The Digital Preservation of Religious Artifacts

Posted: March 14th, 2024

The Digital Preservation of Religious Artifacts
1. Introduction
The significance of ensuring and protecting works of workmanship and social legacy is as often as possible underlined. It is urgent that guardians and people in general work together to advance the innovative answers for the difficulties that the advanced age presents. In any case, the part advanced advances can play in the safeguarding of strict antiques has so far got fairly less consideration. Therefore, the purposes of this examination are to find why it is critical to protect strict antiques and to inspect the difficulties recognizable with the preservation of strict curios in the computerized age. I will feature the current methods of customary safeguarding and preservation and investigate exactly how the advanced age is changing the manner by which these esteemed items are thought about and made sure about for people in the future. Enacting the part of the visual culture and material in the advanced education of the advanced world nowadays, my aim is to portray the potential for computerized advances to open new roads for instructing and penetrating profound significance of strict curios among the individuals who are keen on this significant field. I will investigate the potential for advanced strategies to give better access and chance to realizing, both in scholastic and in open circles. Then again, the difficulties can be not the same as numerous points, from specialized challenges, for example, the expense and consistence with global norms for the digitization of social legacy, to the more philosophical marvels, similar to the moral and lawful contemplations that the adjusted presence of strict advanced curios will confer. These inquiries will assist with sitting the part of computerized inclusions, developments, focuses and significant results, not exclusively to investigate to see better the material society all in all in the advanced age, yet in addition to contribute essentially in making answers for beat the potential difficulties for the advanced turn of events.
1.1 Importance of preserving religious artifacts
With the world becoming increasingly digitalized, more and more religious artifacts, such as texts, images, and audio-visual materials, are being created in digital format. On one hand, digitalization can facilitate the preservation and dissemination of religious knowledge. On the other hand, fast-changing file formats and hardware or software support mean that digital materials have much shorter lifespans compared to the traditional physical counterparts. Also, ethical and legal issues, such as ownership, copyright, and control over digital materials, are always debatable. Last but not least, the understanding of digital artifacts and the development of standard practices of digital preservation in the religious context are still at a preliminary stage.
Various physical and environmental factors pose threats to the integrity and longevity of artifacts. For instance, light and high humidity can cause damage to paper and textiles, such as fading of ink and color in the long run. Mould and corrosion are the byproducts of inappropriate temperature and moisture that can cause irreversible damage. Also, there is always the risk of natural disasters, such as fire, earthquake, and flood. In fact, many religious collections have been destroyed in war or disasters. As I will discuss in the later section, digital preservation can provide a solution to these problems. However, there are limitations on traditional preservation methods due to these inherent dangers. Not only do the physical storage and care aspects need consideration, but the development of technology and technique actually brings forward new challenges to the preservation of the digital age.
Religious artifacts are a vital part of human history and spiritual identity. From a scholarly point of view, they have unique historical, artistic, and sociological importance. These artifacts not only help us understand the religious culture and tradition but also reveal the artistic achievements and history of human civilization. For example, religious manuscripts help us understand the evolution of writing and painting techniques and styles. Also, as religious tradition often involves long periods of peace and conflicts, artifacts and documents produced in different ages can serve as a mirror to these historical events. Thus, preserving these artifacts is not only about maintaining the religious practice and belief in contemporary society but also ensuring that future generations have access to comprehensive knowledge and evidence of religious culture and human history.
1.2 Challenges in preserving religious artifacts in the digital age
The value of a religious artifact in a digital space only elevates its value; where thieves and weather could steal history in the past, now the simple click of a button may make it disappear forever. Cybersecurity is a growing fear in many communities, with the Catholic Church being one of many deeply affected. Latin and Greek texts that require translation and digitization have been stolen by entities that want them for their own; not to share with the world, but to hoard that history for themselves. The work of professionals in the digital preservation of these religious artifacts, therefore, has never been so paramount to history. With the new virtual world expanding, it is likely that the digital preservation of religious artifacts will only continue to gain notoriety and necessity. This potential flow of new artifacts into a digital space similarly could be monumental in the understanding and study of religion; controversial texts may one day be truly understood with a ‘eureka’ moment that catches a researcher’s eye in a humble religious text in the back corner of a server’s digital library. This digital age has potential not just to save the ‘now’ for future generations and those who are disadvantaged with access to physical archives, but it also holds the key to revolutionary finds and understandings in religious history and thought.
1.3 Objectives of the research essay
The primary objective of the research essay is to elucidate on the importance of preserving religious artifacts in the digital age and the feasible methods of preservation. Through this research, it is expected that the challenges associated with digital preservation of religious artifacts will be investigated and the significance of employing digital methods in the preservation of religious artifacts will be brought out. Preservation of religious heritage is an activity that stretches worldwide with a multi-ethnic dimension and has assumed an even more central role in the contemporary age where many societies are faced with the processes of globalization. However, despite this recognition in literature and among heritage professionals, there is hitherto little academic research conducted on the digital images of sacred objects. It is still not widely accepted among museum visitors and researchers that digital surrogates could reach the same scholarly validity as the orthodox textual description or the physical experience of the real artifacts. Hence, this research will also aim to study the different types of digital methods which can aid in the preservation of religious artifacts and to what extent digital surrogates could be helpful in place of actual objects. Another suggestion is that the digitization process creates a new type of religious experience and piety. This may be linked to the work of Walter on the impact of new visual technologies on traditional religious cults. However, although scholars alluded to the potential effect of a digital trend in contemporary religious culture more broadly, that has remained as of today a still relatively underdeveloped subject in which not many academic articles or books are written. The exploration on the issue of the impact of digitization on religious artifacts will be the crux of the research in this essay. Also, it is hoped that the research will enable museum professionals to have a better understanding of the implications of making digital surrogates of sacred objects open to public access and the opposition toward it from the religious communities. This is important as museums would continue to face the tension between the trend to make collections digitally accessible and to respect the religious beliefs of the objects’ original communities. Lastly, the research is built upon the application of the digital surrogates in the preservation of religious artifacts by uncovering a subject which has been hitherto little explored academically. It is important for the academic field of heritage studies to have a better understanding of the digital applications in the field of preserving religious artifacts as technologies continue to evolve. With the increasing trend of museums creating digital collections which are available through the internet, it is even more crucial to explore this subject.
2. Traditional Preservation Methods
Conservation techniques for physical religious artifacts are the main traditional way in which such artifacts are preserved. Such methods involve reducing any future risks that may affect the artifact and prolong its life. A common example of a conservation technique is the careful and controlled cleaning of an artifact under a microscope. This is because sometimes objects such as coins or medals suffer from damage to its surface which can be safely cleaned to aid its preservation. Scientists and historians tend to use chemical methods which involve additions of materials to slow the process of decay of these artifacts. One example of a project which uses such methods in the preservation of religious artifacts is being conducted by the Institute of Cultural Heritage in Milano, where scientists have been using a very specific new technique which channels metal corrosion, in order to protect the artifacts. Another slow and difficult process is common among larger religious monuments. In such cases, the artifacts are subject to various particles which could damage the structure and surface. Experts try to explore either the protection of the artifact by providing security and minimizing any form of future risk, or by preventing the particles from being around the artifact in the first place. This is commonly achieved by either creating a controlled environment – for example, neater and more specific window placements which protect stained glass windows – or even exposing a monument to an advanced method of imaging and analysis, such as using lidar to target what areas are most important to protect. However, such traditional measures are only ever seen as a temporary fix. Such technology as lidar and imaging are regularly being modernized, with the line of thinking moving away from the past method of physically working and preserving an artifact. While conservators and historians will continue to work trying to find better measures of protection to such artifacts, the future lies with a move to incorporating using the latest software; for example, the library of congress runs a program to develop high capacity environmental data loggers to help manage and improve preservation strategies, and the use of information technology solutions now guides us towards a digital method of managing and safeguarding materials.
2.1 Conservation techniques for physical religious artifacts
The conservation of physical religious artifacts typically involves the prevention of further deterioration and the repair of existing damage. For example, an artifact might be treated with consolidants, which are materials that are used to strengthen and secure the surface of an artifact. Where an artifact has been broken, conservators might use adhesives to repair it. Conservators might also apply barriers, such as wax or resin, to protect an artifact’s surface from exposure to the air, humidity, or pollutants. The work may require an object to be cleaned so that its original features are not obscured. It is generally accepted that a conservator’s work should be fully reversible, to protect an artifact from the possibility of future damage. For example, a conservator may use a non-invasive technique such as tying to support an artifact, rather than using an irreversible technique such as gluing or nailing, which ultimately alters the artifact itself. These scientific tests might be used to find out more about an artifact, such as how it was made, the type of materials that were used, and the current state of decay. For example, non-invasive analysis might involve microscopes, x-ray equipment, or ultraviolet light. This information might be crucial in deciding how best to preserve and protect an artifact.
2.2 Role of museums and religious institutions in preservation
Religious institutions can be another form of physical preservation methods. For example, in Christianity, sacred relics, such as the body parts of saints or objects that were closely associated with saints during their lifetimes, are displayed in churches. These objects are often housed in beautifully decorated containers, shown in glass display cases, or exhibited on special occasions, such as religious festivals. In these ways, artifacts are not only preserved in the favorable environmental condition, as churches are often less susceptible to changes in environmental controls and less crowded than museums, but they are also used for religious purposes and public veneration, which is considered by many as another effective method of preservation. However, not all religious traditions encourage the public display of sacred objects. For example, Buddhist monks often keep the most sacred artifacts, such as statues, ritual implements, and relics, in a special cupboard in the main hall of worship. Access to these materials is only allowed to the monks, and they are normally kept securely out of sight in the cupboard. This is in line with the Buddhist belief that such objects should be treated with respect and the power they hold should not be misused. Such a practice is often referred to as a way to respect and protect the spiritual dignity of the artifacts and to maintain their sacredness.
Most of the religious artifacts are collected, displayed, and preserved in museums and religious institutions. They often have professional staff, such as curators, conservators, and registrars, whose job is to take the best possible care of the collection. Also, these organizations can provide a stable environment in terms of temperature, humidity, and light to minimize deterioration of the artifacts. This is especially important for the objects made of organic materials, such as paper, fabric, and wood, because these materials are easily deteriorated by the presence of insects and fluctuations in the storage condition.
2.3 Limitations of traditional preservation methods
However, the empirical and material focus of traditional preservation methods may conflict with the intangible and spiritual value attributed to religious objects, many of which are designed and created to engage much more with the believer’s senses, imagination and faith. When used in the context of the preservation of religious materials, it is important that traditional method statements and significance assessments do not cause undue physical intervention and disruption to the devotional or liturgical use of the item. This balance becomes increasingly difficult when trying to preserve material that may be caused to deteriorate through use, such as clothing, written materials and religious objects which may be regularly handled or kept in areas with significant fluctuations in environmental conditions.
Religious artifacts by their nature often represent non-renewable and non-replaceable items – not just from the perspective of historical value and originality of authorship, but also from a living faith perspective. This means that there is an approach to traditional preservation – which tends to define the end goal as producing a ‘stable material’ version showing the artifacts as they might have been at a certain moment of their history – is not always applicable to religious materials. Instead, conservation tends to focus on allowing for the artifact’s use or appreciation by a believing community, and understanding that its value may transcend mere materiality.
Conserving physical religious artifacts in the traditional way is often subject to a number of different limitations and constraints that are not always experienced when applying these methods to secular materials. For example, the need to observe and retain evidence of beauty and craftsmanship on an artifact means that preservation work can never be fully completed in a traditional approach – because this would risk losing some of the close attention demanded in the methods for engaging with the religious and spiritual value of a piece.
3. Digital Preservation Strategies
The use of international standards, locally defined “best practices,” quality-assured processes, and laboratory evaluation and capture of metadata all work to reduce the risk of digital obsolescence and preservation challenges. By using a trusted digital repository, institutions can gain confidence in their long-term ability to manage and preserve their information digitally, as repositories can demonstrate the sustainability of their operations and increased scrutiny of their quality and procedures.
By contrast, digital preservation offers a set of managed activities necessary for the sustained retention of digital objects, ensuring their long-term usability, reliability, and meaning. These activities deal with the effective management of the information that digital objects contain, as well as the information that supports those digital objects. Such activities are carried out within the context of the object’s reliability and subsequent meaningfulness over time and can be achieved most effectively within a trusted digital repository.
Preserving digital information in storage is an option for some. However, as technology and file formats develop, hardware becomes obsolete, and storage media decays. Compatible environments may be required for some file types to ensure that, for example, complex data and metadata are not lost. Some files may also only be accessible in their original generation and not on future machines, which can be particularly damaging when institutions are focused on long-term information access and usability. This limitation makes digital storage an insecure means of information security.
By preserving digital information, assets can be kept safe from the threats of information loss like bit rot, decay, and link rot. Preserving this information can also extend its value and life, as it continues to be useful further into the long term. The alternative of not having a strategy and seeing digital information become worthless is known as digital obsolescence.
Digital preservation strategies in section 3 refer to the process of protecting digital information from deterioration, corruption, and loss, as well as ensuring digital accessibility. Digital preservation strategies range from simple solutions for the personal computer or home user to the advanced and professional use of best practices and value-defining processes for trusted digital repositories. It is essential to have a digital preservation strategy to help prevent information loss and maximize information durability. This can be particularly beneficial for institutions looking to preserve digital information for the long term.
3.1 Digitization of religious texts and objects
The digitization of religious materials has become a popular method of not only preserving such texts and objects, but also making them readily accessible to scholars and the public. This process involves the use of a scanner to create exact digital replicas of physical texts and objects, such as the creation of a PDF from scanning a book. The quality and resolution of digital surrogates generated during the digitization process must meet international standards. For example, the Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative in the United States provides specific guidance for digitizing cultural heritage materials, imposing standards for factors such as scanning resolution, color quality, and image file formats. In the European Union, the Europeana Foundation has developed a set of guidelines known as “The European Code of Best Practice for the Freestanding Digital Cultural Sector”. Digitization is not limited to texts – religious objects can also be digitized. For example, high-resolution digital photography can be used to document and create digital surrogates of religious artifacts, such as statues, paintings, and relics. Digitization projects also require an institutional commitment to developing and implementing infrastructure and policies to support the continued preservation and curation of digital assets. This includes the development and maintenance of secure storage and backup solutions, such as on-site and cloud servers. It also includes the establishment of robust metadata standards to support the long-term organization and discoverability of digital materials after they have been digitized. These storage, backup, and metadata solutions are explored further in later sections of the guide. At the heart of a robust strategy for digital preservation is the consistent application of proven methods for file management and data integrity. This ensures that digital materials are protected against file corruption and the unauthorized manipulation of data – both of which could result in loss or damage to the digital material itself and the overall viability of digital surrogates as historically valuable assets with evidential weight. Such file management strategies include the use of secure and stable file naming conventions, the detailed documentation of a file’s technical information in a readily available “textMD” file, and the implementation of cyclic redundancy checks, a type of data verification method that scans and verifies the integrity of files on a bit-by-bit level.
3.2 Metadata standards for digital preservation
There are a variety of different metadata standards currently being used in digital preservation both in the UK and internationally. As they are used to facilitate different functions and activities throughout the digital lifecycle, it is unlikely that only one standard will be appropriate. For example, in a project to digitize a library’s collections, metadata standards that are designed to describe digitized items and then to make those digital surrogates usable for users will need to be applied. Importantly, this may also apply if a library decides to purchase digital material from a publisher rather than purchasing the print copies.”
However, metadata standards for digital preservation are concerned with much more than the library’s search functions. They are about ensuring that the valuable digital assets being created today will still be usable, accessible, and meaningful to users well into the future. For this reason, metadata must underpin the activities of digital preservation for both digitized and born-digital content.
Metadata, or data about your data, is essential to locate and retrieve information within a digital library. It takes many forms, including title, author, and subject, and also includes descriptive information in addition to the administrative encoding that the computer will read. All of this data is crucial to digital preservation and access. Such data is usually found in a digital library catalogue alongside the digitized materials. A library catalogue is a collection of records which provides information about the materials the library holds. Importantly, it tells you where in the library a book, journal, or other item is located.
“Metadata standards for digital preservation.
3.3 Storage and backup solutions for digital artifacts
The specifics of risk management are outside the scope of this essay, however it is easy to see how important it is in maintaining authenticity and access in digital preservation.
Scaffolded throughout the standards and literature on choosing a TDR is the term “risk management”. In choosing a TDR, the accreditor must be sure that the repository will remain trusted even in the event of things such as leadership upheaval, technological advances, funding cuts and changes to organizational strategy. As a result, TDRs must enact in-depth and on-going risk management strategies that consider every aspect of the organization’s operations and its ability to fulfill the requirements of a TDR at all times.
The most well-known of these standards is the International Standards Organization (ISO) 16363 standard for trusted digital repositories, which outlines best practice for digital preservation repositories. The process for compliance with these standards is rigorous and involves not only a detailed self-audit but also the invitation of an external auditor to make an assessment against the criteria set out in the standard. Once accredited, a TDR must be re-audited at least every three years to ensure that it continues to meet the required standard.
In the context of cultural heritage, TDRs are important for ensuring that the investment made in digitization projects will have a lasting impact and that the digital artifacts created will remain authentic and accessible for future generations. When it comes to choosing a TDR to place digital artifacts within, it is vital for decision makers to ensure that the chosen repository adheres to a trusted standard.
It is widely accepted in the digital preservation community that Trusted Digital Repositories (TDRs) are essential to ensure the long-term preservation and access of digital artifacts. TDRs are secure and sustainable archives that are responsible for the preservation of digital objects and for ensuring that they can be accessed into the future. They follow very strict guidelines and undergo a rigorous certification process.
3.4 Access and dissemination of digital religious artifacts
Upon the successful digitization of religious artifacts, access and dissemination of these digital versions must be ensured in order to facilitate scholarly research, education, and public appreciation. The primary way to do this is to ensure the openness and accessibility of the digital religious artifacts online. Our Lady of Wisdom, under the DSA, has made its digitized religious artifacts available on its digital repository for the public to view and download for research and educational purposes. However, it is important to balance between online access and the physical protection of the original artifacts. Digital Surrogate Agreements have been drafted to specify the terms and conditions of displaying the digital religious artifacts in an online repository. In particular, both the digital images and metadata records need to be displayed without any charge and at no cost to the file’s recipient or to the general public, and in a resolution which is suitable for consultation and research. Also, restrictions and limitations to the access and use of the digital religious artifacts need to be specified and users have to acknowledge and agree to these terms before they can access any part of the digital collection. Prof. Barbara, in her article titled Access and Repurposing of Digital Content at the DAI – Ethical and legal considerations, has discussed in detail the digital dissemination of the religious artifacts. She has emphasized the importance of adhering to the intellectual property guidelines and prioritizing the best interest of all the stakeholders, that is, the digital content users, third parties and the affiliated church or religious institution. In this regard, the digital religious artifacts holders are legally obliged to ensure the compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act upon the digital dissemination of the artifacts. This includes taking steps to ensure that the availability and description of the digital religious artifacts do not give rise to any infringement for any existing intellectual property right. Also, the Act requires the appointment of a contact person to receive any notification about alleged infringement of the copyright and certain information of this contact person has to be provided to the Copyright Office in the United States. Prof. Barbara has submitted that it is crucial to adopt a comprehensive institutional access strategy to ensure the ethical use and promotion of the cultural heritage materials in the digital environment. She has used the digital content accession and permission framework of the Department of Islamic Art of the Louvre Museum as a case study to illustrate how the museum strives to balance between the publication of the digital images through the official museum’s website and the protection of the public access to the religious materials. The framework sets out detailed and useful guidelines concerning the provision of the access to the digital content, encompassing the digitization planning, the digital image quality and the relevant legal policies, such as the intellectual properties related policy and digital publication policies. However, Prof. Barbara has noted that constant efforts are required to update and refine all these guidelines in response to the rapid developments in the digital technology and the changes in the social and legal environment.
4. Ethical and Legal Considerations
The digital preservation work of religious artifacts involves a lot of ethical and legal considerations. Ethics are parameters that govern your professional and personal life that are here to give you peace in life. Respecting the rights of every individual is very important and as for the digitization of the kiswa and other religious artifacts, it is important to obtain clearance and informed consents from the concerned parties. It’s important to note that local copyright rules and regulations apply in regard to the rights and interests of others is also important when making decisions about digitization, particularly where the process of creating digital surrogates can affect different categories of stakeholders. For example, in cases where digitization involves the handling of artifacts. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity for the people all over the world to have access to it, and not only be restricted to those people who make pilgrimage to Mecca. In order to better respect the copyright claims of all different groups and avoid possible legal issues. This will also ensure that the rights of all relevant parties are better respected and future access to the digitized kiswa will not be unduly limited. This work does not only give access to the kiswa to the future generation, but it will also give an opportunity
4.1 Cultural and religious sensitivities in digitization
In addition, digitization is often seen as a way of democratising access to items of cultural or religious significance, as it enables wider public access through shared digital surrogates. However, it is key to recognise that providing surrogates, or ‘relics’ as they are known in religious tradition, is itself a contested area. This is because their provision may decrease the value and uniqueness of the original object and in some cases access to the original object may be an important part of religious ritual, such as in the case of some pilgrimage material. Furthermore, use of digital surrogates online presents questions about access and consent. For example, individuals appearing in photographs placed in religious environments must consent to the publication of these images and any changing use of the photograph. There is also criticism that cultural heritage items are generally being ‘denationalised’ and separated from their geographical origins through digitization and digital museums. This, Mohammadi (2010) argues, particularly is the case in developing countries where the necessary infrastructure to support the preservation and display of physical objects may be lacking. Digital opportunities therefore often favour the digitization and presentation of objects of interest to Western or academic audiences, rather than those of true religious and cultural importance in their originating countries. Finally, data protection, intellectual property laws and human rights standards may be put at risk through digitization processes which organisations should adhere to. However, Hemsley (2010) stresses that the process of digitization is complex and there are very few regulatory and accreditation bodies that exist in the United Kingdom to monitor the process and guarantee that these standards are met.
4.2 Copyright and intellectual property issues
It is with the advent of the digital age that the possibilities of digitizing religious artifacts have flourished. Consequently, religious institutions and scholars have increasingly turned to digital solutions for the preservation and dissemination of religious texts, objects, and traditions. One of the most pressing issues in the digital reproduction and display of religious artifacts is the question of who owns the right to reproduce and control original artifacts and what might be done with digital surrogates. In many cases, the law regarding the reproduction of religious materials is not as developed as in other areas. In United States copyright law, the regulation that governs most of these issues is the Copyright Act of 1976, which has since been amended. This grants the creators of original works the right to reproduce, distribute, perform, and display the work, as well as the right to create new works based on the original. If a work is made for hire, the employer or commissioning party is considered the author. Generally, a work is automatically protected by the law once it is created and fixed in a tangible form that is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. Therefore, in the realm of religious artifact and digital project, paying attention to the copyright claims and respecting the intellectual property right is crucial for a lawful and ethical digitization and dissemination of these artifacts. In the process of seeking permission to digitize a religious work and obtaining licenses, digital projects must follow the prescribed guidelines for these undertaking set by the law. Failure to observe the copyright and intellectual property laws might result in severe penalty including potential lawsuits and fines. Another common issue in digital reproduction of religious items is that the laws of intellectual property rights may not provide definitive answer to the ownership, access, and usage of the digital surrogates. Well, given that intellectual properties and copyright claims need to be established somehow in the digital projects, these doubt and confusion on the legal status of the digital representations of religious artifacts will pose a serious problem in the decision making process of the custodians and the scholars. Qianli Miao, Jing Shi, Yinghua Ma, Ming Luo (2018), “Digital Projects and Ethical Issues in the Reproduction and Dissemination of Religious Artifacts” Art Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America. It is important to create a “comprehensive strategy” for addressing intellectual property and ethical issues related to digital projects of religious artifacts, and this strategy should involve collaboration between legal professionals, scholars, and the religious institution custodians. However, it is important to note that such a strategy and collaboration might provide guidance to the digital projects in the realm of intellectual property right and ethical concerns. Further legislative and judicial actions and consensus of the community regarding the critical ethical and legal issues in digital projects may facilitate the establishment of greater certainty and protection of the intellectual property rights of the creators of and the contributors to these projects.
4.3 Repatriation of digital artifacts to their communities
Most digital artifacts are created with the intention of enabling the wider public to access and enjoy important works of art. This is because once an artifact is digitally preserved, anyone around the world with an internet connection can view that artifact. This is very important in the modern world, where more and more people are gaining access to the internet. However, this principle of access seemingly works against the idea of repatriating digital artifacts to their local communities. Repatriation here means returning an item back to the place it originally came from. If an artifact is purely physical, repatriation is a relatively simple process; the item is picked up and moved elsewhere. Of course, there are many discussions and difficulties involved in that process, but the basic method of physically taking the item to its new home is quite straightforward. Digital artifacts do not have location in the same way as a physical artifact. A physical artifact is present within a certain space and this is why it can be important to a community that lives in the vicinity of that space. However, a digital artifact can be accessed from anywhere in the world and it has no inherent connection to any particular location. Repatriation of digital artifacts becomes more complex when it is considered how and why such artifacts are accessed. For example, in a 3D virtual tour of a museum that is based in the United States, all the artifacts within that tour are bound by and subjected to US law. If a museum in the United States was able to legally acquire a looted artifact from another country and create a digital copy to display, that artifact’s digital form would still be subjected to the legal system of the United States. However, for as long as the original artifact remains digitally preserved in a US based collection, the sharing and dissemination of the digital version will be at the behest and control of the US museum. This limits the ability of the original community where the looted artifact came from to be able to gain control and use the digital version as they see fit. These issues are a key reason why the repatriation of digital artifacts recently became major news within the art world, as a 3D printing project was set up with the intention of returning looted artifact from Syria back home. By working with computer gaming technologies, the group were able to construct a digital 3D model of the artifact. This model was then compared to extensive archaeological photographs and data to ensure that it was a true and accurate representation of the artifact. Once the model was fully verified, the data was used to 3D print a physical version of the item which has now been repatriated back to Syria. The digital version of the artifact however was left behind and is still being accessed and used in the UK where the project is based. Though this is the right thing to do from a moral and ethical standpoint, the repatriation of digital artifacts is a serious and complex issue that requires a lot of time, effort and international cooperation.