Layers of Time: The Conservation of Natural and Cultural Heritage through the Lesvos UNESCO Global Geopark and the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest

Cultural heritage is not limited to historic buildings and monumental structures; rather, it constitutes a multilayered system shaped over time by the interaction of the natural environment, geological formations, cultural landscapes, human settlements, architectural production, and collective memory. Within this context, the concept of “layers of time” provides a holistic framework for interpreting and conserving the traces left by different periods upon both natural and built environments. This study examines the Lesvos UNESCO Global Geopark in Greece and the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest through the conceptual framework of “layers of time,” focusing on the relationships between geological heritage, cultural landscape, architecture, conservation, and museology. It argues that natural and cultural heritage should not be considered as separate entities, but rather as interconnected components of an environment formed through successive layers of time. Through the case of Lesvos, the study aims to highlight the role of geoparks and museums in conserving, interpreting, and transmitting these interconnected layers of geological, architectural, and cultural heritage to future generations.