Nonheritage

Nonheritage refers to objects, places, practices, or knowledge that do not have recognized cultural, historical, or symbolic significance as heritage within a community or heritage framework. The term is not a formal category in most official designations, but it is used to contrast items that are not selected or preserved as heritage assets with those that are.

In heritage studies and policy, decisions about preservation rely on criteria such as significance to a community, historical value, rarity, continuity, and authenticity. By these standards, many everyday items and contemporary developments fall into nonheritage, meaning they are not safeguarded by formal protective regimes or inscription programs. The boundary is not immutable: changing social values, scholarly attention, or new narratives can elevate items from nonheritage toward heritage status or at least toward increased recognition.

Examples of nonheritage might include a newly built generic shopping center, a mass-produced design without distinctive local meaning, or cultural expressions without known transmission. Nonheritage is not inherently devoid of value; such items may still have functional, aesthetic, economic, or educational importance, or may acquire heritage significance in the future as they become part of collective memory.

Critiques of the nonheritage label emphasize that heritage value is fluid and profoundly dependent on community priorities, power relations, and historical context. The term can be controversial when used to dismiss contemporary culture as disposable, or when it obscures emerging forms of significance.

See also: Heritage, Cultural heritage, Conservation, Intangible heritage, Preservation.