DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Medeksza, Stanisław; Bąkowska-Czerner, Grażyna; Czerner, Rafał; Zambrzycki, Piotr: Marina el-Alamein: conservation work in the 2007 season
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42093#0098
MARINA EL-ALAMEIN
EGYPT
Egyptian guidelines and binding
professional conservation standards, the
selection of materials is carried out under
strict supervision. The use of new material is
reduced to a necessary minimum.
An important issue in substantial
projects like this one is acquiring appropriate
limestone with technical parameters
corresponding to the original stone used in
ancient buildings. Years of experience with
the stone coming from excavations
(considered as out of context) have
confirmed the usefulness of this material for
reconstruction purposes. Other kinds of
limestone from quarries in the vicinity of
Cairo, e.g. Tura and Helluan stone, have a
definitely lesser resistance to the corrosive
climatic conditions present on site at Marina
el-Alamein. In turn, the limestone coming
from local quarries in el-Alamein is of very
poor quality. The original limestone used in
Antiquity must have come from some other
layers, hence its better technical parameters.
Reconstructions of architectural decoration
made of the “original” material as described
above have been under supervision for many
years, fully confirming the validity of these
premises. Moreover, the aesthetic effect of
restorations completed in this manner is also
of importance.
STATE OF PRESERVATION AND
REASONS OF DESTRUCTION
The state of preservation of elements of
architectural decoration, both the decorated
legs and profiled seating, is exceptionally
poor. The damages can be classified as due to
natural ageing of the stone, mechanical
percussion and negative impact of the
surroundings on excavated elements that
were not assured proper provisional
protection. The latter factor is particularly
deleterious in the end effect. Newly
excavated stone has a tendency to filtering
accumulate damaging mineral salts from the
ground. The structure of the objects is thus
weakened and is particularly intensive when
sedimentation layers are arranged vertically.
This leads to delamination of the stone
substance as, for example, in the carved
bench legs. The top surfaces of the seating are
washed and deeply pitted. The visible
granular disintegration of the stone is due to
direct contact with the fill, resulting in
capillary filtering and chemical and
mechanical action of salts. Preserved
evidence of ancient repairs confirms the low
usage durability of elements of interior
decoration.
In 2006, the state of preservation of the
elements in question was recorded in
preparation for planned restoration in 2007.
All of the seats were found to be broken as a
result of mechanical impact. Since the
collapsed fragments were supported on
undisturbed ancient fill, it should be
assumed that the damage occurred in
antiquity. Documentation in April 2007
revealed new damages, presumably
connected with the building works being
carried out on the south wall of the South
Portico, which is the back wall of the
benches. The cracked seating slabs had been
dismantled and the bench legs were used as
provisional supports for scaffolding needed
in the building works. Fragments of the
benches were displaced with regard to their
original position, preventing the restoration
of fragments in their original position.
In keeping with the approved scope of
work, the conservation of these wall benches
was supposed to be solely preventive.
However, in order to satisfy the envisioned
display function, it proved necessary to
consolidate fragments and reinforce the
construction appropriately.
92
Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007
EGYPT
Egyptian guidelines and binding
professional conservation standards, the
selection of materials is carried out under
strict supervision. The use of new material is
reduced to a necessary minimum.
An important issue in substantial
projects like this one is acquiring appropriate
limestone with technical parameters
corresponding to the original stone used in
ancient buildings. Years of experience with
the stone coming from excavations
(considered as out of context) have
confirmed the usefulness of this material for
reconstruction purposes. Other kinds of
limestone from quarries in the vicinity of
Cairo, e.g. Tura and Helluan stone, have a
definitely lesser resistance to the corrosive
climatic conditions present on site at Marina
el-Alamein. In turn, the limestone coming
from local quarries in el-Alamein is of very
poor quality. The original limestone used in
Antiquity must have come from some other
layers, hence its better technical parameters.
Reconstructions of architectural decoration
made of the “original” material as described
above have been under supervision for many
years, fully confirming the validity of these
premises. Moreover, the aesthetic effect of
restorations completed in this manner is also
of importance.
STATE OF PRESERVATION AND
REASONS OF DESTRUCTION
The state of preservation of elements of
architectural decoration, both the decorated
legs and profiled seating, is exceptionally
poor. The damages can be classified as due to
natural ageing of the stone, mechanical
percussion and negative impact of the
surroundings on excavated elements that
were not assured proper provisional
protection. The latter factor is particularly
deleterious in the end effect. Newly
excavated stone has a tendency to filtering
accumulate damaging mineral salts from the
ground. The structure of the objects is thus
weakened and is particularly intensive when
sedimentation layers are arranged vertically.
This leads to delamination of the stone
substance as, for example, in the carved
bench legs. The top surfaces of the seating are
washed and deeply pitted. The visible
granular disintegration of the stone is due to
direct contact with the fill, resulting in
capillary filtering and chemical and
mechanical action of salts. Preserved
evidence of ancient repairs confirms the low
usage durability of elements of interior
decoration.
In 2006, the state of preservation of the
elements in question was recorded in
preparation for planned restoration in 2007.
All of the seats were found to be broken as a
result of mechanical impact. Since the
collapsed fragments were supported on
undisturbed ancient fill, it should be
assumed that the damage occurred in
antiquity. Documentation in April 2007
revealed new damages, presumably
connected with the building works being
carried out on the south wall of the South
Portico, which is the back wall of the
benches. The cracked seating slabs had been
dismantled and the bench legs were used as
provisional supports for scaffolding needed
in the building works. Fragments of the
benches were displaced with regard to their
original position, preventing the restoration
of fragments in their original position.
In keeping with the approved scope of
work, the conservation of these wall benches
was supposed to be solely preventive.
However, in order to satisfy the envisioned
display function, it proved necessary to
consolidate fragments and reinforce the
construction appropriately.
92
Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007