Seven Questions in the Economics of Cultural Heritage

The protection and conservation of cultural heritage, whether it is in the form of archaeological sites, artefacts, buildings, groups of buildings, works of art, or whatever else, has long been a matter that has lain beyond the reach or interest of economics. Decisions as to what should be characterized as heritage, how much of it is worth keeping, and how resources should be utilized in maintaining it, have been largely the province of experts: archaeologists, art historians, architects and others. Yet it need hardly be pointed out that such decisions have economic ramifications, and it is scarcely surprising that economists and policy analysts have begun to turn their attention to this field.