CULTURAL HERITAGE QUIZ: PART 3

Heritage Moments | Selin Kahramanoglu

It's the final test!

This month's post will focus on the challenges surrounding cultural heritage. Every community has their own obstacles in regards to which stories they want to share with future generations, and how it should be passed on. Of course, cultural heritage will not survive all by itself. Most of the time, groups of people need to work together to keep it alive!

Nadampha Cultural Festival. Source.

When it comes to defending our own personal history and culture, some people go to great lengths to protect it. Want to see how far you might go? Based on my own knowledge, try this little quiz that I made to learn more about cultural heritage challenges.

If you answer "YES" to any of the statements in italics, give yourself five points! If you answer "NO," then add zero points. Keep a tally of your score, and read about your results at the end.

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Teaching the Next Generation

I would teach the next generations about my cultural heritage, by practicing some of my traditions.

Whether you're sharing a dinner recipe, practicing a wedding ritual, or telling a story, the passing down of cultural heritage traditions is the best way to preserve our history for the future. It is important that you find what is meaningful to you, and try sharing your passions and ideas with others.

Protesting Misrepresentations

I would protest any published work, public event, or governing body that misrepresents my community's history. 

If you have ever heard the phrase, "History is written by the winners" then you know that not all textbooks tell the whole truth. It is important to vocalize when you feel your community is being targeted or misunderstood. However, these actions can have grave consequences, like being jailed, or being publicly humiliated for speaking out. It is important to both protest, and listen to protesters, respectfully.

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Physical Suffering

I would suffer injury or death to protect my cultural heritage.

To many, cultural heritage is at the core of a person's identity. If people do not understand their culture, chances are that they feel lost or abandoned. For this reason, cultural heritage is especially significant in our understanding of one another, and our place in the world. This also means that a small number of people will go to extremes to protect it from harm, including putting their own lives at risk.

Genuine Interest

I would do further research about different cultural heritages, and try to learn more about it.

It is especially important to realize that cultural heritage will evolve overtime. Traditions change, borders change, people mix, cultures mix, and these are often unavoidable. Ultimately, we need to stay open to learning more about our own culture heritage and those belonging to others. How else are we supposed to learn about the world? Go and experience as much as you can!

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Results of Tallied Points
0 points = There's still time to try and learn more about cultural heritage! Try to research your ancestry, or join in on another culture's traditions to understand it better.

5 points = You're on your way to protecting cultural heritage! Keep looking for some safe and enjoyable ways to experience more.

10 points = Well done! You are an ally to cultural heritage! There's always more to learn, so try to keep up with the evolving changes.

15 points = Wow, you're a regular defender of cultural heritage! Remember to explore innovative ways to preserve cultural heritage for future generations.

20 points = You're all fired up to protect cultural heritage! Be wary of more dangerous methods of safeguarding your cultural heritage, but continue trying to learn as much as you can from varying perspectives on cultural heritage.

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There's a lot of challenges involved in protecting and preserving cultural heritage, like apathy, disrespect, or close-mindedness from others. The important thing is that we try to experience as much as we can, with as many people as possible, and from as many different cultures as possible. That way, cultural heritage will not only survive, it will thrive for many years to come.

Thanks for trying out the quizzes! See you again soon!

CULTURAL HERITAGE QUIZ: PART 2

Heritage Moments | Selin Kahramanoglu

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Ready to test your knowledge?

This month's post will focus on the varying levels of significance associated with cultural heritage. Now, we could easily write a whole book series on this subject, but I want to give you a light-read for the summer. So... here is another quiz to get you thinking about it!

As mentioned in the last post, this quiz is a little challenging because the significance given to a cultural heritage item will be different for everyone. Often, museum professionals and archivists (my other love) are faced with the problem of limited storage space and resources. As much as we'd like to, we can't keep everything! This quiz will hopefully give you an idea as to why some cultural heritage is worth keeping over others.

An image depicting Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colours. Source.

For the following items, decide whether we should SAVE or TOSS each example of tangible or intangible cultural heritage. Remember: Cultural heritage can be material or immaterial, and it represents the legacy of a group of people, which has been preserved for future generations.

1. Oral History of Lake Saint Anne: A Métis story about the healing properties and spiritual energy associated with the waters.
2. "The Entombment": An unfinished painting by Michelangelo, depicting the burial of Jesus Christ after the crucifixion.
3. "Purple Rain" Cassette Tape: A 1984 song by Prince.
4. Two thousand pieces of pumice stone: These tiny 3 cm x 3 cm pieces of volcanic debris are from Pompeii.
5. Mapuche Language: Spoken primarily in parts of Chile and Argentina, there are approximately 100,000 speakers in the world.

Here we go! Answers will follow!

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Oral History of Lake Saint Anne: SAVE

The whole purpose of oral histories is to keep telling them to the next generation! We cannot discard an example of intangible heritage that is closely linked to the present-day functions of a culture. Storytelling that is representative of a culture's ideologies and practices can be preserved by talking in-person, or by audio-visual recordings, and should be considered a priority. This is particularly important for indigenous groups, but intangible heritage is generally valuable for every culture.

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"The Entombment": SAVE

Now, if an artwork is incomplete and we cannot communicate with the owner, there are all kinds of debates about whether the piece should be sold or displayed at all. However, unfinished work by a famous artist, such as Michelangelo, now that's definitely a keeper. For art historians, it is rare and fascinating to study the creative process of a well-known painter. To add, it is rumored that Michelangelo stopped working on this painting, because he was commissioned to start his best known work, the "David" sculpture. The context of the cultural heritage item is important!

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"Purple Rain": TOSS

I'm not saying that Prince's music is bad. I'm saying that cassette tapes are not worth keeping. In this technological era, music is digitally preserved. If an archive chooses to keep a cassette tape, this means that they also need a cassette player, and they need to keep it in good condition for a long, long, time. How many cassette tapes should they keep? For how long? There will be a time when these formats are no longer accessible, so we should update these records to their latest versions, before discarding the old ones. 

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Pumice Stones: TOSS

Do you know how many pumice stones exist from the eruption of Vesuvius? Many. I don't have space in my storage closet for all of those rocks. Not only that, but pumice stones are created all the time, and are not unique to just Naples. (You can even buy them at the drug store.) It's true that the ancient site of Pompeii is historically significant, which is why I suggest the local museums keeps a couple of stones from that particular event, if any. No more than that! It's interesting to preserve a piece of history, and perhaps new information can be discovered about the artifact in the future. Most importantly, this piece of natural heritage needs to stay at it's site of origin, preferably in situ.

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Mapuche Language: SAVE

Real talk: The sad truth is that you don't always have the power to save cultural heritage. The amount of money your institution may have, the number of resources, or the level of expertise of your staff does not matter. Much like oral histories and ceremonies, languages are difficult to preserve because it depends on the participation of the public. You cannot keep having Mapuche speakers, if no one is willing to learn the language. We cannot force people to see the value in preserving cultural heritage. The best we can do is educate others on why it is important to keep, work as a team, and try to save it for as long as possible.

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That's it for this month's post! Deciding to save or toss cultural heritage is never easy, because we hope to keep it all. Everyone has their own opinions on what is important to preserve. To help facilitate our choice, we assess the needs of the public, the item's importance to future generations, and our available resources for preservation. See you next time for our final quiz!

Further Reading

- "Lake Saint Anne" as told by Marge Friedel, a Métis Elder from Edmonton

- University of Saskatchewan Indigenous Studies Portal for oral histories

- More examples of unfinished artwork

- The Guardian's list of endangered languages in the world

CULTURAL HERITAGE QUIZ: PART 1

Heritage Moments | Selin Kahramanoglu

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How much do you know about cultural heritage?

This summer, I'm super excited to be taking on the Heritage Moments column! All three of my blog posts will feature a quiz, gradually introducing readers to more complex topics on cultural heritage. This month's post will be a general overview of its definition.
Are you up for the challenge?

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Pick TRUE or FALSE for each question. Answers will quickly follow, so don't scroll down too much.

1. Cultural heritage is studied in History. 
2. Cultural heritage always takes on a material form.
3. If a culture has no tangible cultural heritage, then it does not exist.
4. Objects are larger than they appear. (Threw you off with this one, didn't I?)

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Answer to #1: TRUE

Cultural heritage is broadly defined as the legacies of a group of people (cultures, or societies), which have been passed on and continues to be preserved for future generations.

• From this definition, of course cultural heritage is found in History! Studying and preserving the past is what historians do best! You know who else would love doing that? Anthropologists, political scientists, writers, artists, urban planners, biologists... 

Oh wait. That's a lot of different professions. (wink wink) That's right, practically every discipline has a reason to study cultural heritage. Everyone can learn something from it!

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Answer to #2: FALSE

When I (poorly) sing a song by ABBA, did I just create it? As much as I'd like to claim "Super Trouper," the song is not mine. The only reason why I know all the words to the '80s song is because that track has transcended generations. I do not have any sheet music, but the melody has been shared globally, and it will continue to circulate for many more years. Sound familiar?

• Tangible: Some cultural heritage takes a physical form - an ancient Greek amphitheater, a painting by Jackson Pollock, or the early drafts of George Orwell's "1984."
• Intangible: Other types of cultural heritage is not a material, but they're still just as valuable - a spoken word poem, oral histories, music, a wedding ceremony, or a digital blog post.

Many people also consider a third category: Natural heritage. This includes cultural landscapes, like Grand Pré, the Medici Villas, or the Matobo Hills.

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Answer to #3: FALSE

What if I told you that dragons are real. I have no animal bones, no reports of sightings, no drawings, or photographs. Do you believe me? No, because I can't prove it.

• If one day, I did find tangible heritage, like a fossilized dragon scale, then it is no longer a myth, right? The physical materials become evidence of its existence. However, did the dragon suddenly become real when I found the bone? No, it was real before, but we just couldn't be sure.

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This idea is true for cultural heritage. Just because we don't have any tangible remains of a culture, that does not mean that they do not exist. Perhaps the group left no trace? Maybe their legacies are all intangible? Think about it!

Answer to #4: TRUE

I’m not just talking about the side-view mirrors of your car. The significance of cultural heritage changes for each person. Perspective is everything!

• Think about a family photo album. If you belong to the family to which the photo album belongs, then this heritage is probably more meaningful to you, than to a non-family member.
• Meaningfulness is not always apparent from the outside. Think about intentionality and symbolism involved in the creation and expression of our heritage. 

Phew, and that's the basics!

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Cultural heritage helps us know more about this world, who lived here, and how these groups interacted. What similarities do we have? How did we develop that idea? Cultural heritage is invaluable to know where we’ve been, so that we can better predict where we’re going.

Stay tuned for next month's post and quiz!

Further Reading
The Khan Academy's definition of Cultural Heritage
UNESCO's World Heritage List
Listen to ABBA's 1980 song "Super Trouper"

TO SAVE OR NOT TO SAVE?

CONSERVATION TIPS & TRICKS

BY: SELIN KAHRAMANOGLU

Welcome to my final article for the summer! I'd like to indulge in a little ancient Greek symposium, and explore a hotly debated topic in conservation practices: How do you decide which artifacts deserve saving? *sips wine* Let’s discuss.

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The reason why this question raises some eyebrows is because everyone’s has an opinion. Even professionals disagree on the circumstances surrounding object conservation. Unfortunately, the alternative is quite drastic: Without conscious care, objects will naturally disintegrate, and in most cases there’s no possible recovery. As a conservator, quite literally, the object’s life is in your hands. Will you save it, or let it go?

Let’s look at three common criteria that help conservators make this decision easier:

1) Quality of Condition 

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Friend, if your artifact looks like it's beyond repair, then it’s probably too late. Based on how much time and resources is needed to recover the original state of the object, then the conservator will decide if it is worth the effort. It doesn’t matter how wonderful the object may be, if it’s already too damaged, then conservators are less likely to work with it.

• A shattered vase, a skull with missing teeth, a painting with discolouration, a book with an unraveling binding, etc. – These are all objects that can be saved. The tasks may be complex, but that just means that it will take more time. It is not impossible.

2) Necessary Tools

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Do you need the pigment of a plant that only grows in some inhabitable land? Then, my condolences, your object can't be saved. Not all conservators are fortunate enough to have every tool at their disposal. Even if the conservator is prepared to put in the extra effort, acquiring new tools takes funding, and not every institution is willing to pay a few thousand dollars to save a single ceramic plate. 

• Let’s say that you have a generous sponsor, who buys all the tools you’ve been dreaming about. Do you know how to use them? Even with all the latest technologies, conservators must have the expertise needed to use these tools, which can take years to learn and special training.

3) Cultural Heritage Value

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Here’s where things get tricky. When discussing conservation, this is the topic that causes the most disagreements among professionals. Conservators need to decide whether or not the object is a cherished part of history to determine if it should be saved. There's lots of questions that need answering, and decisions can be swayed by personal views. 

• Is the artifact the only one of its kind? Who has the right to decide if it's historically valuable? What criteria are they using? How was the object acquired by the museum? Is it useful in the future? – There’s a lot of uncertainty that accompanies questions of value because it is based on individual perspectives and interpretation.

Thankfully, conservation is not always so complex. Conservators often debate with each other to gain new insights, and challenge one another for alternative approaches. Professionals practice open communication and partnership when deciding to conserve an object. Many times, conservators agree about how to best protect an artifact. 

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Remember: If an object is considered unqualified for conservation treatment, it is not lost forever. Some artifacts are meant to deteriorate as part of their meaningfulness to the culture. These days, objects can be reproduced, or preserved through digital means (i.e. 3D scanning, virtual archaeology). Conservators just try to do the best that they can for each object, and roll with the punches!

The next time you think about conservation at the museum or archaeological site (check out my first and second articles), consider the above criteria and don’t be afraid to ask the tougher questions! Discussions have the potential to spark new ideas. *sips more wine* 

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What do you think? Comment below! 

Further Reading:
https://www.nedcc.org/preservation101/session-9/9selection-for-preservation.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-berry/why-preserving-history-matters_b_1446631.html.
 

GET YOUR TOOTHRBUSH, WE'RE GOING ON A DIG.

CONSERVATION TIPS & TRICKS

BY: SELIN KAHRAMANOGLU

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Grab your gear, because we're heading back to the dig site! This article discusses my favourite part of archaeological conservation: Cleaning artifacts!

The best way to protect a newly excavated object is to stabilize it on site, before shipping it off to the museum. This means we need to get out our toothbrushes, and make that hunk of dirty pottery squeaky clean!

Step 1: Don't Touch It (Yet).

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Before removing an object from the ground, make sure that you've cleaned around it as best as you can without dislodging it.

• Level the trench. Use brushes and dust pans to clean the area around the artifact, so that the ground is smooth. When the surrounding are is flat, then it is easier to see how the object is resting inside the ground, which helps you decide how to remove it safely!
• Careful where you step! Avoid getting really close to the artifact, or using water and heavier tools (like trowels) around the object. These will disrupt the integrity of the dirt layers under the artifact, which can cause your object to move unexpectedly, and puts it at risk for breaking!

Tip: When you remove an artifact from the dirt, all the elements that supported it and allowed it to survive all these years, will also be removed. This is why conservationists focus on preserving an object's original state for as long as possible.

Step 2: GENTLY Scrub Away Dirt

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Do you need to buy fancy tools and clean the objects vigorously? Absolutely not!

• Get tools that are easy to carry. Archaeologists rely on sponges, soft toothbrushes, paintbrushes, and toothpicks, because they're efficient and light-weight. I once cleaned an ancient Roman's teeth with thread instead of floss, and it worked really well!
• No need to scrub very hard. Hold the object firmly in your hand, or place it on a clean, soft surface (like a table covered in cardboard). Then, use circular motions and water (when possible) to remove stubborn dirt as best as you can. Deeper cleaning will happen at the lab.

Tip: No matter what your tools are, they should have only ever been used to clean excavated objects (i.e. Please, don't get toothpaste from a personal toothbrush on a two-thousand-year-old shard of Greek pottery).

Step 3: Summon Your Inner Paparazzi.

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Most archaeologists still do an artist's sketch of the artifacts when they uncover it. These days, a regular digital camera is sufficient to capture the artifact at every stage of its life, from trench to museum display.

• Create more evidence. Photos help track the changes you've made during the conservation treatment, and the effects of your methods. Take photos of the object from all sides, and use a ruler to scale its size.
• Work that camera! Don't hold back, and take lots of photos. Think of the conservator like a friend that couldn't go on vacation with you; conservators can't always be at the site during the moment of discovery, so archaeologists use photos as a reliable way to retell the story in detail.

Tip: If the object wasn't cleaned properly in the previous stage, then this will show up in the photograph. Proper cleaning allows the archaeologist to clearly see if the artifact has any weak points that may cause the object to break in storage or in transport.

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That's it for this article, and thank you for reading! My final summer article will be posted this July.

Here are some additional resources:

https://sha.org/conservation-facts/faq/processing-materials/

https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/archaeological-conservation-services/conservation-scientific-services-archaeology.html

ATTENTION ARCHAEOLOGISTS: (CAREFULLY) DROP EVERYTHING & LISTEN UP

CONSERVATION TIPS & TRICKS

BY: SELIN KAHRAMANOGLU

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Raise your hand if you like digging skeletons and things out of the ground! Of course, I’m talking about wanting to excavate ancient tombs and uncover lost treasures.  

Did you know that the moment an object is found at an archaeological site, it undergoes conservation treatment? Archaeologists are the first line of defense when it comes to safeguarding the condition of artifacts. If you’re an Indiana Jones wannabe like me, then here are some tips that you should know...

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1)   Learn About the Upcoming Weather Forecast 

Let’s say that you just finished a labouring summer day on an ancient Roman dig site. Your team is starting to pack up to go home for the day, when BAM, you find the edge of a skull peering out from the bottom of your trench. What do you do?

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Your actions actually depend on the weather. Natural light and warm weather are considered the most favourable conditions. What about the rain and wind? Moisture in the soil can make the uncovered geographical layers unstable and dislodge artifacts.

Tip: Your artifact is safer in the ground. Typically, archeologists will use a tarp with weights (or large rocks) along the edges to cover artifacts that are still secured in the dirt.

2)   Label Everything

When you’ve got lots of objects coming out of the ground, it’s easy to lose track of exactly where and how they were found. At this point, you need to channel Monica Geller and get your label maker out.

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Conservation is all about protecting the original. The last thing you want to do is damage the site or the object, and then never be able to fix it. Don’t forget these two basic steps to cover all your bases:

• Break out your ruler and camera: Before taking it out of the ground, you need to measure where the object is in the trench, and in relation to the rest of the excavation site. Then, take lots of photo evidence.
• Someone get this girl a bag: Clear plastic bags are your new best friend. They’re easy to write on, with the inside visible, and provide protection. Label the site code and the geological level!

3) Identify the Material and How to Safeguard It 

Remember that Roman skull you found? It’s made of bone. Here’s a little secret: Bone that is over a few hundred years old is not very strong. It breaks…really easily.

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Depending on the material of the object uncovered, there are some things that you can do to keep the integrity of its structure until it’s ready for cleaning: 

• Keep it in the ground for as long as you can: If the object survived that long in the dirt, it can last another couple of days. 
• Until it’s cleaned, replicate the site conditions: Artifacts are fragile! Place them in a bin full of rice, and store that in a cool, dark place (to mimic dirt, but cleaner). 
•  After it’s cleaned, get the data: Before you accidentally knock something over, weigh the object, get its measurements, and take lots of pictures of it. Then, analyze the data!

Tip: A museum conservator will want to know what the object looked like when you found it, in what conditions it was found, and how to keep it that way.

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There you have it! Here’s some tips for you future Lara Crofts. Now you know the basics on how you can conserve the condition of an object that is fresh out of the ground!

Need further reading? Check out these websites:

http://nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/conservationmanual/File1.htm#Conservation%20Ethics

https://www.conservation-us.org/specialty-topics/archaeological-conservation#.WvHCwZch3IU

http://www.historydiscussion.net/art/process-of-preservation-of-the-artifacts-archaeological-findings/1823