Archaeologies

Seyfi, Serpil

doi: 10.1007/s11759-026-09559-xpmid: N/A

With digitalization and globalization, all life practices around the world are changing rapidly. Consequently, there are fundamental changes in the preservation, transmission, and experience of intangible cultural heritage, which centers on art and humanity. Analyzing these fundamental changes and addressing academic and social trends related to the subject plays a key role in achieving a sustainable world. The aim of this study is to analyze academic trends, technologies used, and interdisciplinary studies conducted from the perspective of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Digitalization. The Web of Science database was used to collect research data. The data were examined using bibliometric analysis, a quantitative research method. The research found that there have been major changes in the interaction between digitalization and intangible cultural heritage over the years. It revealed that in recent years, the digitalization process has transformed intangible cultural heritage beyond a “technical recording process” into a new ecosystem, experience, and production.

Ombori, Titus Luomba

doi: 10.1007/s11759-026-09558-ypmid: N/A

Chief Mkwawa’s skull, housed at the Kalenga Museum located in the Kalenga administrative ward, approximately 15 km from Iringa town along the highway to Ruaha National Park in Tanzania, symbolises anti-colonial resistance in Tanzania. This article examines the legal and ethical dimensions of the heritage ownership dispute between the Tanzanian government, which claims rights under the Antiquities Act, and the Mkwawa family and Hehe community, who seek custodial rights based on cultural traditions. It analyses the interplay between ritual practices and cultural tourism, emphasising tensions arising from existing heritage legislation and museum operations. The article proposes a multi-stakeholder heritage management model to reconcile competing interests, promote sustainable cultural tourism, and ensure effective heritage preservation.