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Cultural heritage (CH) is a unique expression of human achievement which is endangered today. The world is losing many monuments and sites more rapidly than it can even be documented. Its documentation, pro-tection, and proper management are critical to enabling the scholars of heritage to study and interpret it, on behalf of and for the benefit of present and future generations. Documentation prior to any intervention in the CH is now an integral part of any conservation and preventive plan and process. It is also an essential prereq-uisite to form a comprehensive understanding of cultural significance and factors affecting CH conditions. As a baseline, surveying, recording, and documentation are critical for monitoring changes over time, degrada-tion, modifications and/or conservation intervention in addition to risk assessment and mitigation. This an-thology will review 50 International Charters, Conventions and Principles along nine decades (1930-2020) and will highlight 27 out of them related to documentation, recording and surveying. More analytically, this study reviewed 13 charters of the 27 from the period from the 30’s to the 90’s of the 20th Century, another 14 from the first and second decades of the new millennium (2000-2020), four significant publications on «recording» from English Heritage, initiatives of CIPA and Getty Conservation Institute, and the 10 representative docu-ments of the second decade of the New Millennium together with one notable publication of CIPA. The paper aims to present a critical review, assessment and investigation of these International Charters, Conventions and Principles related to the three main terms; surveying, recording, and documentation of CH. They will be discussed within the conservation, monitoring and management scope, from data collection to data sharing. The paper will trace the evolving conception of these terms and their interplay in the aforementioned Charters.

Door locking is the mechanism for access, control and security that relies on a veiled knowledge of mechanics. However, as a symbol of power, authority, wealth and stature, it can reveal many cultural, economic and social practices and habits. The subject of ancient classical technology of door locking progress mechanisms is full of interest, and has received the considerable attention during the last two centuries including recent years. However, it has not been until now subject of many scholarly studies, that examine issues such as types, operational function and mechanism technology, access feature and security, and manufacturing based on recent archaeological data and findings. This paper attempts to present a comparative critical assessment and investigation of the mechanical and typological evaluation technology, mainly of the so-called Homeric, the simple and smart Hellenistic tumbler Laconian, in addition to the main advanced and elegant door Roman locking with spring mechanism. The paper shall address mainly the Hellenistic gap in material studies, according to recent archaeological records and findings. It suggests that door locking utilizing spring technology is Hellenistic and not Roman as it was believed. In addition the paper attempts to clarify and present some new aspects and suggestions of several misunderstandings about the locking systems origin and the know-how of controlling the sliding bolt horizontal movement. These aspects will be critically discussed and clarified through 2D and 3D graphical reconstructions and models.

The Nabataeans were highly creative in their adaptation of the Greco-Roman construction techniques. Based on their specific natural resources and lexicon of architectural elements, the Nabataeans thus developed their own techniques. Indeed, the size and elaborate nature of many of their monuments would require such innovations, as physically manifested in the two vertical rows of slots located on the recessed back face wall on either side of the façade of el-Khazneh in Petra in Jordan. These slots have been a matter of some debate on whether their function was for footholds or for scaffolding. Though the slots have been discussed in passing, no scholar has made the in-depth critical investigation in determining their proper technical and functional approach with reference to their preserved fully recorded dimensions. Thanks to a recent study using a combination of 3D laser scanner and reflector-less total station, we now have precise measurements of the well preserved individual slots. This article is concerned with the particular case of these slots. A detailed examination of these slots in relation to their size and depth, position and arrangement within the façade, probably credits their use, both, as foot holes, and as supports for a smart and simple scaffolding structure. The paper suggests and exemplifies that, these slots are part of an authentic Nabataean construction technique, and they were the foundations used to fix a wooden lightweight socket in a diagonal changeabla cantilever scaffolding. This new assumption is supported with schematic sections and illustrations showing alternative combinations of the cantilever scaffolding at different slot heights, using the embedded putlog and diagonal bracing on which the planks are held. Thus, providing the basis for further research, hopefully encouraging a further knowledge of Nabataean scaffolding construction techniques of rock-cut architecture.

This article is concerned with the particular case of the semi-cylindrical barrel vaulted Macedonian tomb of "Eurydice", the earliest known Macedonian contribution to the development of vaulted Hellenistic architecture and structure. This tomb is considered as a critical case in the problematic chronology of barrel vault application in early Hellenistic architecture (around 340 BCE), represented by the Macedonian tombs. Still, perhaps the most striking features of the tomb– the physical structures of the barrel vault – have not been subjected to geometrical and engineering structural analysis. The paper’s scope focuses on the structural assessment of Eurydice tomb construction. The paper primary objectives are to develop an understanding of the structural mechanics of Eurydice barrel vault within the supporting bearing walls, and to investigate the tomb unique geometrical and structural design. In order to accomplish this task, a general historical and structural behavior study was carried out regarding the barrel vault and its geometry, by following the theories developed by recent researchers, in order to compare these results and to rationalize them in this unique example of Eurydice tomb. Mainly, to undertake a task, that till now, was never accomplished. The results of this work show that Eurydice tomb exhibits such a high structural integrity and strength, demonstrating the ability of early Hellenistic architects to construct extremely safe barrel vaulting structures. The paper also argues that, the tomb architect was familiar with the main theoretical laws of structural force mechanics of the barrel vault, which were commonly accredited to the Romans, and that were later on revived until the 18th century.

Despite the rising commodification of heritage sites and practices, children engagement in their own cultures remains incredibly low, greatly endangering the future preservation of nations’ unique nonrenewable resource. Considering children’s very early engagement with cultural attitudes and identities, it is increasingly critical to develop a deeply rooted culture of responsibility and conservation from the earliest years, ensuring that children naturally feel invested in their surroundings. Unfortunately, heritage education remains largely undervalued, with most efforts relying on in-person experiences in formal cultural institutions. This paper thus aims to explore how heritage education can be redefined, using some of the most innovative virtual imaging and artificial reality technologies to at once expand access and engagement with one’s own history. Though there have been introductory applications of this edutainment multimedia technology, it will require a multidisciplinary team to create heritage programming which is as entertaining as it is intellectually challenging for young children. With the rich resources of 3D imaging and interactive programming already at our disposal, we are well-equipped to do so, given a coordinated effort.