Towards a Preventive Conservation Approach for the Management of Living Religious Heritage Sites: The Case of Rock-Hewn Churches in Tigray

The Ph.D. research aims to develop operational tools and mechanisms for the implementation of a preventive conservation approach/strategy to achieve sustainable management and use of living religious heritage sites of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC). As can be understood from the term ‘living’, living heritage sites are those that have retained their original function and use since their inception. The specific focus of the research will be the rock-hewn churches in Tigray region of Ethiopia. Tigray is home to over one-hundred-and-twenty rock-hewn churches, which are believed to be the single largest group of rock-hewn architecture in the world. Most of these churches were carved between the 11th and 14th centuries. However, there are also claims that some churches date as far back as the 6th and 7th centuries. Despite their historical, cultural, and scientific significance, large numbers of these ancient churches are found today in a dire conservation state. Causes for the present deteriorated conservation state can be attributed to combinations of factors, ranging from the accumulated effects of everyday use (‘wear and tear’) to the effects of natural forces and pressures from new developments such as ‘mass tourism’. These problems are further exacerbated by the absence of an effective management system to meet the conservation challenges presented by internal and external forces of change as well as to regulate and/or mitigate pressures from new developments. The proposed research recognizes the strong need for pragmatic and sustainable strategies/approaches to address the many challenges. In this regard, the research envisions the preventive conservation strategy as the most pragmatic approach that can have greater conservation significance on a long-term basis. Preventive conservation approach possesses important theoretical and practical instruments that can improve the management and conservation of living religious heritage sites. Therefore, the research will attempt to synthesize and suggest a strategic framework of tools and mechanisms for the implementation of a preventive conservation approach in living religious heritage sites of the EOTC.