The Value of Natural Stones to Gain in the Cultural and Geological Diversity of Our Global Heritage

Abstract

The use of stone to build shelters was an important step in terms of ensuring buildings’ durability and security in pre-historic times. It was also an acknowledgment of power and grandeur when societies demonstrated their respect for their leaders and gods by building stone monuments. For this reason, cathedrals, churches, and other magnificent religious monuments were built around the globe; however, the importance of the stone used in their construction itself is not sufficiently appreciated as the key factor ensuring the endurance of these historic buildings. While Western countries have long used iconic buildings to promote their heritage and advance in other socio-economic aspects, including tourism, other regions are yet to take full advantage of this outlook, even though their monumental structures may be equally impressive. Those important monuments are built of stone, which were referred to as Heritage Stones by some research groups, and their recognition would showcase the cultural and geological diversity of the world. However, there are many stones of heritage importance from geographic areas that are under-represented in the scientific literature and the work of research groups. This paper presents a review of the degree of geographical diversity in the recognition of stones and their heritage value.

Guidelines for Natural Stone Products in Connection with European Standards

“…In the literature, one may notice an interchangeable use of the terms: dimension stones, natural stones, and ornamental stones [5,[18][19][20]. These terms are best defined by Carvalho et al [11] and EN 12670 [21]: "Dimension stone" refers to the required shape and size of the final product and it is considered essentially as a critical building and construction material having structural functions.…”

“…In many regions of Europe, they have characterised traditional buildings and historical monuments [4]. Considering historical and cultural aspects, natural stones represent geographical diversity and preserve stone-built heritage [5]. In addition, the proper use of natural stones for historical purposes enriches the aesthetics of cities and preserves the cultural environment [6].…”

Climate Change Threats to Stone Cultural Heritage: State of the Art of Quantitative Damage Functions and New Challenges for a Sustainable Future

“…With the weathering of stones being an inexorable process, developing mathematical models to simulate the rate of deterioration as a function of measurable environmental parameters and stone properties is increasingly needed in order to predict (and so control) future scenarios. The implementation of dose-response functions, system modelling, and the quantification of the effects of climate events are key tools in order to identify resilient solutions in multi-hazard risk circumstances: consequently, they are essential in developing holistic sustainable mitigation plans providing prevention measures to preserve the historical built heritage [20][21][22]. In adaptation strategies, vulnerability is often assessed on a large scale (e.g., regional or local), and therefore historical buildings and monuments are often not properly considered.…”

Red pyterlite from Virolahti in southeastern Finland: a unique heritage stone with a classic rapakivi texture applied in historic and modern architecture

“…In this paper, we provide new information on the extraction and applications of Virolahti pyterlite based on the results of the NaStA project and we will later begin the procedure to propose Virolahti pyterlite as a candidate for designation as a Heritage Stone (see, e.g., Pereira, 2021Pereira, , 2023.…”