HEADLINES
- NEW IPHC PUBLICATION - ICOMOS Monuments & Sites series. ORDER YOUR COPY !!
- Global Climate Change - Recommendations from Scientific Council Symposium, Pretoria Oct. 2007
- Opportunities for Conservators to work in Antarctica
- Follow Antarctic conservation project ‘live’ from Scott Base via Natural History Museum
- Summary of the IPHC conference in Barrow, Alaska
- New report - Analysis of timber weathering and wind velocity at Cape Adare
- Regional Meeting – Argentina, Australia Chile. February 2007
- IPHC Annual report for 2006
- International Polar Year - climate change and polar heritage (Norwegian)
- Reports on archaeological project - Kerguelen Islands (English, French & German)
- “Archaeology on Ice” - download a review of archaeological projects in Antarctica
- Updated list of historic sites and monuments in Antarctica
- Oversight of Mawson’s hut conservation
- York Factory site in Canada at risk
- Action plan for cultural heritage protection in the Nordic Arctic
- Archaeological depot built in Svalbard
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This site is provided by the International Polar Heritage Committee (IPHC) as a resource of information on matters related to the human heritage of Arctic and Antarctic regions. It is offered to everyone with an interest in the preservation and protection of the history of exploration, research and exploitation in polar areas.
The IPHC does not claim to have specific expertise in matters related to the indigenous heritage of Arctic regions but it is committed to co-operate closely with groups that do.
Our aim is make this web site as comprehensive and accurate as possible with regular updates of news so we suggest you check the site often. If you have information or suggestions which you would like us to include please contact us.
We would also like to hear from you if you are someone who works in this sphere and have expertise in one of the disciplines involved. Please refer to our Register of expertise as we would be pleased to include you in our database.
What is polar heritage?
There are a vast number of sites in the polar regions of both the Arctic and Antarctica which contain valuable information about the human heritage of these regions.
The sites take many forms such as ;
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Structures such as the more substantial buildings that formed the bases for the “heroic era” explorers of Antarctica and the huts of trappers in Arctic areas.
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The remains of factories, machinery and equipment from the whaling and sealing eras.
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Depots of food and other supplies left by early explorers.
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Historic crosses, graves and other memorials which mark the sites of historic events.
The IPHC is a scientific committee of ICOMOS.
ICOMOS is the International Council on Monuments and Sites / Conseil International des Monuments et des Sites
ICOMOS is a non-governmental organisation of professional cultural heritage workers, which serves as an advisory body to UNESCO on matters related to world heritage.
It was founded in 1965, and now has national committees in more than 90 countries.
In addition to national committees ICOMOS has 21 international scientific committees for specialised subjects.
ICOMOS works to protect and conserve cultural heritage throughout the world.