DOI Heft:
Egypt
DOI Artikel:Medeksza, Stanisław: Marina el-Alamein: conservation work in 2004
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42090#0120
MARINA EL-ALAMEIN
EGYPT
blasted veins, the whole sectioned by
straight veins of white calcite up to 5 cm
long and up to 3 mm wide;
3) spotted, medium- and coarse-blasted,
white or cream, with gray or black veins
of various shape;
4) veined, coarse-blasted, white or cream,
with dark gray oriented veins featuring
either crisp or blurred outlines;
5) dotted, medium or coarse-blasted, elon-
gated pale clasts, 0.5-5 cm big, with
oriented texture in a dark gray or black
stone background;
6) dark gray, fine- or medium-blasted, with
occasional light calcite veins;
7) banded, medium-blasted, with evident
thicker lighter bands and thinner
darker ones, disrupted by faults run-
ning obliquely to the layering;
8) gray, fine- or coarse-blasted, the variegat-
ed structure reflected also in the coloring;
9) light cream with dark bands, coarse-
blasted, bands 1.5 cm, slightly blurred
at the edges;
Once again the absolute necessity of com-
bining discovery with immediate conserva-
tion has been emphasized. The technical
condition of newly excavated architecture is
satisfactory on the whole, but deteriorates
rapidly, often after just one year out in the
open. This is particularly disastrous to any
vestiges of painted plaster and stone ele-
ments of architectural decoration. Lacking
proper storage facilities for carved stone
decoration, the mission is obliged to pre-
serve in the field. Needless to say, archaeol-
ogical control is essential in order not to ob-
literate original contexts where still existing.
10) gray, coarse-blasted, revealing a wavy
texture in the break.
All the varieties of marble are represen-
ted in the assemblage of revetment slabs.
The surfaces range from uneven and coarse
to full polish. The slabs are from 0.8 to
4.8 cm thick, the most common thickness
being 1.5-1.8 cm. Since some revetment
slabs constituted edge pieces, the following
edge finishings were distinguished: plain
rounded, cut back at an angle and jagged.
Marble columns and bases were also in evi-
dence, now scattered in the post-con-
struction dumps.
Other stone material from the site in-
cluded: petrified wood c. 10 cm long on
average; pebbles representing different
kinds of stone, like cream pelite lime-
stone, pink limestone, granite, basalt and
pumice; medium-grained sandstone of
dark yellow color, presumably a whet-
stone; block of tonalite, measuring
40x30x20 cm, medium-clastic with chaotic
texture.
Restoration and reconstruction methods
have been an issue in the course of the past
season. The restoration of preserved frag-
ments of architecture does not admit the
replacing of old building material with
new one. Reconstruction on the other hand
should in principle use modern materials
and technologies. Furthermore, all modern
conservation should be clearly identifiable,
either by varied jointing, color or building
material, and imitation should be avoided
as it distorts the picture, making it im-
possible to discern the ancient original
from modern addition.
118
EGYPT
blasted veins, the whole sectioned by
straight veins of white calcite up to 5 cm
long and up to 3 mm wide;
3) spotted, medium- and coarse-blasted,
white or cream, with gray or black veins
of various shape;
4) veined, coarse-blasted, white or cream,
with dark gray oriented veins featuring
either crisp or blurred outlines;
5) dotted, medium or coarse-blasted, elon-
gated pale clasts, 0.5-5 cm big, with
oriented texture in a dark gray or black
stone background;
6) dark gray, fine- or medium-blasted, with
occasional light calcite veins;
7) banded, medium-blasted, with evident
thicker lighter bands and thinner
darker ones, disrupted by faults run-
ning obliquely to the layering;
8) gray, fine- or coarse-blasted, the variegat-
ed structure reflected also in the coloring;
9) light cream with dark bands, coarse-
blasted, bands 1.5 cm, slightly blurred
at the edges;
Once again the absolute necessity of com-
bining discovery with immediate conserva-
tion has been emphasized. The technical
condition of newly excavated architecture is
satisfactory on the whole, but deteriorates
rapidly, often after just one year out in the
open. This is particularly disastrous to any
vestiges of painted plaster and stone ele-
ments of architectural decoration. Lacking
proper storage facilities for carved stone
decoration, the mission is obliged to pre-
serve in the field. Needless to say, archaeol-
ogical control is essential in order not to ob-
literate original contexts where still existing.
10) gray, coarse-blasted, revealing a wavy
texture in the break.
All the varieties of marble are represen-
ted in the assemblage of revetment slabs.
The surfaces range from uneven and coarse
to full polish. The slabs are from 0.8 to
4.8 cm thick, the most common thickness
being 1.5-1.8 cm. Since some revetment
slabs constituted edge pieces, the following
edge finishings were distinguished: plain
rounded, cut back at an angle and jagged.
Marble columns and bases were also in evi-
dence, now scattered in the post-con-
struction dumps.
Other stone material from the site in-
cluded: petrified wood c. 10 cm long on
average; pebbles representing different
kinds of stone, like cream pelite lime-
stone, pink limestone, granite, basalt and
pumice; medium-grained sandstone of
dark yellow color, presumably a whet-
stone; block of tonalite, measuring
40x30x20 cm, medium-clastic with chaotic
texture.
Restoration and reconstruction methods
have been an issue in the course of the past
season. The restoration of preserved frag-
ments of architecture does not admit the
replacing of old building material with
new one. Reconstruction on the other hand
should in principle use modern materials
and technologies. Furthermore, all modern
conservation should be clearly identifiable,
either by varied jointing, color or building
material, and imitation should be avoided
as it distorts the picture, making it im-
possible to discern the ancient original
from modern addition.
118