Abstract
This paper presents an ontological framework to conceptualize the cultural heritage semiotics through generation and application of data, information and knowledge about them. Advances in computers have unleashed an enormous capacity to (a) acquire data and generate information and knowledge about cultural heritage, and (b) apply the knowledge and information to promote their understanding, use and experience. Computers can help augment, virtualize, visualize and comprehensively sense the cultural heritage without the barriers of time and distance. However, there is no roadmap for exploiting them systemically or systematically. The proposed framework shows how the semiotics of cultural heritage can be used to generate and apply knowledge to the advancement of cultural heritage through the artefacts, using the enormous power of modern computers. The ontological framework can be used to map the state of the research on the semiotics of cultural heritage and help develop a roadmap for research and practice.