Adulteration of cultural heritage

Acculturation as a dilution of cultural heritage

Nature

This process of cultural change involves the assimilation by one group or member of a group of the cultural patterns of another group, thus diluting their own cultural heritage.

Background

The adulteration of cultural heritage emerged as a global concern in the late 20th century, as international bodies like UNESCO documented increasing cases of falsification, inappropriate restoration, and commercialization of historic sites and artifacts. Heightened awareness followed high-profile incidents, such as the misrepresentation of ancient monuments and the proliferation of counterfeit antiquities, prompting scholarly debate and international conventions. Recognition of the problem has since deepened, highlighting its threat to cultural identity and historical authenticity worldwide.

Incidence

Adulteration of cultural heritage is a pervasive issue affecting sites, artifacts, and traditions across continents, with incidents reported in both developed and developing nations. The problem spans from the falsification of historical artifacts and unauthorized restorations to the commercialization and misrepresentation of intangible cultural practices. Such adulteration undermines the authenticity and integrity of heritage, threatening the preservation of collective memory and identity on a global scale.
In 2022, the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria faced renewed concerns when unauthorized reconstruction efforts led to the use of modern materials and techniques, sparking international criticism over the adulteration of its UNESCO-listed archaeological remains.

Claim

Less well-off peoples can never be sufficiently on their guard against this temptation which comes to them from wealthy nations. For these nations all too often set an example of success in a highly technical and culturally developed civilization; they also provide the model for a way of acting that is principally aimed at the conquest of material prosperity. Not that material prosperity of itself precludes the activity of the human spirit. On the contrary, the human spirit, a increasingly free of its bondage to creatures, can be more easily drawn to the worship and contemplation of the Creator. However, modern civilization itself often complicates the approach to God, not for any essential reason, but because it is excessively engrossed in earthly affairs. Developing nations must know how to discriminate among those things that are held out to them; they must be able to assess critically, and eliminate those deceptive goods which would only bring about a lowering of the human ideal, and to accept those values that are sound and beneficial, in order to develop them alongside their own, in accordance with their own genius. (Papal Encyclical, Populorum Progressio, 26 Mar 1967).

Any attempt in 1993 to instruct children in the USA in the actual values and assumptions of the Pilgrim settlers of New England and their descendants should be condemned as cultural aggression if the cultural integrity of minority groups is to be respected.

Counter-claim

Frankly, the so-called “adulteration of cultural heritage” is vastly overstated and hardly a pressing issue. Cultures have always evolved, borrowing and blending elements over time. Obsessing over purity only stifles creativity and progress. In a world facing real crises—climate change, poverty, conflict—worrying about minor changes to traditions is trivial. Let heritage adapt and thrive, rather than clinging to an unrealistic, static past. This is simply not an important problem.