Decision 41 COM 8B.27

Talayotic Minorca (Spain)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/17/41.COM/8B and WHC/17/41.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Defers the examination of the nomination of Talayotic Minorca, Spain, on the World Heritage List in order to allow the State Party, with the advice of ICOMOS and the World Heritage Centre, if requested, to:
   1. Clarify the definition of 'Talayotic' and its reference to a 'culture' or a 'period.’ In addition to the focus on monuments and architecture, a wider range of archaeological evidence, including stone and metal tools, ceramic vessels and other equipment, as well as faunal data and paleoenvironmental indications should be brought into consideration,
   2. Reformulate the nomination to consider either larger components with multiple archaeological sites and landscape elements or a series of the most representative Talayotic sites drawn from Minorca and Majorca. In either case, the time frame of the series should be restricted,
   3. Undertake a refocused comparative analysis based on the revised arguments for Outstanding Universal Value. It should be structured to look first if necessary at an internal analysis that considers sites in Majorca, then at near Mediterranean islands as far as Malta, and finally at near Mediterranean coastlines, followed by eastern Mediterranean islands and coasts, the rest of Europe and other sites around the world. As well as an emphasis on architecture, it should include reference to other types of material culture such as pottery and metallurgy, and these should be used to place the Talayotic sites in a continent-wide context,
   4. Create a common management structure which will be responsible for coordination and effective implementation of the management system for the nominated property as a whole,
   5. Create a Management Plan for the site, which would be distinct from the Island Historic Heritage Management Plan. The Management Plan should include a detailed Conservation Policy to guide conservation interventions, ongoing maintenance work and archaeological research. A section on visitor management should address visitor experience, controlling visitation at some components and the promotion of responsible tourism,
   6. Establish a Landowners Forum or equivalent that would meet at least twice a year to provide feedback and information to landowners about the management of the site,
   7. Create a regular reporting structure for the monitoring program in order to gather the results of the different monitoring activities on a periodic basis and assemble them into a common location;
3. Considers that any revised nomination would need to be considered by an expert mission to the site.