Getting Dirty – Back to the Roots of Cultural Heritage Work

Heritage in Action: From the Field to the Future

Introduction

Cultural heritage is understood most clearly when encountered in the places where it originates: in the field, within historic structures, and across landscapes shaped by human activity. Archaeological and architectural research form the basis for interpreting these cultural environments, while World Heritage frameworks highlight established principles for long-term protection, management, and communication of both their tangible and intangible values.

Digital technologies—whether applied in surveying, documentation, analysis, or interpretive work—play a decisive role across the heritage field. Yet their true significance emerges not in controlled settings, but in real operational contexts, where dust, weather, material decay, human presence, and logistical constraints influence every choice. It is within this dynamic space—where scientific research, management responsibilities, and communication objectives intersect—that contemporary heritage practice takes shape.

CHNT31 brings these dimensions together by returning to the roots of cultural heritage practice.

We examine how digital methods perform under real-world conditions, how diverse areas of heritage research inform management strategies, expand our understanding of World Heritage, and support the meaningful communication of its values to varied audiences. At the same time, and in line with the broader UNESCO mission, the conference creates a forum to address human experience, participation, and ethical considerations—factors that shape how heritage is perceived, engaged with, and transmitted to future generations.

CHNT31 holistically addresses the diverse actors that shape the heritage field—researchers, digital specialists, practitioners, managers, and those who often combine several of these roles. Preserving the 30-year tradition of CHNT, the conference continues and strengthens a dialogue in which developing, testing, and refining digital methods is inseparable from their use in protecting, interpreting, and sustaining cultural heritage. It builds on an ongoing exchange where research responds to practical demands, and where real-world challenges stimulate new directions for investigation.

The conference invites researchers, practitioners, site managers, policy actors, students, and community representatives to jointly reflect on the shared responsibilities and opportunities that arise when scientific knowledge, digital innovation, and management practice intersect.

At the centre of CHNT31 are the practical realities of on-site heritage work, including:

• archaeological excavations and surveys
• architectural heritage investigations and diagnostics
• building archaeology in active construction environments
• emergency and rapid documentation missions
• outdoor digital recording (photogrammetry, laser scanning, drone mapping)
• data resilience in uncontrolled environments (weather, dust, access constraints)
• raising awareness for difficult heritage under extreme conditions (armed conflicts, climate-change-related stress)
• developing pragmatic and “creative” solutions under constraints of limited time and restricted budgets, while striving for the best possible documentation quality

Archaeology & World Heritage: Complementary Approaches to Knowledge & Protection

• how archaeological findings shape management decisions
• understanding authenticity and integrity through fieldwork
• monitoring and mission-based documentation
• cultural landscapes, historic gardens, and the management of living heritage
• integrating research results into planning, conservation, and risk preparedness

Interpretation, Storytelling & Community Engagement

• immersive and location-based interpretation (AR, VR, outdoor applications)
• community-informed narratives and participatory approaches
• communicating archaeological results in accessible ways
• digital tools for inclusive storytelling (youth perspectives, local voices)
• heritage as identity: engaging diverse audiences in meaningful ways

Ethics, Data Governance & Responsible Innovation

• ownership, stewardship, and control of digital data
• digital repatriation, particularly in archaeological contexts
• transparency, bias, and accountability in AI and automated workflows
• ethical storytelling and handling of sensitive content
• long-term care, accessibility, and sustainability of digital archives

Big Data, AI & Synthetic Knowledge Creation

Digital heritage work generates vast and growing amounts of data. This theme examines how these datasets can be used meaningfully, especially under real on-site conditions and within responsible Research Data Management frameworks.

• large-scale excavation archives and the challenge of synthesizing results across small- and large-scale interventions
• assessing and reconciling heterogeneous data quality within multi-contributor datasets
• biodiversity and sensor data from historic gardens and cultural landscapes
• 3D models and architectural documentation repositories as cumulative research resources
• cross-site comparative analyses and regional/national synthesis studies
• machine learning for classification, prediction, and pattern recognition—also under unstable or limited internet and power conditions
• data storage, transfer, and processing constraints in field environments
• shifting the focus from data acquisition to data interpretation: How do we extract knowledge from what is already collected, and how do we avoid producing data without generating new insight?

Education, Capacity Building & Young Professionals

• field schools and university expeditions
• practices for training the next generation of heritage professionals
• student laboratories and project-based learning environments
• skill-building workshops (photogrammetry, XR storytelling, ethical data handling)

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