
In Sri Lanka, there are paintings on undulating surfaces such as the paintings of the Dambulla Cave Temple
World Heritage site. What are the techniques used to photograph paintings on uneven surfaces? How should
we maintain the equal distance between the focal plane and the paintings when photographing within a small
amount of space? Because of these difficulties to reach places, we used a computer to maintain the distance
between focal plane and the painting, and it was photographed in section and put together later. I would like

to know if Japan has developed a new technology or equipment which will enable us to photograph this typeof painting in small space.
Negative film
I have another question regarding black and white negatives, 120, 2B size and also 135 negatives. How arethese negatives stored and preserved in Japan? What is the best way to preserve them in a hot and humid
tropical country like Sri Lanka? I would also like to query about the methods that are used to preserve andstore these old negatives. We scan the negatives and store copies in external hard drives and the negatives
are stored in wooden or metal cupboards in which the temperature is controlled. I would like to learn about
the systems to preserve and store old negatives.
Sri Lanka is a tropical country with strong daylight throughout the year and with monsoons in rainy seasons.
What are the methods of outdoor photography using natural sunlight and what is the way to maintain theequipment in diverse weather conditions? Also, what are the repercussions of seasonal changes in weather
on negatives and equipment, and what should we do to mitigate these problems?
Does ACCU take underwater photographs? Unfortunately, the Department of Archaeology does not havethis facility, and international organisation help us take underwater photographs. Therefore, we would liketo have an opportunity to be trained in this discipline of photography.
Another drawback we have at the Department of Archaeology is no access and ability to take aerial andsatellite photographs due to lack of training. I would like to be trained in different disciplines of heritage
photography using latest technology such as software and the latest equipment.
Once again, I would like to thank all of you for giving me the opportunity to participate in this training
programme. I would like to request ACCU to organise a practical training programme in Sri Lanka where
we can obtain some of the methods of heritage photography so that we can select the appropriate methods
for Sri Lanka.
Here is an example for photographing with narrow space

Degaldoruwa painting documentation

Palitha HERATH
Archaeology Reprographer
Photography Division, Department of Archaeology

A workshop on photographing objects related to heritage had been organised by the Asia-pacific Cultural
Centre for UNESCO (ACCU Nara); the Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka; as well as the Departmentof Museums from 25-27 January 2021. We participated in the programme conducted online at the Kandy
Ulpenge premises.
The workshop including lectures from Nakamura Ichiro, who is a Chief Photographer of the national institutein Japan, on how photography techniques for cultural heritages. The lectures were delivered under various
topics such as photographing cultural archaeological objects, basic knowledge in connection withphotographing cultural objects, camera settings and operations, understanding histograms, photographing
three-dimensional objects as well as flat objects. Based on these topics and sub-topics, eight subjects wereexplained in detail. Also, using the QR system for watching these lectures made this workshop moremeaningful.
In the workshop, the explanations about basic knowledge on photographing cultural objects, the principles,
and the required equipment were provided very clearly. The basic knowledge was imparted on camera
equipment and how to set them up in a relevant way to take a proper photograph. Following this, the typesof cameras used for photographing cultural objects, lighting methods according to objects, setup of lighting,background lighting, and how to set shutter speed and aperture were explained very well. Also, focusing,proper exposure, differences pointed out by the number of aperture and shutter speed, and ISO sensitivity
were explained in a way that was suitable for amateurs. The most important factor was, emphasizing throughthis topic, the facts that all the tasks were carried out without the use of computers. Further, the formats forstoring digital photographs such as RAW, JPEG and TIFF were also explained thoroughly. In addition, thelecture included an explanation regarding how bright light and dark light bring about a change in the colour
spectrum of the artefact. White balance was emphasized upon in the lecture, and how it is set to obtain an
accurate photograph was pointed out. Other important factors in the lecture series of this course were use oflight, setting up a background, and highlighting characteristics through change of lighting. We were provided
with a new experience on how to take a photograph of cultural objects using a white background. I could
learn new methods in this workshop in addition to the ones we use at present and believe that the abovementioned methods will be of use.
The online workshop provided us with a new experience. As significant problems of the online workshop,
very short duration, facing various types of technical problems, having no practical opportunities, and the
distance between the lecturer and the participants can be pointed out. Rather than using an online method, if
these programmes are conducted by lecturers coming to our country as was done previously, the cultural ties

between us will be strengthened, and it will be possible to avoid problematic situations. I thank ACCU andMr Nakamura Ichiro and his staff as well as everyone who contributed to organizing this programme.

Arjuna SAMARAWEERA
Archaeology Reprographer
Photography Division, Department of Archaeology

I would like to thank ACCU Nara in Japan and Mr. Prasanna B. Rathnayake for giving me this opportunity
to participate in the workshop. I believe that all the participants of the workshop were happy to receive thistraining in photography. As most of the participants are not professional photographers, this training inphotography was very important and useful despite being an online training programme.
As a photographer of the Department of Archaeology in Sri Lanka, I would like to discuss the possibility of
ACCU organising a training programme with practical sessions in Sri Lanka with more advanced knowledge.
I would like to receive a training on new technology and equipment as their capabilities will help
immensely in my career. Sri Lanka as a developing nation does not have and cannot afford the latest
technology and equipment. However, we try to do our best with the available equipment and minimum
resources to document Sri Lankan cultural heritage before it is destroyed by time and lack of resources for
safeguarding our heritage.
The training on cultural properties photography will be immensely useful for our future activities. In addition,
I would like to learn about the latest equipment, software and other equipment used in photo-documentation
which is the field led by Japan. I would also like to learn more about the photography of paintings from

Japan’s experiences and the types of affordable equipment and software which will serve in a developing
country. I would like ACCU to share the knowledge of latest technologies, software and equipment throughthe training.
At the Department of Archaeology, we developed a scientific method to take detailed photographs ofpaintings using available resources for the first time. Thus far, we have photographed the paintings of the
Sigiriya World Heritage site, where we were able to obtain accurate measurements of the painted figures forthe first time in history. We have also documented the paintings of the Kelaniya Temple near Colombo,
Degaldoruwa Temple in Kandy, and Tivanka Image House within the World Heritage Site of Polonnaruwa.
During these projects we faced many difficulties and some technical issues such as necessity of taking
photographs in very narrow spaces, without the space necessary for minimum focusing distance. Lighting
was another problem we faced. We would like to know ideas, better knowledge, and methods to resolve theseissues by ourselves. Therefore, I believe that a practical training in Sri Lanka would give us a greater
advantage which will help us in photo-documentation of paintings.
Although I have specifically mentioned paintings as they are a priority at the moment, I would also like to be
trained in different aspects of archaeological photography.

Here I attached 2 photos witch we taken in photo documentation project.

Photograph which is combination of more than thousand separate photographs by using software

Dimensional view of Kelaniya Temple Paintings made using software

Anoma Kumari SOORIYAKUMBURA
Archaeology Research Officer
Central Province Office, Department of Archaeology

What is the meaning of photography?
Photography is a way to record and communicate visually me and others. Also, photographs can be a
powerful way to make learning visible.
What are the main factors important in cultural heritage photography?
• High quality camera• Aperture•

Shutter speed

•

ISO

•

Suitable lighting system•

White colour background•

Mental concentration

What are the advantages of cultural heritage photography?
• Necessary part of long-term preservation of cultural heritage.
• Archaeological objects will change over time, imagine serve as a way to document and represent heritage
Current status of cultural heritage photography in Sri Lanka
At the Antiquities Exhibition and Photography in Sri Lanka, we use the background coloured in red, marron,
black, and blue, and white background is used in very special cases. I think that dark-coloured backgroundais used to highlight the glory of our country through antiquities. Also, in Sri Lanka, there is very little useof advanced technology of photography, especially in field of archaeology. Every time we use only our smart
phone technology as we do not have enough physical resources and technology.
What I learned from this workshop
In this workshop I learned that antiquities should be photographed on a white background. Therefore, fromnow on, white background will be used in the photography of antiquities in Sri Lanka. So, thank you for
introducing such an innovation. Although our smart phone is equipped with photography technology, we
realized in this workshop that the photos taken by smart phone are not of good quality. In addition, I learned
the lighting system that should be used in photography, camera function, and mental concentration required
for taking a photograph.
What I felt through the online workshop
I am happy to participate in this online workshop due to the current condition. In this workshop, I leaned
many things about photography. I hope to attend a practical training in the future.

Many thanks to Mr. Prasanna Rathnayake for organising the workshop on photography using new technology.
And special thanks to Mr. Rasika Dissanayake who made a financial contribution, and to Mr. B. Dissanayake
who provided the opportunity to hold the workshop. Our special thanks to Mr. Nakamura Ichiro, an official
research photographer, and everyone.

Anusha Rathnamali ATHUKORALA
Archaeology Research Officer
Central Province Office, Department of Archaeology

I learnt from basic to the end of the cultural property photography in this workshop. I learnt the camera
settings that is especially necessary for cultural property photography, the proper photography techniquesthat can be applied for the archaeological, and how to preserve the photography.
In the lecture No. 2, Mr Nakamura explained about the purpose and roles of the photography that can be
categorized into two parts, utilities and documentation. He also mentioned that sharp colour and other featuresof the cultural property should be precisely recorded in the photographs.
Normally, white colour is used for the background as adding extra colours gives unnecessary information to
the subjects. It is notable that the background colour reflects to the artefacts. Also, reproduction of real colourof the cultural property is very important. He explained the basic structure and mechanism of camera, various
types of cameras that have been used in the history and the present, and I learnt that the medium and large
size cameras are more suitable for cultural properties photography although it is difficult to use the large
cameras.
And, he explained the different types of light sources such as sunlight, room light, and LED. I understoodthat aperture, shutter speed and sensitivity are main key pillars, which will help us capture a photo of culturalproperty more accurately.
I would like to thank Mr. Nakamura Ichiro for providing the lectures in the programme, Mr P.B. Rathnayake
for co-organising the workshop on photography with Japan. And, special thanks to Mr Rasika Dissanayake
who made a financial contribution, and to Mr B.M.B.J.B. Dissanayake who provided the opportunity to holdthe workshop.

Malsha Madushani RANASINGHE
Development Officer
Badulla District Office, Department of Archaeology

1. What was learnt at the workshop
I mainly understood through this workshop that photography is important to protect and conserve culturalproperties. It is also important to be aware of basic facts in creating through photographs a quantity of detailed
information and a data base of reports. The objectives of photograph change as photographs are captured for
utilization and documentation.
To take proper photographs of cultural properties requires correct shapes. The camera to be used should varyfor each purpose. Therefore, for more high-quality photographs bigger cameras have to be used. Single-lensreflex cameras are suitable while smartphone cameras are unsuitable.
Cultural properties should be photographed as a RAW format. To process for later use, JPEG is not suitable
to a certain extent. It is possible to use TIFF in order to save photographic pictures evolved withoutcompression, without loss of information.
It is possible to capture a certain object as is by matching the focus and speed of the shutter. The light whichis reflected from the object and enters through the lens is properly displayed on the communicative surface.
When proper lighting is set, the object is photographed with the correct exposure.
The smallest aperture with the highest value is more suitable. When the value is less, the sharpness of thephotograph becomes less. (Using F 11 the intermediate value is best.) A low shutter speed has to be used. If
it is a moving object, by using a lesser shutter speed, the image will become blurred, therefore a higher shutter
speed should be used. Photographs should be taken through the minimum sensitivity of ISO100-200.
When photographing cultural objects, lighting is an important factor. The direction of the light, the angle inwhich the light falls on the object results in quality of photographs. Except special instances, use of indirect
light is suitable. It is more suitable to use sub-lighting sources rather than one main source of light. The typeof standard light is obtained crossways.
The angle at which the object should be photographed is also important. Whether it should be photographedfrom top or a frontal angle depends on the concept and requirement. If the focusing distance of the length isshort it would be possible to photograph from a broader angle, and if the distance is longer it can rapidly
ascend to a limited range. Since many cultural objects are immovable objects, the basic mode of photography
should be AV.
If the relevant object is still, the camera should not move. It is suitable to set up the camera on a tripod. It is
important to activate the shutter switch without touching the camera, either through a long wire or setting theautomatic timer of the camera.

Relevant settings• Image Quality – RAW
JPEG – Objects with a smooth curve are high in quality and those with curved steps are low in quality.
Use of the largest size (L – with a smooth curve) setting is suitable.
• White Balance – AWB (often the automatic setting is selected).
However, through the manual White Balance setting, under even a tungsten light colour are correctly
reconstructed and the colour of tools appears natural.
• Picture Style – Neutral• Colour Space – Adobe RGB• The date and time have to be established correctly.
• It is suitable to format the Memory Card within the camera prior to taking photographs.
• Histogram – On a frequency graph with a suitable grading a broad expansion which creates the shape of ahigh mountain from Bright Light (A) to Dark (B) is depicted.
How to be careful when providing lighting
Providing lighting with an incline from the top when photographing a three-dimensional object
Setting up beams of light from top and from the side when photographing three-dimensional objects
Using a diffuser to enlarge a small ray of light
Using a white background for reflecting light
Photographing three-dimensional objects
Setting up a platform to photograph the object from the front
Setting up a white background on a flat table
Using filler light to enhance the quality of the main lighting
Deciding the size of the background required for the object and covering the additional background witha black coloured paper
Photographing various objects from the front
Placing the camera at a certain height but not parallel to the object in order to capture a large amount of
information
Focusing attention on facts that should be projected
Quality of lighting and setting up directions
Using a white background
White coloured objects – setting up light from the top closely, distancing background lighting
Dark objects – distancing light from above, bringing background lighting closer
Glossy objects – using a large lighting source, control reflective light, using a black coloured covering tochange the direction where the top lighting comes in
Low-height objects – using a somewhat high angle

Large objects – using main light totally, changing the light from top or filler light according torequirements, using several lamps from the same direction
Large stone inscriptions – placing the main lighting in relation to the object at a somewhat deep angle
When photographing flat objects
Using main lighting
Using a white backgroundLifting up the object when photographed (placing object on a transparent glass surface)
Using reflection to spreading out the light equally
Setting up a black coloured covering behind the object
Raising the height of main lighting
2. How to use the knowledge obtained during the workshop
Documentation of movable artefacts in a manner that displays correct data
Preparation for panels for exhibitions etc.
Future research and research paper
3. Impression of the online workshop
It is important to learn theoretical facts regarding photographing cultural objects presented in the medium ofvideos together with simple explanations. It is also important that online session provided answers to
problems that cropped up regarding information presented through videos.
In order to confirm these facts and to obtain proper understanding of practical use, it is important to focus onand conduct a practical training using equipment in the future. This opportunity is of importance in order togenerate new knowledge regarding photography and to improve the knowledge we possess.

U. Anura SHANTHA
Archaeology Research Officer
Central Province Office, Department of Archaeology

Photographical workshop report
I worked as an Exploration Officer in the Exploration Division of the Department of Archaeology. I am
engaged in a group of duties including legal work, site inspection, damage assessment and special
investigations. Photographic documentation plays a key role in all of these archaeological duties. For example,
I take photographs of the following cultural objects: micro stone tools, animal and human bones, beads, pearls
designs, as well as caves and brick designs.

Archaeological evidence found in the field of Ceylon archaeology can be divided into several eras, namely
the Prehistoric era, the Historic era, the Anuradhapura era, the Polonnaruwa era and the Kandy era. The
designs of these eras take many forms. The archaeological evidences such as micro stone tools, megalithic
design, Megalithic cemetery, beads, cave, inscription, huge clay monuments, and the brick statues are locatedoutdoor , indoors, on the sea bed as well as inland.
Photographic documentation is essentially a fundamental part of the process of locating, storing, reportingand conserving all of the above archaeological evidences. Therefore, any officer of the Department ofArchaeology should make this photographic record to the best of his ability. However, the three-day
workshop on cultural property photography conducted by ACCU took me a different dimension apart fromother officials in the department.
Although the Department of Archaeology does not have the relevant advanced technical tools introduced in
the course, but we have filled the requirement as much as possible by using a smartphone.
Also, we used to use the colours like red ,blue and black, for the background especially when photographing
movable antiques. However, I understood that white background is ideal for photographing culturalproperties, and lighting is imporrtant to record the detailed information of the obeject.

Nilanthi Kumari EDIRISINGHE
Archaeology Research Officer
Central Province Office, Department of Archaeology

Introduction
Cultural Heritage is the identity of the country as well as the value of the country. Sri Lanka is a country of
immense cultural heritage value, and preservation of the heritage is the absolute duty and responsibility of
citizens and archaeologists. The Department of Archaeology, legally bound by this duty, carries out various
archaeological interventions. We conduct archaeological exploration and excavation, managing museum,studying epigraphy and numismatic, conservation, maintenance, and promotion. In all of the activities, wehave to be very careful about dealing with cultural properties. In addition to these tasks, we focus on
documentation in which photography is an essential factor. Therefore, this workshop was extremely usefulfor our duties.
Photography is a description, which can be understood more easily than a document. It can play a vital rolein documentation of the long history of the country. For example, the photographs that were taken during thearchaeological investigations in various parts of Sri Lanka conducted by H.C.P. Bell in the 1890s have greatly
contributed to the studies done by contemporary scholars. Some of the archaeological sites are no longer
visible and others are distorted, so we can study them only with the photographs at present. In this context,
photography plays a big role in archaeology field.
It is very timely that the Department of Archaeology co-organised such a programme with the Cultural
Heritage Protection Cooperation Office, Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU Nara) It was
extremely important both officially and personally.
What I learned through the workshop
As an archaeologist I have to get involved in various archaeological interventions. Although I am currently
working in the promotion section, I have to do other archaeological work according to requirements in the
future. These are the photos used for promotion.

Although we used a smart phone or a camera with less than 20 megapixels, I am able to identify thedifferences after the workshop.
I learned a lot of things from the workshop as follows:
Basic knowledge of cultural properties photography
Camera settings and operations
Understanding a histogram
Lighting
Photographing three-dimensional objects
Photographing flat objects
Camera settings for cultural properties photography without using PC
The main task that I have to do in the promotion section where I am currently on duty is to promote theexisting knowledge about cultural heritage to the public. We implement lectures with photographs and video
clips, seminars, workshops, and exhibitions, and create books, leaflets, research articles, etc. It is essential toapply high-quality photographs for the relevant purposes.
Also, until now we used red colour as the background when photographing of movable antiquities. But fromthe workshop we learned that white is the best colour for background. By using a white background, theshape, expressions, accuracy, artistry, and other features of the antiquity can be well identified. It is worth
pointing out in practice.
Additionally, the instructor explained the necessity to change the size of background depending on the
distance between the camara and the object, the unnecessity to use a scale, and the importance of using
lighting. These are important points for our work as we used various scales in practice such as scale board,pen, person, etc. It was also important to learn how to take accurate photos without shadows by setting thelighting and background and how DIY tools work effectively. The manner in which a Buddha statue isphotographed without compromising its dignity is commendable and great lesson for us.
How I felt about the online workshop
This is a fresh and unique experience in my life.
We were able to learn more than just attending a workshop and listening to lectures.
Feeling of uncertainty at the first day, but pleasant feeling from the second day
We were able to learn so easily and freely because:- all videos can be viewed several times at home as we received the files earlier.
- it was possible to understood without any problems due to the Sinhala subtitles
On the second day I thought it would be fruitful to re-watch the videos I had watched the day before.
The zoom session on the third day provided the solutions and clarifications to our problems.
It was a great assistance to facilitate the programme smoothy
Mr Nakamura Ichiro is a great and patient instructor. His way of teaching and explanation are very
interesting, so we could listen without being lazy.

Wimal Jayantha BANDARA
Archaeology Research Officer
Central Province Office, Department of Archaeology

Through the workshop, we learned the points that should be noted when photographing cultural properties
and the knowledge about equipment that is necessary for taking a high-quality photograph. We understood
how to conserve cultural property, even if we lose it, the photographs convey the visual information for future
generation. We learnt how to prepare the background for taking a photograph, how to set up lighting, how acamera operates, and how to focus. The instructor also explained how to set up the camera, white balance,
how to store photographs, and how to capture photos of three-dimensional objects while controlling lighting.
We learnt about the tools that were required to photograph three-dimensional objects and how to set them up
to increase the quality of a photo.
Although we did not have the facilities and equipment mentioned above, we can use the knowledge weobtained, use the combined cameras and simple substitute equipment we have, and capture photographs sothat maximum information of the cultural heritage is recorded. When photographing an archaeologicalmonument or building outdoors, sunlight can be used as lighting. We can consider the time for taking aphotograph, the time that the sunlight will be available like sunrise, mid noon and sunset, and the manner inwhich the light would fall on the monument. As we learnt in the workshop, this is a substitute strategy for
obtaining and controlling light. In the work of maintenance and conservation of cultural heritage, we have totake photographs for documentation and recording before, during, and after the tasks. On these occasions,the theories and rules we learnt at the workshop can be used. Accordingly, for documenting cultural heritagefor future, we need ensure if the photographs contain correct and a lot of information. When photographingcoins, beads, pieces of pottery, small statues, and small containers of archaeological artefacts, we used a red
background. However, we learnt that we have to use a white background for such photos because using awhite background can prevent unnecessary external lighting from having an impact on the photograph. Whenphotographing statues, houses with paintings inside buildings, sculptures, and other archaeological objects,
we have to make sure that information such as size, height, density, special characteristics and shapes arewell documented. I will use the minimal facilities available to the maximum and will make use of theknowledge acquired in the workshop so that we can take high-quality

photographs during the

documentation work conducted by the Department of Archaeology
Since this was the first online workshop I participated in, I have to say that I had a fresh experience.
It can be identified that this online workshop was very successful. Subsequent to studying with lecture videos,
we were able to resolve and understand the problems and unclear points about the lectures with the lecturer
through the interactive session. If we had an opportunity to go to the field for a few days and study the abovementioned facts with equipment practically, it would have been far more successful. However, we have tobe thankful to ACCU Nara and everyone who worked in this workshop for conducting such an online

workshop and providing knowledge during a pandemic without any hindrances by connecting Japan and Sri
Lanka. We appreciate that the online workshop will help the Department of Archaeology as a pilot institution
contribute towards finding, conserving, maintaining, and protecting cultural heritage in Sri Lanka.

Shiranthi Anuradha SENEVIRATNE
Archaeology Research Officer
Central Province Office, Department of Archaeology

What I have gained from the workshop
It is very important for any person to study cultural properties in any culture in the world. Properly recorded
photographs of the cultural properties can be referred as one major way of studying the economic, religious,
political and artistic features of any nation.
This workshop educated us how to record and store descriptive information of the cultural properties
following the basic principles of cultural properties photography. It was greatly helpful to enhance myknowledge on this new subject which I never learnt before. Following are the main areas that I would like tomission as highlights of my learnings:
1. Type of cameras that can be used to take photographs for artefacts
2. How to set the camera to take a photograph (e.g., shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, white balance, etc.)
3. How to set the background before taking a photograph - For example, I used the red background to
take photographs of artefacts before, but I realized that those background colours critically distortthe important information of the artefact. The real colour of the artefact cannot be represented in thephotograph as a result, and the observers are given wrong information. In addition, using a whitebackground for photography will show the real and detailed information of the artefacts. Therefore,
the colour of a background plays an important role for cultural properties photography.
4. How to set up lighting before taking a photograph – I have not considered the importance of lighting
when taking a photograph before, but in the workshop, I learnt the methods to eliminate shadow
and to reflect light, which help observers understand the information of the object properly. Figure
3 is a photograph that I took at home using available lighting resources like white A3 paper, tracing
paper, and phone flash lights.
5. How to record photographs

Figure 1: Red backgroundFigure 2: White backgroundFigure 3: White backgroundHow can I apply learnings to my duty?
1. Normally, we have to prepare project proposals before conservation of monuments or old buildings.
What I learnt from this workshop can be used to take proper photographs of those monuments andbuilding which highlights important information and helps the authorities understand properly. As aresult, we will be able to take approvals easily and proceed with conservation projects smoothly,
which prevents the monuments and buildings from decaying further.
2. When conducting conservations projects, we need to update the progress of the activity in time totime for the relevant divisions. We had to prepare progress reports with long descriptions about thestatus before. However, I will be able to reduce time for preparing the reports by using proper
photographs to explain the information of the project progress. Also, I will utilise the techniques ofclear and descriptive photography that I learnt when we create final reports of the conservation
project at the end of the project.
3. Publication of the book on historical sites and monuments is one of our main duties to educate people.
Therefore, what I learnt about attractive and informative photography will help me explain the facts
easily, which will be definitely effective to increase the readers’ interests. By distributing thosepublications in the society, we will be able to increase fans of archaeology.
What I felt on this online workshop
1. Theoretical knowledge that I gained from this online workshop is extremely satisfied. The lectures
were good and clear enough to understand. The Sinhala subtitle translations were greatly helpful tounderstand.
2. However, I believe that understanding practical techniques and knowledge was difficult in thisworkshop because I think we need to touch and use the required equipment during this course tounderstand practical issues and solve problems.

I.D.M.WIJEBANDARA
Archaeology Research Officer
Central Province Office, Department of Archaeology

Introduction
Today, archaeology and cultural heritage is an argumentative, controversial, and contemporary topic. Some
outstanding or dedicated archaeologist debate and make a point of scientific and psychological promotion to
get attention from the multi-cultural societies. Based on remains and material context, they investigate theintegration of culture and civilization critically.
It is very helpful to study modern scientific methods, to study archaeological sites, and to identify and analysis
the monuments and archaeological findings. ACCU Nara provides the Asia-Pacific countries with the humanresource development programmes. The participants, who play an active role in protecting cultural heritage
in their own countries, acquire new knowledge and technique in the training course. Thus, this online
workshop on photography was very helpful for to learn new methods.
My leaning experiences
In the three-day online workshop, I learnt how I should take photographs of cultural properties. This training
mainly provided the knowledgeable of cultural properties photograph for the professionals working forarchaeology field, museum, and relevant field in Sri Lanka who are in charge of research and managementof movable and immovable cultural heritage.
Following are the contents I learnt:
1. Basic knowledge of cultural properties photographs
2. Camera setting and operations
3. Understanding a histogram
4. Lighting
5. Photographing three-dimensional objects
6. Photographing flat object
On the final day, I could share questions and problems and find solutions for them at the interactive session.
How it is valuable for myself
There is a massive space available for photography in the field of archaeology in our country. Photograph isused to record archaeological site and cultural heritage as well as to describe nature of such heritage prior toinitiations of the activities of the excavation and preservation by the Department of Archaeology and relevant
institution. For this purpose, this photographic workshop provided the beneficial knowledge to be applied to
my responsibilities and duties such as exploration, excavation, studying stratigraphy, research of artefacts,
and raising people’s awareness. Photography is also a stone medium to conserve our heritage and its value.

Opinions on the online workshop on photography
As I mentioned above, I feel the online workshop on photography was really beneficial for me as it gave
better advantages for professionals. The participants gathered at the large classroom due to this purpose,
which I think is best way to review the programmes each other.
All the lecture materials (videos and text materials) were supplied by ACCU in this workshop, which helped
our self-studying and improved our knowledge. I think it is my duty to pay attention towards photography
and apply the newly acquired technique to my work.
Acknowledgements
I would like to send my gratitude to Professor Anura Manatunga, Director General of the Department ofArchaeology, Sri Lanka; Archt. Prasanna B. Ratnayake, Director (Architectural Conservation), Departmentof Archaeology; Rasika Disanayake, Assistant Director (Promotions Section), Department of Archaeology;
D.M.P.B. Disanayake, Assistant Director (Central Province), Department of Archaeology and other officers
and friends who encouraged me to participate in this workshop. Finally, my respectful thanks are offered to
Mr. Nakamura Ichiro and ACCU Nara. I appreciate their contribution to organising the workshop underdifficult situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic.

Charitha KARUNARATNE
Technical Officer
North Western Province Office, Department of Archaeology

The programme on photographing cultural heritages organized by ACCU was very. It was possible to acquire
great understanding on how to photograph cultural heritage. Although I had little knowledge on photography
before the programme, I was able to improve my knowledge and gain understanding of basic facts ofphotography through this programme. I felt it somewhat difficult at the beginning of this online learning
programme, but I could acquire the knowledge and complete the programme successfully in the end.
Although I am not a professional photographer, the officers of the Department of Archaeology have toparticipate continuously in photographing cultural heritages. This programme proved to be useful in avoiding
a number of difficulties we experienced on those occasions.
The lecture videos on how to set up a background for photography, camera settings, and others were usefulfor us to improve the quality of photographs in the future. I also acquired good knowledge about storing andsaving data. We had some problems. For example, although it was mentioned in the lecture that it is suitableto save and store photographs in RAW format, it is JPEG that is commonly used for photographs in Sri Lanka.
This problem which arose from the differences between RAW and JPEG qualities was resolved at theinteractive session in which we were able to connect with the lecturer.

I acquired good understandings and new knowledge about how to set up the lenses, aperture and ISO
sensitivity, how to set up lighting, types of cameras, how to set up a suitable photography platform as wellas histogram. The lectures on lighting resolved many problems that we face in the practical field. We haveto take photograph of large buildings, statues, reliefs etc. in the field where it is difficult to obtain light bulbs.
We were able to inquire the problems that arise in such a situation and get the answers to resolve them fromthe instructor. I also acquired a special experience on how to photograph the object with respect such as
Buddhist statue. It will be possible to use this technique for the tasks to be carried out in the future very
effectively.
It was a problem of this programme that we were unable to use practically the theories we obtained during
the workshop. If we were given the opportunity to put these theories into practice, we would have acquired
understandings and knowledge regarding practical problems on photography.

Sugath Wanigarathna JAYASEKARA
Photographer
Department of National Museums

The workshop on photographic documentation organised by ACCU is essential for studying culturalproperties. Accordingly, the training programme was held for a group of Sri Lankans who are engaged in
the relevant field of cultural properties. I would like to express my thanks to the National Museums
Department for providing the opportunity to participating in this programme.
The lecture videos explained the basic facts of photography, which were easy to understand how culturalproperties should be photographed. In the video B and C, the basic principles of camera and its operation,and how to prepare a camera for capturing photographs were explained in details step by step in a simple
manner. I learned about main settings of camera and procedures of setting the proper exposure. Also, therange of focusing, ISO sensitivity which is a main factor of the mechanism of taking photographs, and othersignificant factors such as the aperture and shutter speed and their connection were explained with images.
It was easy to understand how to take photographs correctly even for the amateur officers who are notprofessional photographers but have to document cultural properties.
The videos D and E explained how to identify a histogram when photographing an object and presented how
to set up lighting with demonstrations. Through these presentations, I learnt how to provide proper lighting
and how to check the histogram when photographing cultural properties, and accordingly, we are able to set
up lighting correctly in order to obtain the histogram accurately. Similarly, the videos explained that theknowledge on histogram is necessary for processing a photograph on a computer. I also acquired theknowledge on how to set up proper exposure when photographing cultural properties and how to process aphotograph with a proper software.

Videos F, G, and H demonstrated how to photograph three-dimensional objects and flat objects. They clearlypresented how cultural properties should be photographed and how lighting should be adjusted according to
the nature of the specific object. The clear explanations in the videos enabled us to acquire the knowledge on
how to set lighting according to the physical nature of each object, where the main light should be placed,
how to control the intensity of light, how to prepare a background correctly, and how to adjust the angle ofcamera in order to highlight the details of the object.
On the second day of the workshop, we viewed the lecture videos again one by one and had discussions
among the participants. The dialogue enabled us to improve our knowledge acquired from the videos.
I would like to appreciate Mr Nakamura Ichiro for delivering the presentations and replying to questions
raised by participants and showing us practical activities in the live Zoom session. We hope that anotherworkshop including practical training will be held in the near future subsequent to this programme that we
obtained the knowledge

Vithanage Don Jayan LAKMAL
Assistant Director
Department of National Museums

The workshop on cultural heritage photography organized by ACCU Nara institution and the Department ofArchaeology was helpful to acquiring much knowledge. This training workshop was useful in obtaining abasic level of knowledge related to photographing cultural objects, to me who is an amateur in the field ofphotography. The knowledge on camera settings to be followed in the process of photography, operations
and suitable equipment to be used on those occasions were provided by the experts of the Nara National
Research Institute for Cultural Properties. I could understand the importance of the professional process ofphotographing cultural properties which pays attention to even small points we have not considered before.
I learnt the procedure of lighting that is used in photographing cultural properties Also, another significant
point of this programme was acquiring theoretical knowledge and understanding the technical methods forphotographing three-dimensional objects and flat objects. The ideas and views were expressed by the seniorphotographer with many years of experience in the field of photography, and the instructor gave us the advice
and exchanged ideas at the interactive session. It was important guidance for the participants who areamateurs in the field of photography.
This workshop provided the amateur photographers with the important opportunity to learn the things thatthey did not know. The instructor who are engaged in photography exchanged knowledge, problems, andassociated technical requirements. The knowledge acquired through this workshop is useful in the process ofphotographing cultural properties and in the successful maintenance of our work in this field. As an officerof the Ethnology Division of the National Museums Department, the knowledge acquired through thisworkshop can be used very effectively in various tasks such as documentation of museum objects,
conservation, research, and publishing report. There require effective photographs.
I also learnt how to reveal more information and value of a museum object when it is photographed and how
to photograph an object with a white or colourless background and realized that we should change some of
the traditional procedures that we followed up to now. Instead of taking a photograph simply as we havedone, we should follow the theoretical methods depending the object to be photographing. The knowledge
provided through the workshop was helpful to update the technical strategies we follow. I learnt how weshould plan and improve the processes of photography work according to the international standards and how
we can use resources effectively. Through this online workshop, I could gain a huge knowledge and facts
provided by the instructor Nakamura Ichiro in a simple and attractive way. During the Zoom session, as hegave a demonstration with explanations, the participants could successfully obtain answers to their problems.
If it is possible to conduct a practical training in this programme as well, the programme would be more
successful and we could obtain more results.
It will be thankful if experts come to Sri Lanka from Nara after the COVID-19 situation is settled to certain
extent and provide us with practical training. Overall, the online workshop organised by ACCU Nara and theDepartment of Archaeology was very successful.

Nuwan Sampath UYANAGE
Chemical Conservation Craftsman
Chemical Conservation Division, Department of Archaeology

1. Through this workshop, I gained a lot of knowledge such as: equipment used for photographingarchaeological artefacts; how to set and handle lighting for photographing archaeological artefacts; RAWfiles; types of cameras suitable for photographing archaeological artefacts; size of sensors; aperture, shutter
speed, and ISO sensitivity required for sharp images; how to use a tripod correctly; types of tripod; how tochange the direction of light; how to photograph three-dimensional objects; how to minimize highlights bymaking the lighting soft; clear exposure and histogram; the importance of white background for photography;
how to set white balance properly; how to take high- quality photograph by making use of minimum of
resources; and so on.
I could learn the methods to take photographs without harming archaeological artefacts, to photographvaluable archaeological artefacts with proper respect provided, to use correct lenses according torequirements, to control light using diffusers, to minimize reflections in photographing, to set lighting forlarge-sized archaeological artefacts correctly, to photograph flat objects, to prevent noise, to take photographswith high resolution, and so on. I also understood about RAW, JPEG and TIFF formats, and RGB colour,
which are basic principles of photographing cultural heritage. Similarly, I learnt that with either white or grey
colour can be used for a background when documenting and photograph.
2. In the Chemical Conservation Division of the Department of Archaeology where I work, photographs ofobjects have to be taken before and after conservation work. In the future it is possible to use either a whiteor grey background when photographing cultural objects as the instructor mentioned. Also, RAW format canbe used instead of the JPEG format. When photographing cylindrical objects, we have to use an incline andhandle lighting so that we can highlight its three-dimensional qualities. The knowledge of photography forarchaeological artefacts is important for me. It is also useful to save obtained photographs using several
methods, e.g., HDD – DVD, for future protection.
3. As a student and member of The National Association of Photographers – Sri Lanka (NAPSL) recognized
by PSA – Photographic Society of America and FIAP, I have to thank ACCU Nara. The online course on
photographing archaeological artefacts was concluded successfully and useful for my employment as well as
my photographic career and future use of the Department of Archaeology. It was extremely important andvaluable. A price cannot be put on this valuable course and my heartfelt thanks go out to the Director of
ACCU, Morimoto Susumu who provided this course for us and Nakamura Ichiro who delivered a very
valuable lecture as well as all others.

J.A.D.M.Menaka JAYASURIYA
Archaeology Research Officer
Central Province Office, Department of Archaeology

As an Archaeology Research Officer of the Department of Archaeology, I got a great opportunity toparticipate in the ACCU workshop for Cultural Heritage Protection. I have never studied photography andparticipated in a workshop like this. So, I learnt a lot of information and theoretical factors of photography
for cultural heritage. Through watching the lecture videos, I got the basic knowledge on photography forcultural properties and its utility as well as the importance of documentation. I learnt how to conserve ourcultural properties, and furthermore, I could expand my knowledge about cameras and the factors which wemust keep an attention when photographing.
This workshop was very important for my profession in many ways. Because under my professional affairs,
I have to take charge of creating inspection reports of architectural monuments, conducting conservation andmaintenance projects, documentation of movable artefacts, and making final reports. Photographs must be
included in the reports to record the present condition of the cultural properties. Actually, I did not pay muchattention to lighting before this workshop, but I understood the importance of lighting for photography.
Besides, Mr. Nakamura Ichiro pointed out the very simple but very important factors. It was very useful for
us to take high-quality photographs and do my duty well. Furthermore, we traditionally use a colourful
background when taking photographs, but I understood it is not good in this workshop.
This online workshop was very important to get a lot of information about photography. If we could joinpractical sessions, we could have understood some theoretical parts easily. However, this program helped us
exchange our ideas with the instructor in many ways. So, it can be identified as an important programme toenhance our knowledge and collaboration.
Finally, I would like to give my heartful thanks to the team of ACCU Nara and the Department ofArchaeology in Sri Lanka for giving us this great opportunity so that we can preserve the cultural heritage
for the next generation.

Romesh Tharaka JAYAWEERATechnical Officer
Polonnaruwa District Office, Department of Archaeology

The programme on photography for cultural heritage organized by ACCU was very successful. It waspossible to gain great understanding of photographing cultural heritage. I did not have any knowledge abouta histogram previously and I was able to get to know about it through this programme. Also, I was able togain extensive knowledge about using a white background for photographs and good understandings of thefacts that I should consider when taking photographs in manual mode. Although it was somewhat difficult
during the initial stages of this remote learning method, later I was able to join the programme successfully
and obtain knowledge.
Although I am not a professional photographer, as an officer of the Department of Archaeology I have toparticipate continuously in photographing cultural heritage. This programme proved to be useful in avoiding
a number of difficulties we experienced in those occasions. Through the lecture videos, I could learn how to
set up a background for photography and acquire the knowledge regarding a camera, which is useful enoughto increase quality of photographs in the future. Also, I acquired good knowledge about storing and saving
data. There are the problems we faced.
Although it was mentioned in the lecture that saving and storing photographs in RAW format is suitable, in
Sri Lanka it is JPEG that is commonly used for photographs. It was possible to resolve the problem whicharose regarding the differences between RAW and JPEG qualities when we participated in the live session
with the lecturer.
I acquired a good understanding and new knowledge about how to set the lenses, aperture and sensitivity
when photographing cultural properties. It was possible to gain knowledge about the sensitivity of aphotograph, setting up lighting as well as types of cameras. Also, I acquired knowledge about setting up asuitable platform when taking photographs as well as about a histogram. In the lecture on lighting, it waspossible to resolve many problems which arose in the practical field. In the field, large buildings, statues,
reliefs etc., have to be photographed. During those instances it is difficult to obtain light bulbs. We could
inquire the problems that arise in such a situation and resolve them.
For photographing an object of respect, such as a Buddhist statue, I acquired a special experience on how totake a photograph with respect. It will be possible to use this technique in the tasks to be carried out in the
future very effectively.
A problematic situation faced in this programme was being unable to use practically theories we obtained
during the workshop. If we were given the opportunity to put these theories to practice, we would haveunderstood practical problems of photography.

Indrajith PERERA
Archaeology Research Officer
Kegalle District Office, Department of Archaeology

These are the outcomes of the workshop I acquired:
Camera Settings and Operations
Learning how exposure works will help me take control of my camera and take better photos. Shutter speed,
aperture and ISO sensitivity are the elements to combine exposure.
Aperture
This is a hole inside the lens through which the light passes.
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed, also known as “exposure time”, stands for the length of time that a camera shutter is open to
expose light into the camera sensor. If the shutter speed is fast, it can help freeze action completely. If the
shutter speed is slow, it can create an effect called “motion blur”, where moving objects appear blurred along
the direction of the motion.
ISO Sensitivity
Once the light has passed through the aperture and been filtered by the shutter speed, it reaches the sensor.
This is where we decide how to set the ISO.
Understanding a Histogram
The histogram shows a mathematical review of exposure after the photo has been taken. It tells you how
evenly exposed a photo is. I found it useful to understand.
Use Storage
I. Memory Cards (SD, CF & USB)
II. Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
III. Optical Disk (CD-R, DVD-R & BD-R)
Understanding Colour Scheme
1. RGB (use this scheme for best results)
2. CMYKWhite balanceWhite balance changes the colour cast of the entire photo and is responsible for the overall warmth. It candetermine whether my photo appears blue or orange: from cold to warm.

As the name suggests, ‘white balance’ balances the colour temperature in the image. It adds the opposite
colour to the image in an attempt to bring the colour temperature back to neutral. Without appearing red or
yellow, white appears correctly in the image after proper set of white balance.
Data Handling
1. Data for archives
2. Data for printed publications
3. Data for internet
4. Data for large scale prints
Recommendation to Use a Tripod
1. Ability to photograph in low light
2. Ability to photograph long exposure
3. Better stability
4. Get sharper images
5. More time to create shots
6. Ability to frame and adjust photographing easily
Shooting Mode
Modern DSLR cameras typically have several shooting modes:
1. Program mode (P) - Camera intelligently chooses shutter speed and aperture to achieve correct exposure
2. Shutter priority (S) - User sets shutter speed, camera chooses appropriate aperture
3. Aperture priority (A) - User sets aperture, camera chooses appropriate shutter speed
4. Manual mode (M) - User sets both aperture and shutter speed
Utility for My Job Opportunities
1. Take high-quality photographs for project report
2. How to highlight detailed information of artefacts and monuments
3. Use simple lighting techniques for cultural properties
Online workshop
1. It is very useful academic session as a distance education method
2. Share with theory and practical techniques for photography

Dammi BANDARA
Archaeology Research Officer
Epigraphy Division, Department of Archaeology

The ACCU workshop for cultural heritage protection was organized to create awareness on the techniques
to be followed in taking photographs of cultural properties. It was held for three days from 25th to 27th
January 2021. Twenty participants of the Department of Archaeology and the National Museum participatedin this event. This workshop was conducted in three phases. The resource person was Mr Nakamura Ichiro,
official research photographer of the Photography Section, Department of Planning and Coordination, Nara
National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Japan. This workshop was conducted online and all thevideos related to the session were uploaded to their website on 25th January, and all the participant required
to study these videos at home. On the second day (26th January), the participants gathered at the Ulpange
Conference Hall in Kandy, Sri Lanka to discuss the content of the relevant videos and the problems
encountered from the self-study. Only a few of the participants were in the field of photography and theyalso provided their immense support to others for understanding the content of the videos especially thetechnical aspects of the photography. On the third day, various issues related to photography were discussed
and resolved through the online session using Zoom with Mr Nakamura.
The workshop was organized mainly in six topics i.e., Basic knowledge of Cultural Properties, Camera
Settings and Operation, Understanding a Histogram, Lighting, Photographing 3D Objects, andPhotographing Flat Objects. These topics were aligned with the objective of understanding of the protection
and conservation of cultural heritage, and the main purpose is to document cultural heritage.

This workshop was very much informative for myself and I can summarize the knowledge I gathered asfollows:
It was important to pay attention to the types of cameras and lighting conditions to be used when taking aphoto. There is a clear difference between photography with cultural values and ordinary photography. We
have to focus on a few points to be followed in taking photographs with cultural values. The backgroundcolour used for photography is one of them. When a colourful background is used for photography, thecolours are reflected and there are obstacles to accurately reproducing those of cultural properties. Therefore,
it is clear that this problem could be avoided by photographing using a white background. It was also
explained that the colour range of cultural property can be kept accurate even if the background is changed
after taking photos with a white background. This is one of the techniques that I had never experienced before.
When photographing different shaped cultural properties, the knowledge of angle and the advised oncontrolling light according to the direction in which the light should be applied can be used. It was also
described how to take a white object on a white background and how to photograph shiny objects. I also
gained clear understandings of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO sensitivity that change when taking photos.

In addition, it was stated that the memory card should be formatted in the camera itself and it was notadvisable to delete the non-standard photos taken by the camera.
My field of study is ancient inscriptions and coins. So far, the coins were photographed on a red background.
In future research, the use of a white background will help take photographs that preserve the natural colourof coins. I also had a clear understanding of the directions of light for taking photographs of the form of
inscriptions or symbols.
I would like to express my appreciation to ACCU Nara, the Department Archaeology and the Department of
National Museum for organizing such an informative workshop. Also, if we can have the hands-on training
session related to this workshop, it would be a great experience for all of us. Technology the countries like
Japan have are well ahead of us. So, if we can get a training in Japan, it will definitely be an advantage forthe protection and conservation of cultural heritage in Sri Lanka.