Authenticity

Authenticity is the most controversial term in preservation of heritage.. Many use it to block interventions.. Many use to devalue properties for the interesting "site" commercial values.. Other use it in academic debates and professional wars.. However, many do not truly and "authentically" know what does it mean..!!

Lacking 'authenticity', Kota Tua fails to make UNESCO heritage list

This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title "Lacking 'authenticity', Kota Tua fails to make UNESCO heritage list". Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/07/09/lacking-authenticity-kota-tua-fails-to-make-unesco-heritage-list.html

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 The Nara Document on Authenticity is a document that addresses the need for a broader understanding of cultural diversity and cultural heritage in relation to conservation in order to evaluate the value and authenticity of cultural property more objectively. It was drafted by 45 representatives from 28 countries after their deliberation on the definition and assessment of authenticity during the Nara Conference held in Nara in November 1994.

Such a conference was first suggested by ICOMOS during the 16th meeting of the World Heritage Committee. The Japanese government took up the initiative and organized the Conference jointly with UNESCO, ICCROM and ICOMOS.^[2] The experts attending the Conference reached a consensus that "authenticity is an essential element in defining, assessing, and monitoring cultural heritage." They recognized the concept and application of the term "authenticity" actually vary from culture to culture. Therefore, when authenticity is being assessed for a particular cultural heritage, its underlying cultural context should be considered.

Before the Conference had actually started, the countries had only hoped to achieve the widening of the range of attributes that are used to assess the authenticity of cultural properties; particularly for the Government of Japan to legitimize their practice of periodic dismantle, rebuilding, repair and re-assemble of wooden heritage structures. In the end, it had not only produced a broader technical framework for authenticity analysis; but also clarified a number of long-standing delusions that had limited the scope of the application of "authenticity" to assist practical decision-making in heritage conservation field.

1- How authenticity criteria contributes for the conservation of historic buildings. 

2-The author, based on relevant research and theories used case studies from historic buildings to understand the best practices in Europe in order to define "a set of authenticity criteria in conservation". Taking in consideration the different interdisciplinary views in Conservation, this research aims for a consensus about the concept of "authenticity criteria" and as a way to improve the practice on Conservation of Historic Buildings. For this reason a focus group of experts agreed in the definition and finally the consensus about the set of authenticity criteria for Conservation of Historic Buildings. 

3-The results shows that "authenticity criteria" as similar to “sustainable development” and it is different and related to common geographical and cultural areas of the Globe. 

4-According to the study it is possible to define authenticity criteria for Conservation of Historic Buildings based on different levels of importance for the World Heritage Value. (International, National, Regional and Local) 

Alho, C.

Faculdade de Arquitectura, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa

(email: carlosalho@fa.utl.pt)

And Colleagues

Functional elements at Sinan Pasha Mosque in Bulaq, Cairo, are installed and managed by users without effective involvement of conservation professionals. Image: Hossam Mahdy