Current Dynamics of Heritage Values in the Americas

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Current Dynamics of Heritage Values in the Americas" at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Heritage concerns the transmission of history, cultural traditions, and landscapes from the past into the present. Heritage can take many forms (tangible, intangible, natural). The heritage concept was developed in the nineteenth century by nation-states making heritage designations linked to provisions for funding and protection. In recent years, this top-down management of heritage has been challenged by numerous bottom-up movements of local groups who demand to be partners in determining what their heritage is and acquiring associated government support. This session brings together diverse case studies from the Americas: five papers discuss precontact archaeological heritage in Peru from the perspectives of archaeologists, local communities, and regional governments developing strategies for public education and protection of heritage sites and objects. One paper explores a Maya artist’s discoveries of how to reproduce ancient Maya turquoise pigment from plant extracts. Two discussants will outline patterns in the papers and add reflections on heritage from a landscape perspective in the American Southwest. The year 2020 adds new questions regarding the pandemic’s role in impacting and changing the values and management of heritage. Specifically, we ask: Can heritage be successfully communicated online or is a hands-on, personal experience part of its definition?