npj Heritage Science

Abstract Linear cultural heritage is shaped not only by spatial continuity, but also by the coupling of cultural significance, ecological support and historical narrative. Here, we develop a dual-value–multilayer network framework to construct heritage narrative corridors along the Jinzhong–Taiyuan section of the Great Tea Road. We evaluate 589 heritage sites by historical-cultural and ecological…

Abstract This study investigates facade-scale photogrammetric material mapping of architectural heritage under constrained survey conditions. High-resolution orthophotos derived from terrestrial image acquisition were analyzed using a color-encoded Pixel Texture Segmentation (PTS) framework comprising eight material classes. To complement qualitative inspection, a region-of-interest (ROI)-based q…

Soot can cause strong attenuation and baseline distortion in the reflectance spectra of mural pigments. We present a reliability-oriented decision framework for interpreting VNIR–SWIR reflectance spectra using normalized first derivative features. Channel-specific effective identification thresholds for VNIR and SWIR are derived from robust statistics of soot baselines. Spectra that pass the thre…

Abstract Revealing the spatial patterns of cultural heritage and their driving factors is crucial for formulating protection policies. This study employs Geographic Information System technology and applies the “Pattern Description - Factor Explanation - Strategy Response” framework to explore the spatial patterns, driving factors, and implications for the protection of cultural heritage in the T…

Ancient cultural ruins, as tangible evidence of human-environment interaction, provide invaluable historical insights and critical resources for addressing global challenges like climate change and population growth. However, most ruins are indistinguishable and challenging to identify, as they have merged with the surrounding sediments through prolonged natural accumulation and anthropogenic act…

Paper-based cultural relics are damaged by pest infestations. Traditional pest control methods often suffer from long cycles, low efficacy, or potential harm to the paper substrate. This study investigates the insecticidal and protective effects of Na₂B₈O₁₃·4H₂O on key pests, including Lasioderma serricorne, Tribolium castaneum, and Oryzaephilus surinamensis. Among several materials tested, Na₂B₈…

Abstract The evolution of museum lighting guidelines and the characteristics of 15 guidelines are examined with regard to the increasing emphasis on a balance between cultural heritage preservation and accessibility, considering the objects‘ materials and cultural significance, the visitor’s visual abilities, the presentation environment, the number of light sensitivity categories, illuminance le…

Abstract This study investigates the functional and symbolic roles of ceramic vessels from Early Iron Age funerary contexts at Domasław (Lower Silesia, Poland). We analysed 40 ritual-type objects against a comparative set of 34 standard cemetery vessels, integrating archaeological context with GC–MS organic residue analysis and multivariate statistics (PERMANOVA, NMDS, LEfSe). Presence/absence da…

Abstract The Moravian community settled in North Carolina in 1753, and local ceramic production soon began in Bethabara, with the opening of the first pottery workshop in 1756. However, by 1771, the main ceramic activity had moved to Salem. This study examines the exploratory approach to raw materials that characterised the work of the first two master potters: Gottfried Aust (1722–1788), who was…

To support the scientific restoration of Sunjialou Cultural Relic Building (Nanyang City), optical microscopy was employed to identify the timber species of key wooden components. The results are as follows: (1) Timbers belong to four families and five genera including Larix sect. Multiseriales, Pinus sect. Cembra, Cunninghamia lanceolata, Quercus sect. Cerris, and Ulmus sect. Madocarpus. (2) Tim…

Abstract This paper provides a first insight into Baumeister’s painting materials as part of the project “Innovation or Replacement? Art Technological Investigations of Willi Baumeister’s Paintings (1930–1955)” . A non-destructive, in situ multi-analytical approach, combining multiband technical imaging, hyperspectral imaging (HSI), macro-X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF), external reflectance Fourier-…

Incense has played an important role in the economy, culture, and rituals of several ancient civilizations. One constituent is the rare marine animal product ambergris. However, no physical evidence of its use in ancient China has been found until now. In this study, organic extracts of soil from twenty-one bronzeware Dings and control samples from Wuwangdun Tomb No. 1 were analyzed using gas chr…

Abstract Cultural routes, once valued as heritage corridors, are increasingly experienced as tourism destinations composed of multiple attractions. Unlike work centered on tourists’ subjective motivations, this study examines how objective destination attributes shape tourist visitation along routes. Using the Kumano Kodo (Japan), 24,569 geo-tagged Flickr records quantify visitation patterns. Top…