kulturarvssammenheng

Kulturarvssammenheng is a concept in cultural heritage discourse describing the contextual framework for understanding and managing cultural heritage objects, sites, and practices. It emphasizes that value and meaning arise from connections to history, place, communities, and ongoing use, not from isolated artifacts.

It comprises physical setting (location, landscape, built environment), historical context (time periods, events, processes shaping the object), social context (communities, identities, memories), and interpretive context (how heritage is presented and experienced in museums, exhibitions, media, and education).

By foregrounding context, kulturarvssammenheng guides preservation and interpretation, supports inclusive participation, and helps avoid decontextualization or fragmented narratives. It frames decisions in conservation, documentation, and communication around the wider networks of meaning tied to a heritage object or site.

Practically, the concept is used in archaeology, museology, landscape planning, and heritage management. Methods include archival and field research, surveys, stakeholder engagement, and analysis of landscapes to map relevant contexts; it also encompasses intangible heritage such as practices, skills, and knowledge linked to places.

Because knowledge evolves, kulturarvssammenheng is dynamic and subject to revision as new evidence or perspectives emerge, underscoring ongoing collaboration between experts and communities.