The quest for sustainable access at archaeological sites: the case of Herculaneum

The ever-present conflict between access and preservation in the field of archaeological site management is examined in this thesis. Starting from the position that direct experience is essential in the interpretive experience of visitors at archaeological sites, yielding intangible benefits that are vital for public understanding and appreciation of archaeological sites as places, the thesis seeks to develop a better understanding of the conflict and whether it is possible to find a solution in order to reconsider direct access as an explicit interpretive approach in site management. The different facets of this conflict are interrogated through an intensive exploration of the way access is managed and how it impacts on the archaeological resource at the archaeological site of Herculaneum in Italy. The mosaic floors at the site become the medium through which this conflict is explored. Towards this end, a mixed methodology for the collection and analysis of data is employed, including a visitor survey, interviews with visitors and other key stakeholders involved in the management of access and conservation, and a visitor impact assessment on the mosaics floors. The case study suggests that firstly, physical access and direct experience contribute to the experience of archaeological sites through the provision of intangible benefits; and secondly, that, although access does impact on the resource, its sustainability is the outcome of a series of other site management issues, all interconnected, such as maintenance, communication between key access stakeholders, visitor management strategies and co-ordination between site conservation and interpretation activities. The research takes the debate a step forward, by revealing that access is worth the impacts on the resource as long as these are kept within acceptable limits, and as such it should thus be considered as an interpretive approach. Based on this, a set of recommendations is suggested for achieving sustainable access and as a potential solution to the conflict. The thesis contributes to the field of site management by introducing a new perspective on the conflict, where access is seen as an advantage, with a potential to contribute to sustainable benefits and to the preservation of the archaeological resource in the long term. This perspective responds to the ethical obligation of site management to consider both the intergenerational and intragenerational responsibilities in striving to become relevant to contemporary society and attract wider public support