cultural patrimony

plural cultural patrimonies

1. countableuncountableObjects possessing continuing cultural, traditional, or historical importance to the heritage of a group, particularly those considered inalienable by the group as of the time the objects had been separated from the group or from the historical setting of the objects.

   2 more examples

   For the New Party, the Palace Museum protests were a triumph....And by consistently calling the Palace collection "the Chinese cultural patrimony," New Party leaders and other protesters were able to rally the sympathy of a surprisingly large population that identified such material as key to Taiwan's inchoate struggle for a cultural identity.

   1996, Andrew Solomon, The New York Times, Don't Mess With Our Cultural Patrimony!

   Considered even more broadly, the historical background of pillage is also directly relevant to the current state of a country's cultural heritage and thus should be an integral part of the deliberations of the CPAC [Cultural Property Advisory Committee], especially in determining whether the cultural patrimony of the requesting country is "in jeopardy from pillage." If a substantial portion of the archaeological heritage of a nation has already been lost in the past, even moderate levels of looting would constitute a serious threat, and it becomes even more critical to preserve the little that remains.

   2000, Archaeological Institute of America, UNESCO Convention Under Fire