ABSTRACT
Human beings have always lived with nature. They have learned to know and appreciate its qualities, as well as the hazards to avoid in specific places. Among different cultures is a great diversity of forms of respect. There is archaeological evidence that Homo Sapiens, who first lived in Africa, travelled through the Arabian Peninsula about 125,000 years BCE. It is from here that separate groups started moving to different world regions, having in each their own specific evolution resulting in a wide diversity of cultures, traditions, and languages. With the increase in the human population in the Neolithic period, people started developing farming and agriculture and living in larger settlements, which gradually started the urbanisation process. This evolution had impacts on the development of technologies, habits, and priorities, reflected in the diversity of traditions and religions in different environmental and cultural contexts. Such traditions continued their evolution until well into the modern world. However, particularly from the 19th century, these conditions stand in contrast with the industrial revolution that upset the traditional relationship with the natural environment. The problems caused by modern industries and rapid urban growth endangered historic sites and 'natural' areas and, consequently, many countries began establishing protective measures. This also coincides with the gradually broadening interest in protecting larger territories. In the second half of the 20th century, heritage protection took on international dimensions.
