Management of urban archaeological heritage in Prague: benefits of collaboration

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985912%3A_____%2F24%3A00598938" target="_blank" >RIV/67985912:_____/24:00598938 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13885876" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13885876</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Management of urban archaeological heritage in Prague: benefits of collaboration

Original language description

Prague, with its historical significance dating back over a millennium, has evolved into the focal point of the Czech state. The city's intricate development has not only given rise to unique archaeological remains but has also secured its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The meticulous preservation of archaeological contexts, some reaching depths exceeding ten metres, has been a sustained focus of various institutions since the establishment of Czechoslovakia in the early 20th century. Later, the coordination of rescue and preventive archaeology became a crucial role of the Prague Archaeological Commission, founded in 1969 and functioning as an advisory body to the Director of the National Heritage Institute in Prague since 1998. A pivotal figure in the preservation effort was Ladislav Hrdlicka, based at the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague. In the 1970s, he laid the groundwork for systematic documentation through the creation of the Map of Archaeological Documentation Points (MADB). Information systems derived from MADB now constitute the backbone of Prague's archaeological monument conservation. From the 1990s onwards, Prague introduced the Valuable Archaeological Areas (VAP) system, identifying sites with exceptionally preserved archaeological terrains for enhanced protection within the Prague Heritage Reserve. Since 2017, MADB and VAP data, in conjunction with other Prague archaeological information, have been accessible through the Prague Archaeological portal (https://praha.aiscr.cz/). Developed collaboratively by the Institute of Archaeology of the CAS, Prague, and the National Heritage Institute, this portal further integrates into the Archaeological Information System of the Czech Republic (https://www.aiscr.cz/). The digital integration of previously disparate yet high-quality data sources marks a transformative shift in the management of Prague's archaeological heritage. Collaborations with the Prague Municipality Council and the Prague Institute of Planning and Development, which is responsible for the preparation of Planning Analytical Materials (https://uap.iprpraha.cz/), have reshaped information flows between stakeholders. This has significantly improved decision-making processes for the planning and execution of development projects, making archaeological data an integral part of public discourse on the historical core of the city. Today, Prague stands as a model for implementing comprehensive rules for the protection of archaeological heritage throughout the Czech Republic, showcasing a systematic and effective approach that can be adopted elsewhere.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

60102 - Archaeology

Project

<a href="/en/project/LM2023031" target="_blank" >LM2023031: Archaeological Information System of the Czech Republic</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů