ABSTRACT
Historic environments are protected for their cultural signifi cance, which is articulated through the values and meanings associated with them. While the purpose of their conservation is to sustain those heritage values, the conservation of their physical fabric, however, does not truly guarantee the sustenance of the associated values. As values and meanings are social constructs, due to socio-cultural change they too could change over time. While the physical authenticity of a historic place is conserved, its associated values and symbolic meanings could transform over time, either increasing or diminishing its symbolic importance and contemporary relevance to its community. In addition, as these are intangible constructs, they resist objective analysis, and thus are inadequately understood (Taylor 2004), and their safeguard mechanisms are insuffi ciently devised. Consequently, in addition to the conservation and periodic monitoring of the physical authenticity of historic places, their symbolic values should also be given periodic attention. I call sustaining these intangible heritage values as sustaining the symbolic authenticity of a historic place (Silva 2013).
