The archaeology of religious sites ranges from the landscapes of intangible, ephemeral ritual sites to specific, often massive, religious temple complexes. Over the last decades, the research and documentation of such sites have increased. This coincides with a growing interest for people-centred approaches within archaeology and cultural heritage management, and the recognition of religious sites as part of a sacred and living heritage. People-centred approaches strengthen community participation within the heritage management system and lead to a deeper understanding of various perceptions of the past, whereas ‘living heritage’ is characterised by contemporary use of (often sacred) heritage objects and sites and is defined by continuity and an inherent livingness. The challenges for heritage preservation of religious sites are myriad, from conserving large land areas, managing tourist impacts, protecting the rights and access of indigenous and local communities, protecting the ancient in a modern cityscape that is characterised by a fusion of world religions, and on the other hand enhancing the sites’ accessibility for visitors as well as preserving the archaeological resources. The aims with this session are to explore how to balance protection of and livingness at religious sites, how to handle sacred cultural heritage at archaeological sites and in museum collections, and how to develop community engagement in archaeology and heritage management practice.