Peter Nilssen » Archaeology & Heritage

Heritage Resources – Definitions

 

Definitions of Heritage Resources – taken from Heritage Western Cape  Notification of Intent to Develop

 

1          Cultural significance means aesthetic, architectural, historical, scientific, social, spiritual, linguistic or technological value or significance.

2          Heritage resource means any place or object of cultural significance.

            “Place” includes –

(a)       a site, area or region;

(b)       a building or other structure which may include equipment, furniture, fittings and other articles associated with or connected with such building or other structure;

(c)        a group of buildings or other structures [and associated equipment, fittings, etc];

(d)       an open space, including a public square, street or park; and

(e)       in relation to the management of a place, includes the immediate surroundings.

3          Archaeological means –

(a)       material remains resulting from human activity which are in a state of disuse and are in or on land and which are older than 100 years, including artefacts, human and hominid remains and artificial features and structures;

(b)       rock art, being any form of painting, engraving or other graphic representation on a fixed rock surface or loose rock or stone, which was executed by human agency and which is older than 100 years, including any area within 10m of such representation;

(c)        wrecks, being any vessel or aircraft, or any part thereof, which was wrecked in South Africa or in the maritime zone of the Republic, any cargo, debris or artefacts found or associated therewith, which is older than 60 years or which Heritage Western Cape considers to be worthy of conservation; and

(d)       features, structures and artefacts associated with military history which are older than 75 years and the site on which they are found.

4          Palaeontologicial means any fossilised remains or fossil trace of animals or plants which lived in the geological past, other than fossil fuels or fossiliferous rock intended for industrial use, and any site which contains such fossilised remains or trace.

5          Public monuments and memorials means all monuments and memorials –

(a)       erected on land belonging to any branch of … government or on land belonging to any organisation funded by or established in terms of the legislation of such a branch of government; or

(b)       which were paid for by public subscription, government funds, or a public-spirited or military organisation, and are on land belonging to any private individual.

6          Living heritage means the intangible aspects of inherited culture, and may include cultural tradition, oral history, performance, ritual, popular memory, skills and techniques, indigenous knowledge systems and the holistic approach to nature, society and social relationships.

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