Intangible as a Driver for the Sustainability of Historic Cities

The historic urban areas encompass tangible buildings as well as intangible aspects emerging as a result of cultural processes that differ from one place to another. Although the understanding of heritage has moved from monuments to cultural landscapes inclusive of the intangible components, the emphasis on the protection of the tangible remains dominant in the global heritage management discourse. Examining the role of the intangible practices of crafts, the study investigates the impact of their transformations on the urban setting. This is done in the context of Jaipur, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is significant for its historic urban fabric and traditional craft practices. Using UNESCO thematic indicators for culture, the paper seeks to advocate the need for addressing heritage conservation and management inclusive of the intangible for comprehensive sustainability of historic cities.