Archaeological heritage among the UNESCO world heritage sites (for example, the monument "Kuk swamp", Papua New Guinea)

The article describes the archaeological monument "Kuk Early Agricultural Site", included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The author considers the specific object in the context of discussion about the place of the archaeological monuments among the number of recognized objects of cultural heritage of mankind. Attention is drawn to the fact that the role of archeology is expanding due to the growing number of ethnic and political communities that want to create their own history. In this context, the archaeological information is not only the theoretical component of the concept of cultural heritage, but also the real legal basis for land use and justification of ownership of heritage sites. To Papua New Guinea the political significance of the monument “Kuk Swamp” is the fact that it is the recognized center of independent agriculture forming, domestication of banana culture and one of the sources of the mixed farming tradition that has spread later throughout Polynesia.