Heritage Conservation and Conservation Ethics

The seminar gives an introduction to the field of heritage conservation. Students will receive a general introduction to the way conservators look at historic objects and practical examples will be used to show the various values of historic objects and the consequences of treatment. The central aspect will be the evaluation and determination of object’s values that are relevant for decisions on preservation with focus on European standards.

In addition to introducing different councils and institutions, constitutions and Chartas, we will talk about their goals, and how these are rooted in the values of historic objects – where does their mandate to protect monuments or objects come from? How are the objectives defined: conservation and restoration in opposition to refurbishment or reconstruction?

The goal will be to show students the commitment and compromise necessary in this line of work – consulting both natural and cultural sciences, requiring knowledge of the humanities as well as economic aspects, and communicating between engineers and the skilled crafts. To enable the students for working and collaborating in this field, at the end of the semester they will have a catalogue of questions how to approach objects and topics connected to heritage, a checklist of values that might be relevant for decisions and a glossary of technical terms used in the heritage field.