According to research by the China Great Wall Society, it is not optimistic about the protection of the Great Wall. For example, only 8.2 percent of the Great Wall built in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) is in good condition presently.

Moreover, in the report released by the Chinese State Administration of Cultural Heritage in 2012, less than 10 percent of the Ming Great Wall is preserved adequately, 20 percent is moderately preserved, and almost 30 percent has disappeared.

The World Monument Fund based in New York announced in 2003 that the Great Wall was among the 100 most endangered historic sites.

Bad weather is one of the main causes of damage to the Great Wall. Dong Yaohui, the deputy of the China Great Wall Society, said that most parts of the masonry structure of the Great Wall are in Beijing and Hebei province. Though they are more stable than the sun-dried mud brick Great Wall, in the rainy seasons during July and August, they can be easily broken by storms.

Local data shows that in the summer of 2012, 36 meters of the Dajing Gate part of the Great Wall in Zhangjiakou, a city in northwestern Hebei province, was damaged by storms; the Shanhai Pass part in Qinhuangdao, a city in northeast part of Hebei province, leaked badly; while some fighting towers of the Wulonggou portionin Laiyuan, a city in western Hebei province, totally collapsed.

Even in the dry seasons, because of lack of protection, the Great Wall in the mountain areas in Hebei province was eroded by mountain springs or even plants. In Funing County, a county in Qinhuangdao, if you slightly touch the wall of the watchtowers, you will find soil peeling off. There are also trees growing in the cracks of the Great Wall.

People living around or travelling to the Great Wall which has not been developed into tourist attractions are also damaging the wall. According to Zhang Heshan, a Great Wall protector in Funing County, more travelers have been exploring the wild Great Wall in recent years. The frequent trampling has led to damage, causing the bricks to loosen, and even walls to collapse. However, there were not enough protectors to patrol around these areas, and not enough money to restore the damage.

Journalists from the Beijing Times also found that people in some villages of Lulong County, in the west part of Qinhuangdao, lived in the houses built with ancient blue and grey bricks. They told the journalists that these bricks were removed from the Great Wall nearby.

Some villagers even sold the Great Wall bricks with carved characters. An unnamed villager in Dongfeng Village told the Beijing Times journalist that the market price of these bricks is 40 to 50 yuan ($6.4 to $8.05) a piece, or even as low as 30 yuan ($4.83). The villagers collect such bricks from the Great Wall without a second thought.

Accordign to Dong Yaohui, it is difficult for the government to fully protect the Great Wall. "In Funing County, there are only 9 people in the department of cultural relics, but they have to go on a 142.5 km tour of inspection. It’s definitely impossible to take good care of the Great Wall by themselves," Dong said.

Dong also stressed that the counties along the Great Wall are relatively poor. Most of the counties surrounding the Great Wall in Zhangjiakou are national assigned poverty counties. Local governments cannot afford to repair and protect the Great Wall, or only invest in the parts which bring in revenue from tourism.

To some people, developing tourism is an effective way to protect the Great Wall. Xu Guohua, the head of Banchangyu Great Wall Development Company, said that the destruction from the villagers has stopped after development. Meanwhile, tourists know which part of the Great Wall is endangered.

"You have to admit that the development of the wild Great Wall brings rules and regulations to both the villagers and travelers. In recent years, the protection of the Great Wall in our scenic spot became much better than the undeveloped parts in our county," said Xu.

However, many point out that it is impossible to develop the whole Great Wall into tourism sites. And the development may bring more visitors to the endangered Great Wall, but not all the tourism development companies are committed to protecting the Great Wall. Instead, some of them only focus on the income from tickets, regardless of the intrinsic value of the Great Wall.

How to protect the disappearing Great Wall? Obviously, it is an important test for Chinese society. Just like what Dong Yaohui said in an recent article, "the Great Wall belongs to everybody of China. The duty of protection of the Great Wall not only belongs to the government, but also to the common people. The most urgent goal for us is to arouse the enthusiasm of the public to protect the Great Wall. "

Source: China Daily [June 30, 2015]

Scholars and curious visitors have spent more than a century trying to unravel those mysteries and more work needs to be done.

That's why nearly 30 top archaeologists from universities and organizations around the nation called on the U.S. Interior Department on Tuesday to protect the area surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park from oil and gas development.

In a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, they talked about the countless hours they've spent in the field, the dozens of books they've published about the Chaco society and their decades of collective experience studying its connection to modern Native American tribes in the Southwest. They call Chaco a distinct resource.

"Many of the features associated with this landscape — the communications and road systems that once linked the canyon to great house sites located as far away as southeast Utah and which are still being identified to this day — have been damaged by the construction of oil and gas roads, pipelines and well pads," the archaeologists said.

They're pushing for the agency to consider a master leasing plan that would take into account cultural resources beyond the boundaries of the national park. They're also looking for more coordination between federal land managers, tribes and archaeologists.

The Bureau of Land Management is revamping its resource management plan for the San Juan Basin and all new leasing within a 10-mile radius of Chaco park has been deferred until the plan is updated, likely in 2016.

Wally Drangmeister, a spokesman for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, said the BLM's existing plan already takes into account cultural resources. He said there has been a push by environmentalists to tie Chaco to development in the Mancos shale more than 10 miles from the park.

Environmentalists have been calling for protections for the greater Chaco area, and Drangmeister said that expansive definition could put the whole San Juan Basin off limits.

The basin is one of the largest natural gas fields in the U.S. and has been in production for more than 60 years. More development is expected in some areas since technology is making it easier for energy companies to tap the region's oil resources.

Some archaeologists have theorized that Chaco's influence spread far and wide from its remote desert location. A World Heritage site, Chaco includes a series of great houses, or massive multistory stone buildings, some of which were oriented to solar and lunar directions and offered lines of sight between buildings to allow for communication.

Steve Lekson, a professor and curator at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, has spent years studying Chaco and its influence over the Southwest. He likened the process to learning how to play baseball after discovering home base and the pitcher's mound.

"You keep poking around and find more bases and the warning tracks and all that stuff. You need the whole picture to understand how the game is played," he said. "Of course, Chaco being a political system or major regional system is much more complicated than baseball. You need enough of the package intact so you can actually understand the structure of the thing."

Lekson and others said the hope that there's more to be discovered doesn't mean energy development should come to a halt.

"I don't think anybody is saying that, but we need to pay a lot of attention to how that's done and be cognizant of the larger issue," he said. "It shouldn't be a site-by-site thing."

The archaeologists' letter comes on the heels of a tour of the Chaco area by U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, and Interior Deputy Secretary Mike Connor. The two met with land managers and others after the tour.

Connor said there are Navajo allottees who want to develop their resources and other Native Americans who want to protect those resources.

"It's a balancing act throughout all of BLM's lands and I think Chaco is particularly unique," he said. "The more I learn about it, the more I was struck by the more we all have to learn."

Author: Susan Montoya Bryan | Source: The Associated Press [July 01, 2015]

A visit to Thotlakonda on Wednesday revealed that not much has changed during the last decade. The base of the main stupa has been damaged and heaps of damaged ancient bricks and material were seen lying at some places.

The centuries-old rock ‘thotlu’ (cisterns) with steps leading into them, for drawing of rain water, are still serving their purpose of collection of rain water. Tourists arriving by the AP Tourism buses are greeted by the monumental ruins and the sign boards and other amenities damaged by cyclone Hudhud in October last year.

One cannot, however, ignore the laying of roads, landscaping and provision of some basic amenities at Thotlakonda and Bavikonda by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) over a decade ago and works taken up in subsequent years.

The monuments can be protected only when scientific restoration is done to protect the stupas, chaityagrihas and relics discovered at the heritage sites. A proper coordination between the Archaeology and Tourism Departments and VUDA is needed for this purpose.

“The rich cultural heritage of Bhavikonda, Thotlakonda and Pavuralakonda, dating back to the 3rd century BC and the ashes of the Buddha, found in a Mahasthupa at Bavikonda, need to be protected. We cannot afford to lose them. Protecting them will also help tourism development in a big way,” says CII Vizag Chapter former chairman G. Sambasiva Rao.

“Thai tourists are willing to come here but there is no information on the Buddhist heritage sites available on the east coast, the Deputy Consul General (Commercial), Royal Thai (Chennai), Tharadol Thongruang”, said at a recent meeting organised by the CII in the city.

“Estimates have been sent for development of tourist information centres and public amenities at the Buddhist heritage sites at Thotlakonda and Bhavikonda in the city at an estimated cost of Rs.80 lakh and Rs.76 lakh respectively. Tenders will be called once the approval of the government was received,” Tourism General Manager G. Bheemasankara Rao told The Hindu recently.

Author: B. Madhu Gopal | Source: The Hindu [July 18, 2015]

It seems, however, that these social media applications do potentially more harm than good -- by allowing archaeology and the future of collective cultural heritage to be swept away by naive initiatives without strategic oversight. The archaeological record and the archaeological profession are at stake, local communities face unequal access to their own heritage and archaeologists themselves become all too often a subject of abuse and exploitation.

An article published today in Open Archaeology focuses on the current state of the social web in the development of archaeological practice, and reflects on various conscientious activities aimed both at challenging current online interactions, as well as at positioning archaeologists as more informed innovators of the web.

Sara Perry and Nicole Beale, both from The University of York, surveyed the field in search of active social web initiatives in archaeology, studying their development and evaluation and assessing their impacts on other people, on cultural heritage itself and on the world at large. They found out that archaeologists have been drawing on social media and crowdsourcing/crowdfunding tools since their appearance on the web, and also that despite this long history of involvement, there is little evidence that they are aware of their (often dangerous) impacts.

It seems that these social web applications have not only put archaeologists themselves in danger, exposing them to severe online harassment and abuse, but that they are also draw local communities into exploitative labour practices, and seemingly enable a devolution of responsibility for, and weakened oversight of, the archaeological record. In so doing, the use of the web appears to be relieving the government and the cultural custodians of their duties to protect and conserve the historic environment for the future.

The authors argue that archaeology could adopt a more obvious social justice stance, using web-based media to advocate for cultural change and to bring attention to the short-sighted politics which are threatening our collective cultural heritage.

Source: De Gruyter Open [May 27, 2015]

The pyramid-shaped temple, which was discovered in 1815, has sunk 20 centimeters on the northeastern side over the past few decades. Furthermore, stones are coming apart in extended areas of the southwestern side and on the stairs leading to the temple’s main building.

BPCB restoration working group chief Sudarno said the extensive damage had put the whole structure of the temple in danger.

“The current damage is the accumulation of damage [from previous years] and it’s dangerous. That’s why we’ve had to prioritize the restoration of the temple this year,” Sudarno said.

The restoration work, he went on, had officially begun on June 18 and would last for two years. To carry out the major project, the BPCB is working with a joint team comprising Borobudur temple conservation experts, Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University (UGM) archaeologists and structural engineering experts and geologists from the National Development University (UPN), also in Yogyakarta.

During the restoration, local authorities will close the temple’s 5,440-square-meter compound to the public for security reasons.

Located in Sukuh village, around 35 kilometers east of Surakarta, Central Java, Sukuh temple is perched at around 910 meters above sea level on the western slopes of Mount Lawu.

Archaeologists believe the Javanese-Hindu temple was constructed in the 15th century, probably at the end of the Majapahit Empire era (between 1293 and 1500 CE), thought to be represented in a relief depicting a giant eating a human.

The restoration of Sukuh will, according to Sudarno, be followed by the dismantling of the temple’s main structure for research purposes. The center of the pyramid remained uncharted territory, he said.

The earliest book about the temple, Proveener Beschrijpten op Soekoh en Cetho, which was written by Dutch archaeologist Van der Vlis in the mid 19th century, reported that the temple’s center was covered in concrete.

“So far we can only predict what is inside the central part of the temple, soil or stone,” Sudarno said.

This year, he added, the restoration work would be focused on dismantling and research, while next year was for reassembling. The estimated Rp 941 million (US$70,500) cost of this year’s restoration work, according to Sudarno, is met by the state budget through the Culture and Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry.

The head of BPCB’s cultural heritage protection, development and utilization section, Gutomo, said many temples in the region were in need of restoration following a devastating 2006 earthquake that hit Yogyakarta and parts of Central Java. Priority, he went on, was given to temples categorized as part of the national cultural heritage and those in dangerously poor condition.

Other temples undergoing restoration work this year include Plaosan, Sewu, Bubrah and Lumbung, all of which are located in the same area as Prambanan temple.

“These four temples are part of the Prambanan temple national heritage,” Gutomo said.

Author: Kusumasari Ayuningtyas | Source: The Jakarta Post [June 29, 2015]

The ICC-Angkor has convened regularly twice a year to consistently follow up on all operations being carried out on the site, the statement said, adding that it is the international mechanism for coordinating all assistance extended by different countries and organizations for preserving and developing the site.

The session will be opened by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An and UNESCO Representative in Cambodia Anne Lemaistre.

The two-day session "will be devoted to a number of presentations by specialists, featuring themes on restoration, archaeological research, tourism and sustainable development," the statement said.

The ICC-Angkor was established after the Angkor Archeological Park was inscribed in the UNESCO's World Heritage list on December 14, 1992.

The ancient site is the country's most popular tourist destination, which is located in Siem Reap province, some 315 km northwest of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

According to the latest government figures, the site attracted 842,719 foreign tourists in the first four months of this year, earning 24.1 million U.S. dollars from ticket sales.

Source: Xinhua [June 02, 2015]

Flanked by River Haro on the one side and Margalla Hills on the other, Taxila is a vast serial site that includes a Mesolithic cave and the archaeological remains of four early colony sites. “It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Asia,” according to UNESCO.

With so much to show the world, Taxila is ignored on the tourist map largely because of the country’s security situation, lack of tourism promotion, and privation of facilities in the city.

From the famous Grand Trunk (GT) Road, a small and poorly metalled road leads to Taxila Museum and the archaeological sites. The picturesque lush green natural landscape has changed dramatically over the last 25 years.

Unplanned houses, hand carts, shops and vendors’ stalls are the modern hallmarks of the area, instead of its previous relaxing and enjoyable natural beauty. The rapid urbanisation of the area and the plunder of the sites has cost the sites dearly and yet nobody pays attention to it.

The results are obvious. The Global Heritage Fund has identified Taxila as one of 12 sites worldwide that are “On the Verge” of irreparable loss and damage. The fund’s 2010 report attributes this irreparable loss to insufficient management, development pressure, looting, and war and conflict as primary threats.

Moving along the dusty and crowded Grand Trunk (GT) Road from Islamabad to Taxila, the monument of Brigadier general John Nicholson, a famous military figure of the British Empire, greets a visitor. The monument is located on the Margalla Hills — the gateway to Taxila.

The sighting of Nicholson’s monument takes the visitor instantaneously to the days of British Colonial Raj. The time when teams of archaeologists were digging around the town of Taxila in search of the lost civilisations. The finding has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“It’s the marvel Pakistan got from the British Colonial Raj and yet it has not properly promoted as a tourist destination,” said Javed Iqbal, an archaeologist. Taxila is one of the three top Pakistani archaeology sites including the ruins of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro — two of the main cities that comprise the Indus Valley Civilisation, he said.

Sir John Marshall, the director-general of the Archaeological Survey of India from 1902 to 1928, began the excavations at Taxila that continued for the next twenty years. In 1918, Marshall laid the foundation stone of the Taxila Museum to preserve the precious findings.

The museum is built in the middle of the archaeological site and has a rich collection of relics, artefacts, stupas, and stone and stucco sculptures from different Buddhist monasteries, Gandhara Art and the Kushana period. The Kingdom of Gandhara lasted from the Vedic period (1500-500 BC) as a centre of Graeco-Buddhism, Bactrian Zoroastrianism and Animism.

Ahmad Alamgir, another archaeologist and historian, who met me at the museum said that only one significant development had been carried out by the government of Pakistan in almost a century.

“Sir Marshall actually could not complete the original plan of the museum when he had to leave for England. After the creation of Pakistan, the government of Pakistan constructed the northern gallery of the museum in 1998 … and that’s it,” he said.

The museum has a number of galleries in which findings from the surrounding sites have been presented subject wise. There are lines of wall and table showcases in the galleries and a complete stupa, from the Buddhist monastery of Mohra Moradu, stands in the middle of the main hall of the museum.

A vast collection of stucco heads of Buddha showing different faces and styles is the main attraction for tourists. The big Buddha heads are typically Gandharan in style, according to the archaeologists.

City of Cut Stone

The historic town of Taxila, originally Takaśilā in Sanskrit  (meaning City of Cut Stone) is located around 35km from Islamabad just off the famous Grand Trunk Road. The city is still famous of its artisans, who keep their ancestors’ profession alive, by making stone sculptures, murals and panels.

They also produce flower pots, planters, fountains, garden ornaments, balusters, pillars and railings, and fire places. Taxila, according to historians, thrived from 518BC to 600AD. In 326BC Alexander the Great and his armies encountered charging elephants in battle against Hindu king Porus.

Before fighting the battle, Alexander marched through the city and was greeted by King Ambhi. In 300BC Taxila was conquered by the Mauryan Empire under Chandragupta Maurya that disintegrated the Bactrian Greeks, the successors of Alexander, in 190BC. Ashoka, the legendary king of India, ruled Taxila as governor under his father Bindusara’s rule. The city, which is a part of Rawalpindi district, is now a main industrial town of Pakistan with heavy machine factories and industrial complex, stoneware and pottery.

Author: Aftab Kazmi | Source: Gulf News [July 18, 2015]

City in a miniature

VIA «Entertaining ecology in Hamburg»

It doesn't matter how big your house is (even if it's the size of this one), how much it costs or even how much you are worth — the same rules for tree felling apply to everyone.

We're not just talking about the mechanics of lining up a cut and making sure it doesn't drop into your 24ft luxury swimming pool either, there is more to removing a tree than meets the eye.

The above will not make pleasant reading for a lot of property owners, who will have been looking for an excuse to fell a cumbersome tree on their land for years. Yes, they can add privacy, but they can also prevent development whether this is in relation to your garden or the house itself.

Therefore, if you are looking to rid your land of a troublesome tree, read on. The following checklist has been put together for any UK homeowner out there, but it's very likely that the same rules apply for most countries.

Rule #1 — Are you even allowed to fell the tree?

First and foremost, it’s all about legalities. You might own the most exclusive plot in town, but that doesn’t mean to say that you can do whatever you please with the tree. The UK has thousands of Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) and this means that permission has to be sought before you do anything that will drastically change the tree. The fact that this even includes pruning will tell you that most of the time, the thought of felling one is absolutely out of the question.

This is an occasion where bending the rules is pretty much unthinkable as well. It’s an offence to fell, or even do any work for that matter, on a tree protected by a TPO. Therefore, it doesn’t matter where you live, it’s generally not worth the aggravation and you’ll have to live with the tree for the foreseeable future (i.e., forever).

Rule #2 — Is it going to cause half your house to fall down?

In felling a tree, you also want to ensure that you don't fell your house. This might sound a bit over the top, but it really isn't. Additionally, we're not talking about the risks of the tree crushing your great big roof lights (although that's an obvious concern, as well).

Instead, we’re referring to the perils of subsidence. It’s an insurer’s worst nightmare and a lot of the time it’s related purely to the actions of the homeowner. Remove a tree anywhere near your home and you’ve just allowed an enormous amount of water, which the tree was previously using, to re-enter the soil and subsequently swell it. This can cause a whole host of problems and in the worst situations, it’s not been uncommon for houses to have to be rebuilt.

Rule #3 — Who will manage the whole process?

Once upon a time the only option would have been to take advantage of a professional tree felling service, as it simply wasn’t possible to source the specialist equipment on a domestic level. However, there are now numerous companies offering arborist clothing and machinery and this means that the DIY approach is entirely doable.

Whether you fancy getting your hands dirty is up to you. It will work out significantly cheaper to take this approach, although you’ll also have to factor in all of the calculations that are necessary when felling trees. On this note we should also remind readers that if you do get a calculation wrong, there’s every chance that one side of your house could be completely flattened. Therefore, make sure you read the appropriate literature before whipping out your chainsaw.

Rule #4 — What happens next?

No, this final rule isn’t like the famous part of ‘A Question of Sport’, but rather what is going to happen to the felled tree now? The answer to the above issue might have already covered it, as some companies will dispose of the tree for you.

However, if they don’t, you have a giant piece of lumbar in your back garden. Unless you need wood for your stove, it’s a nuisance to say the least. Moving it in one go is probably out of the question, while even sawing it up into tiny pieces will be too much for some. Unfortunately, it’s something else that has to be covered and this is exactly why, no matter what type of house you reside in, tree felling is never a simple topic and there is a boatload of planning required before even considering it.

VIA «Tree Felling 101 for the Lavish Property Owner»

The Architectural Heap

In the modern world you are surprised — as architects of the past could build approximately in one style, according to the general mood of an epoch, and consider it as art?

The original architectural project

In Competition on Originality there was a new applicant. Peking bureau MAD has offered the skyscraper project on which each floor gardens will blossom.
The basic feature of a design — not at height, and on horizontal saturation. The tower represents a heap of the floors, one on another where each layer will shift aside, thus creating open space for a patio and gardens. A 385-metre tower name Urban Forest.

Art Architecture in China

By the end of 2009 year architects plan to finish work on the design concept. The tower becomes the third studio in a portfolio. The studio offers new directions for development of city architecture in China. Namely actualization of ecologically steady multiplane structures which would return the nature in cities. The city of Chongking became the fourth on size a city of China in 1997.

VIA «The Architectural Chinese Greatness»

Historical artifacts were discovered during the construction of Silivri Energy A.Ş.’s wind power plant belonging to businessman Abdullah Tivnikli in the village last February.

Among the artifacts were many Hellenistic- and Roman-era tombs and one-meter walls. After the protection board failed to declare the area a first-degree archaeological site, the company reportedly suggested to the board: “We cannot protect the field against treasure hunters. Let’s pour concrete on it and build wind turbines on it.”

The suggestion provoked a heated discussion on the preservation board, with only Dr. Aslıhan Yurtsever Beyazıt speaking out against the proposal. While other members recommended documenting the findings before pouring concrete on the site, Beyazıt demanded examinations at the site, but no investigation has yet been conducted.

On June 15, 2011, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality made amendments to its master plan for the construction of the wind power plant close to Silivri’s Fener, Kurfallı and Akören villages. The amendment was approved by the Istanbul Municipal Council in 2012.

A decision was subsequently made to build 21 52.5 MW turbines on an area of 440,000 square meters. The company started the construction last year, while the archaeological artifacts were found on the land of two turbines at the beginning of this year.

The Istanbul Archaeology Museum was informed about the artifacts, and further excavations by museum officials unearthed valuable architectural remains dating back to the late Byzantine era in the 11th and 12th century A.D.

The presence of many Byzantine-era tombs in the immediate vicinity suggests there could be a monastery in the area, according to officials. “This is a very important development for Thrace and Istanbul archaeology. It should be declared a first-degree archaeological site immediately,” one of the officials said.

“Since brick pieces were not found in the remains of the wall and a roughhewn stone was seen, it might be a Roman-era settlement,” the Istanbul Archaeology Museum said in a statement. “The remains of a structure, which is made up of big block stones, is thought to have been a wall from the Hellenistic era. The area might have been a Hellenistic and Roman settlement because the ceramic pieces around this structure show Hellenistic and Roman-era characteristics. The area might have served as a graveyard in the Byzantine era.”

Author: Ömer Erbil | Source: Hurriyet Daily News [July 10, 2015]

Mons Claudianus is an area for granite quarries and houses a garrison, a quarrying site, a complete workers settlement with a horse stable and a granite water container.

Fragments of granite items have also been found, along with broken columns and a number of engraved ostraca (broken pottery).

Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamaty told Ahram Online that during the Roman era, the area was called Granodiorite and it was used as a mine to collect construction materials.

Author: Nevine El-Aref | Source: Ahram Online [July 02, 2015]

During its latest meeting in March, the international ICOMOS board was informed by the Bulgarian National Committee of ICOMOS about worrying trends in current policy approaches to conservation and restoration of cultural heritage sites in the country.

According to the report, these approaches had considerably and visibly endangered a number of cultural monuments in Bulgaria.

ICOMOS was particularly concerned that these policies could negatively affect the Bulgarian cultural properties designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The organisation understood that these approaches were motivated by an effort to support regional development by increasing cultural tourism.

However this had resulted in a large-scale conjecture-based reconstructions on top of the ruins of archaeological sites, which had compromised the authenticity of the monuments.

ICOMOS warned that the replacement of original structures falsified history and could prevent further scientific research.

According to the organisation, such reconstructions violated the internationally accepted scientific approaches to conservation.

ICOMOS called on Bulgaria to take three steps in ensuring a sustainable policy in the field of heritage protection, which is based on internationally acknowledged principles of conservation.

Firstly, Bulgaria should end the ongoing conjecture-based reconstructions and ensure that all future conservation and restoration works in the country proceed according to accepted principles.

Next, the country should guarantee the involvement of experts in the national procedures for calls for tender under the EU operational programmes.

Lastly, Bulgaria should establish a continuous training programme in the field of heritage conservation directed at improving the capacity of local authorities.

ICOMOS expressed its willingness to help Bulgarian cultural authorities and its readiness to organise an on-site mission to the country.

Source: Novinite [May 11, 2015]

Musical Zenith

VIA «Foster + Partners have reincarnated in Zenith»

The Unique Cultural Center

In Ávila (Spain) are opening a new cultural center Centro Niemeyer constructed under the project of well-known Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

Oscar Niemeyer Presents...

The spiral staircase begins outside, at ground level, then deduces in premises and further into the attic hall. The unique design is only a part of the future complex, the project is in expectation of the gradual grandiose realization.

Organizers hope that the unusual object will represent itself as a magnet for the best samples of world culture, planning development of talents, knowledge and various niches of creative activity.

Except art showrooms and speech auditorium, in Centro Niemeyer are provided: the cinema hall, rehearsal rooms, conference halls and public zones. The author's plan — the centre opens doors into culture in all its directions, forms, traditions and styles: music, theater, cinema, exhibitions in the open air, live conferences and various educational programs.

VIA «Unique Cultural Center [Ávila, Spain]»

Heritage Malta said the shelter, consisting of a metal frame with a specialised fabric stretched over it, will protect the temple remains from the sun and rain, effectively breaking the heating/cooling, wetting/drying cycles which harm the soft globigerina limestone. This will ensure long-term effective protection from the major causes of deterioration.

The protective shelter is the last of a long list of activities on this site which included conservation-related studies, three-dimensional documentation, archaeological excavations as well as the building of a new and extended walkway which is fully accessible.

The works were carried out as part of the Archaeological Heritage Conservation Project, partly funded through European Regional development Funds (Cohesion Policy 2007-2013), which also included major works on conservation and visitor facilities at Ġgantija and St Paul's Catacombs.

Source: Times of Malta [June 03, 2015]

The Australian architectural studio «Lyons» has finished building a ultra-modern medical complex «John Curtin School of Medical Research». The unique architectural building expressively reflects progressive methods of work and aspiration to innovative processes.

In the medical center based on base of the Australian National University in Canberra are based: research laboratories, medical clinics, health care offices, hall for teaching lectures and the world seminars.

The Innovative Australian Medical Center

Dynamical architectural forms of a building draw attention of the public and personify development and movement. The translucent structure provide premises with necessary quantity of natural illumination in stylistics of fine style of Art Deco. However especially effectively unusual building to the evening.

The impressing effect amplifies contrast of black elements of a facade and snow-white internal panels, which simultaneously open to a sight at certain points of view of it unique building.

VIA «Unusual Medical Complex (Australia)»

Jennifer Lawrence

It's confirmed. Jennifer Lawrence has been cast as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games. Hitler has won. The Aryan super race are taking over. A little dramatic? Not when casting directors choose a blonde, buxom, pale-skinned actress to play a character blatantly described as someone with olive skin and dark features. It seems The Hob's article on whitewashing the role of Katniss was right on the money. Look, don't get me wrong, I think Lawrence is one of the most talented actors of my generation — her performance in Winter's Bone was incredible and she carried Lori Petty's The Poker House. But she's not Katniss. Or maybe I'm just being an obsessive fan? Meh, I just think Emma Roberts or Jodelle Ferland would have been better choices.

I first picked up the news over at Screen Rant and with this latest development, I think it's safe to say the filmmakers will be going with older-looking actors for Peeta and Gale — given Lawrence is 20 already and the film's a whole year off from release. Which means the smart money would be on Alex Pettyfer and Thomas McDonell for Peeta and Gale respectively. The only casting I'm interested in now is Prim and Haymitch *grumble grumble*.

With my last few Hunger Games posts I've included some of the rad fan art I've found online, and this is definitely another gem courtesy of the talented Elontirien over at Deviant Art. It's Katniss and Rue in the arena sharing the Gosling. High five.

VIA The Aryans Descend

Cleanliness — health pledge!

VIA «Pressure Washers by Karcher»

Alice In Wonderland: Johnny Depp

Weirdo. Loner. Outsider. These are some of the terms director Tim Burton uses to describe himself. You will notice `creative genius’ isn’t one of them, however, the term is being thrust upon on the quirky filmmaker thanks to Tim Burton: The Exhibition which opened at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne on Thursday. The show is an extension of an exhibition curated by the Performance Center Alexanderhoehe, Iserlohn (Germany), which attracted more than 850, 000 visitors and made it the third largest exhibit at MoMA ever, behind Picasso and Matisse.

It is a remarkable feat for someone who is firstly, not a mainstream artist, and secondly, alive.

“Most of this stuff was never meant to really be seen,” says Burton, sitting cross-legged in an ACMI room in his signature uniform of black jeans, a black shirt and black oversized cardigan. His famous curly hair frizzes out at all ends and his hands, fluid and always moving, add to its state by running through it as he describes the `freedoms’ of being labelled a weirdo.
“As soon as society says you’re a weirdo, then you’re a weirdo, whether you like it or not,” says the 51-year-old.
“After a certain time you just accept it and it gives you a sense of freedom because if you want to wear a bag over your head society will just accept it because they thought you were weird anyway.
“Like when I was at Disney they thought I was weird, so I would work under my desk for half the day.
“Sometimes if they couldn’t find me I’d just be in a dark cupboard working, like my private confessional.
“So there’s an amount of freedom when you’re categorised a certain way. “
Growing up in Burbank, California, Tim Burton was fascinated by the visual image and spent his formative years sketching, painting, animating and filming what he saw around him.
“When you circle outside of society, when you’re kind of, you’re not in there, you’re looking at things,” he says.
“A lot of it has to do with feeling out of society so you have a lot more observation.”
These observations make up the first part of the exhibit, Surviving Burbank, and include, among dozens of sketches and early short films, a handmade book he submitted to Disney in the 1970s and the accompanying rejection letter. Several years later Burton achieved his goal and began working at Disney’s Burbank studios as an animator. Some of his early work for the company was as on family hits The Black Cauldron and The Fox and the Hound, which Burton physically shudders remembering.
“I was never good at drawing foxes, especially the cute ones,” he says.
“That’s why I can’t look at the exhibit because it freaks me out too much.
“I know they’ve done a good job, but it’s like seeing your dirty laundry hanging up. “`Oh there’s my underwear from 1973 and there’s some dirty socks.’

Personal embarrassment aside, the exhibition is an in-depth look at the creative processes and twisted imagination of Burton, featuring more than 700 works including drawings, early films, sculptures, concept art, installations, puppets, costumes and cinematic ephemera. The second part of the exhibition, Beautifying Burbank, follows Burton’s step away from the Disney studio and his first early film and animation works, including his rarely seen Japanese kung-fu version of Hansel and Gretel and better known works Frankenweenie and Vincent, the latter based around one of Burton’s great inspirations — horror movie icon Vincent Price.

The final section, Beyond Burbank, looks at his feature film career, which has spanned over two decades. From his early works, such as Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands, to more recent films like Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, Burton has made the leap from cult to commercially successful filmmaker. His latest film, Alice In Wonderland, has grossed more than $1 billion at the international box office and gone on to become the fifth highest grossing film of all time. But Burton is quick to write-off his recent success and says if spending half his lifetime in the movie-making business has taught him anything, it is that filmmaking is a `humbling process’.

“I remember after making Batman I thought `oh, that was a success, I can go and do anything now’,” he says.
“And so I went and pitched them Edward Scissorhands and they gave me a completely blank look.
“Nobody wanted to do that and nobody wanted to do Ed Wood, so I had to go about it in other ways.
“Then I remember pitching a musical version of The House Of Wax with Michael Jackson that he was into but they, the studio, were definitely not into.
“It’s always a struggle to make a film.”

Despite the many `challenges’ faced when trying to get a project off the ground, Burton says he has faith that everything works out for a reason. He cites the studio not letting him have Sammy Davis Jr play Beetlejuice as an example, because `it opened the door for Michael Keaton’ who also went on to play Batman in Burton’s two adaptations of the comic book superhero. Another near-miss occurred when, after three hours of auditioning, Burton talked a young Tom Cruise out of wanting the role of Edward Scissorhands, which was later filled by Johnny Depp, who has become a frequent collaborator and one of Burton’s closest friends. Failed projects and major successes go hand in hand for Burton, who says he has learned `not to regret anything’.

“I don’t really regret, it’s always important not to,” he says.
“Every movie I’ve done, whether it’s turned out or not, I’ve still enjoyed aspects of it, you know?
“I mean I think the one I got the most slack with is Planet Of The Apes because that was messing with a classic.
“But I still enjoyed seeing talking apes."

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the 2.7kg costume Depp wore in Edward Scissorhands (above), which is stationed at the entrance to the exhibit along with one of the scissor hands on display in a glass cabinet. Other featured works which will have the legions of Burtonites, the name given to passionate Tim Burton fans, gushing is the famous outfit Michelle Phfieffer wore as Catwoman in Batman Returns, original puppets from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas borrowed from the Disney archives, costumes and sketches from Alice In Wonderland and the Burtonarium, a carnival tent buried deep within the exhibit which houses a light emitting sculptural work by Burton called Carousel (pictured at the very bottom).

ACMI Head of Exhibitions Conrad Bodman says the `diversity’ of the exhibits represents Burton as a filmmaker and goes a long way to explaining his loyal fan base.

“One of the things that Tim has always done is work across a range of film genres - action films, animated films, family films, horror films - and I think all of those types of films have different audiences and when you pull all those inspirations together in the one place, people want to come,” he says.
“What we’re showing in the exhibition is a lot of original concept artwork for his major feature films and we’re kind of looking at the process of his feature filmmaking over the years.
“People can see that often the hand drawn is the starting point for some ideas and then that turns into a visual reality for a whole process of development.
“Tim still does a lot of that kind of drawing, painting and making puppets for himself and people will be fascinated to see that process in action.”

Unlike many other filmmakers, Burton says he has been able to maintain his artistic integrity and stay connected to his creative roots by separating himself from the industry.

“I don’t live in Hollywood,” he says.
“I moved away many years ago and once you start doing things they try to treat you as a commodity, a thing.
“You know, you spend your whole life to be recognised as a human being and then they try to tag you as a thing.
“Like `oh, you’ve done this and that’s what we expect’ so I don’t go back and look at my films too much because I try not to become a `thing’.
“I try to keep human... no person or people should be described as one thing.
“I think everybody has lots of different aspects to their personality.
“Some are dark, funny, sad, there are so many words for each person.”

Considering Melbourne was originally to be called Batmania, after one of it’s founders John Batman, it seems appropriate that it is to be the home of Tim Burton: The Exhibition, which runs until October 11. Already ACMI has experienced a fevour amongst Burton’s Australian fans, with all of his public appearances selling out within 24 hours of going on sale and hundreds of fans queuing through Federation Square to be the first to enter the exhibit when it opened on Thursday and have copies of the exhibition guide signed by Burton himself. It is ironic that his work and films are so accepted by the society he once considered himself `outside’ of. It is a phenomenon best summed up by Burton’s partner and regular collaborator Helena Bonham Carter, with whom he has two children. In a book on the art of Tim Burton she says: “When I see him surrounded by flushed and hyperventilating young fans I feel it’s a triumph of the lonely misunderstood outsider child he once felt he was. Now he’s the most understood misunderstood person I’ve come across in the world.”

In the meantime Burton says he is enjoying a lull between live action projects, while busying himself with a feature-length adaptation of Frankenweenie (concept art), due for release next year. He emphasises the stop-motion animated film is the only project he is working on and committed to, despite online reports which have linked him to adaptations of The Addams Family and super-natural TV series Dark Shadows, both which he blatantly denies were ever `considered’.

“That’s why I never go on the internet because it always seems like I have some sort of evil clone out there that is doing all these projects,” he says.
“I’m still recovering from the last one.
“Whenever I read this stuff I get tired, I think `God, I must be busy’.
“The studios often have a release date before they have a script, which is such a mistake.
“I’m trying to get out of that and, you know, into this strange concept of having a script before you announce a release date.”

P.S. I did the good Samaritan thing on Sunday and took some boys I babysit to see The Karate Kid. Considering what I endured sitting through that movie, karma better have a pet unicorn heading my way! And while you're in the laughing mood, you must must must watch the video clip for The Karate Kid theme song: Never Say Never by Justin Bieber, featuring rapping from Jaden Smith. Hopefully this is not an indication that Smith will make a rap song to accompany every movie he makes, just like his dad. But seriously, when you look young standing next to Justin Bieber then it's time to stop rapping and get back in the womb.

VIA Picasso, Matisse and... Tim Burton!..