Re-thinking the validity of the past. Deconstructing what authenticity and integrity mean to the fruition of cultural heritage

Abstract

There is a lively ongoing debate on Critical Heritage Studies and the Authorised Heritage Discourse, but quite a few authors have viewed the issue from a canonical perspective where the wider Cultural Built Heritage visual experience is assessed and valued in relation with authenticity and integrity. The terms static authenticity and dynamic authenticity appear in this text as dependent on heritage connectivity. Two main arguments are developed in this study. Firstly, a general overview of the context is proposed in order to understand the vernacular internationally. Secondly, the article offers an inside view intended to provide an accurate interpretation of how the vernacular is scrutinised and understood. A fundamental issue discussed in this paper is how cultural heritage is ruled, protected, enhanced, experienced and managed on different scales.