Includes bibliographical references and index (p. 76-80).

"Scholars study heritage from many different perspectives, as an aspect of history, as the production of memory, and as subject to political processes of rivalry over its content and value. In this book we extend those perspectives by looking at heritage as a form of ritualization in the sense pioneered by Catherine Bell (Bell 1997, see also Stewart and Strathern 2014a, 2016). 'Ritualization' refers to the processes by means of which action is turned into ritual through giving it incremental value over time. In these terms what starts out as a spontaneous form of action may over time crystallize into a more standardized and self-conscious performance, designed to display message about identity, legitimacy, and social power. This emergent pattern, developing through more or less staged performances, can be seen as the performance of heritage. What makes such performances compelling is that they can knit together peoples' senses of their identity, shaping these senses in an imagistic form encapsulating senses of value and allegiance. Aspects of culture that are often highlighted in this way are readily recognizable in forms of ritual. However, more everyday actions and patterns of action also feed into formalized performances. Heritage can be something quotidian, such as a particular way of planting or harvesting a crop, as well as extraordinary in form, such as in a public parade or orchestrated dance pattern"-- Provided by publisher.