Transhumance, the tenth element of intangible heritage inscribed on the UNESCO list
Article published on 06-12-2023
"Starting from December 5, 2023, Romania has added a new element to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This element is the multinational dossier of Transhumance, the seasonal migration of herds, developed in collaboration with Albania, Andorra, Austria, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain. This represents an expansion of the
Transhumance dossier in the Mediterranean area and the Alps, initially inscribed by Austria, Greece, and Italy, in 2019.
More than just the movement of herds, which is a millennia-old practice dating back to the Roman Empire, transhumance also embodies the complex relationships between people, animals, and ecosystems. It encompasses rituals and social practices, animal care and breeding, management of land, forests, water resources, and handling natural hazards.
Transhumance has also influenced various crafts and occupations: from the creation of objects used in the sheepfold, to specific clothing items, musical instruments, trade in specialized products, and elements of rural architecture, ranging from sheepfold annexes to temporary dwellings, and extending to complex households or specific agro-pastoral communities.
A
thematic dossier dedicated to transhumance is available on the website of the National Heritage Institute.
Transhumance is the tenth element inscribed by Romania on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The other nine elements are featured in a publication dedicated to UNESCO's intangible heritage in Romania, compiled by the Romanian National Commission for UNESCO and available in digital format in both
Romanian and
English.
