Current Approaches, Solutions and Practices in Conservation of Cultural Heritage
The Written Word and Its Multiple Roles in Cultural Heritage
Sofia MoreiraThe written word is a means of communication that has been with us through millennia in very different forms, from scientific reports to drama pieces, novels, and other forms of register. Concerning its role in cultural heritage (CH), the written word plays several different roles. In this chapter, we plan on examining three roles this form of register can play in the context of CH: firstly, as one of the examples of a possible cultural artifact, and therefore as an object of research; secondly, as the basis of research in matters regarding cultural heritage as the preliminary and mandatory step of literature review and, finally, as one of the possible mechanisms used in the conservation and preservation of cultural heritage. We will begin with an introduction and a reflection on the concept of CH, passing through several definitions, the difference between tangible and intangible artifacts, and how the written word is placed in these two categories. We’ll show not only how it’s a very nuanced element of cultural heritage, by the multiple roles it plays and its multiplicity inside each of the parts, but also how the written word is present in every single part of the process of conservation, making possible for future generations to understand where they come from.
