De restauratie van de Noodkist van Sint Servaas (1958-1962)

The legal distinction in the Netherlands between the protection of immovable and movable cultural heritage on the one hand and that of tangible and intangible cultural heritage on the other is confusing and has direct consequences for policy and research in the field of national heritage. It also prevents proper alignment with international regulations such as those of UNESCO's tangible and intangible cultural heritage. With the introduction of the Erfgoedwet (Heritage Act) in 2016, more order was created in the multitude of regulations, methods of protection and subsidies. Nevertheless, the distinction remained, with direct consequences for the optimal preservation of objects in a cultural context. This study of the practices and ethical aspects of the restoration of the Chest of Distress of St. Servatius in Maastricht between 1958 and 1962 explains why it is necessary to examine and protect tangible and intangible cultural heritage conjointly.   The Chest of Distress owes its remarkable name to the practice of carrying this reliquary through the streets of Maastricht to pray publicly for protection in times of war, epidemics or other threats to the city. In addition, the Chest of Distress is paraded along with other relics approximately every seven years during the so-called Heiligdomsvaart (Holy Procession). During these public events, the Chest of Distress is surrounded by all kinds of intangible expressions, such as prayers, singing, music, theatrical performances and the wafting of scents such as incense, which all contribute to the total experience.   The Erfgoedwet brought greater uniformity to regulations but did not lead to more extensive protection. The policy is primarily aimed at reducing the number of objects that need to be protected and at ‘increasing knowledge and awareness, changing attitudes and improving management standards’. Dutch policy does not go as far as that of the Council of Europe, which ‘recommends that governments, as part of their general policies for the conservation of the built heritage, create conditions to ensure the protection of historic complexes composed of immovable and movable property’.   Maintaining rather than expanding the level of protection within the Erfgoedwet can be seen as a missed opportunity. For the time being, therefore, the main focus remains on expanding knowledge in order to better protect tangible and intangible cultural heritage. This expanded knowledge must go beyond the simple provision of information to heritage owners or the creation of a database of protected cultural property. Knowledge enhancement, it is argued here, must be part of a comprehensive strategy to better protect the interconnectedness between tangible and intangible heritage in the future. This article argues that a combination of digital resources can make an important contribution to that strategy. Using a digital 3D reconstruction based on restoration drawings, the Chest of Distress and its restoration history from 1958 to 1962 are examined from multiple perspectives. By placing objects in context in this multidimensional way and linking them to national and international projects focused on research into tangible and intangible heritage, a knowledge architecture is created that contributes to integrated heritage protection.