Journal of Cultural Heritage

Journal of Cultural Heritage
Title	Journal of Cultural Heritage
Discipline	Cultural heritage conservation
Abbreviation	J. Cult. Herit.
Publisher	Elsevier
History	2000–present
Frequency	Bimonthly
ISSN	1296-2074

Journal of Cultural Heritage The Journal of Cultural Heritage is an international peer-reviewed periodical covering conservation, restoration, and management of tangible and intangible World Heritage assets, archaeological Pompeii remains, and museum collections such as those in the Louvre, British Museum, and Metropolitan Museum of Art. It addresses practical and theoretical issues relevant to professionals at institutions like the International Council on Monuments and Sites, ICOMOS, and UNESCO, and relates to conservation case studies from sites including Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, and Stonehenge.

Overview

The journal publishes original research, technical reports, and reviews dealing with material culture from contexts such as the Acropolis of Athens, Taj Mahal, Petra, Terracotta Army, and Statue of Liberty, targeting audiences at bodies like the Getty Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, and European Commission. Each issue often includes contributions referencing methodologies used at laboratories such as the Rijksmuseum Conservation Department, J. Paul Getty Museum Conservation, and university centres at Oxford University, University of Cambridge, and Harvard University.

Scope and Aims

The journal focuses on conservation science applied to artefacts from sites like Çatalhöyük, Göbekli Tepe, and Ephesus, studies of architectural heritage such as Notre-Dame de Paris and Hagia Sophia, and museology topics relevant to institutions including the Vatican Museums and Hermitage Museum. It aims to bridge research from disciplines represented by centres like Max Planck Society, CNRS, and Smithsonian Institution with practice in organizations such as ICOM and legal frameworks like the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

History and Development

Established in 2000, the journal emerged amid rising interest following events involving the Iraq War, the looting of the National Museum of Iraq, and increased activity from UNESCO and ICOMOS in the early 21st century. Its development parallels initiatives like the formation of the Getty Conservation Institute programmes, the recovery efforts after the Great Sphinx restorations, and international collaborations among universities including University College London, University of York, and Sapienza University of Rome.

Editorial Board and Peer Review

The editorial board has historically included scholars and practitioners affiliated with institutions such as the École du Louvre, University of Bologna, Columbia University, Princeton University, and research institutes like the National Autonomous University of Mexico and Chinese Academy of Sciences. Peer review follows standards common to publishers like Elsevier and editorial policies aligned with bodies such as the Committee on Publication Ethics and funding agencies such as the European Research Council.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is indexed in major services and databases used by scholars at organizations like Scopus, Web of Science, CrossRef, and library consortia including OCLC and the Library of Congress. Abstracting facilitates discoverability for researchers at universities such as University of Oxford, Stanford University, and University of Melbourne and for professionals at institutions like the British Library and Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Impact and Reception

The journal has been cited in conservation reports from entities including the Getty Conservation Institute, policy papers by UNESCO, and case studies used by museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and National Gallery, London. Its impact metrics are tracked by services like Journal Citation Reports and influence debates alongside publications from the Conservation Advisory Council and proceedings of conferences such as the ICOM General Conference.

Notable Articles and Special Issues

Notable articles have covered major conservation campaigns at sites such as Pompeii, Alhambra, Amphitheatre of El Jem, and investigations into pigments on works by artists in collections like the Uffizi Gallery and Prado Museum. Special issues have addressed themes connected to international events including the aftermath of the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris after the 2019 fire, and heritage challenges related to the Syrian Civil War and protection efforts for objects from the Palmyra complex.

Category:Cultural heritage journals