DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IN CULTURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION: A SCOPING REVIEW OF OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES

Dewi Nauliafajrin, Hendro Margono

Abstract


Cultural heritage is at risk of damage, decay, and loss of authenticity. Tangible heritage (monuments, sites, artifacts) and intangible heritage (living practices, knowledge, skills) face different threats and need different preservation responses. However, evidence on how digital technologies serve each type is scattered across reviews that focus on a single technology. This scoping review maps the digital technologies used in cultural heritage preservation, their opportunities, and their implementation challenges, and it keeps tangible and intangible heritage separate in the analysis. The review followed Arksey and O’Malley (2005), Levac et al. (2010), and the JBI guidance. It is reported with PRISMA-ScR and a PRISMA 2020 flow diagram. Scopus was searched and reference lists were checked manually for English-language documents published in 2020–2026. From 433 records, 24 full texts were sought and 19 studies were included (4 reviews, 10 empirical studies, and 5 conceptual studies). The technologies were grouped into five categories by function: digital capture and documentation; integrated modelling and monitoring; computational analysis and generation; immersive presentation; and data governance, provenance, and access. Capture technologies for tangible heritage are the most mature. Digital twins with live sensors, generative AI, blockchain, and the metaverse are still at the pilot, prototype, or concept stage. Only three studies address intangible heritage alone, and no empirical study reports community-defined consent or data governance. Success depends on stable funding, technical skills, interoperability, long-term digital curation, and governance that gives communities authority over their heritage. The restrictive single-database search is a main limitation

Keywords


Cultural Heritage; Digital Technology; Cultural Preservation; 3D Documentation; Scoping Review

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30829/jipi.v11i2.31768

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Copyright (c) 2026 Dewi Nauliafajrin, Hendro Margono

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