Journal of Architectural Conservation
Volume 14, Issue 1, March 2008
Fired Brick Conservation in the Kyrgyz Silk Roads
The Case of Burana's Mausoleum 4
Enrico Fodde
Paper Summary
The paper outlines the materials and methods employed for the conservation of the Mausoleum 4, an excavated fired brick structure dating from the eleventh century. The ruin is located in Burana (upper Chuy valley, Kyrgyzstan), an archaeological site that played a relevant role in the development of the northern stretch of the central Asian Silk Roads. The paper discusses the experimental laboratory analyses carried out to test both historic and repair materials. It also discusses the information provided by the direct study of wall structures. A description is also given of how local experts were trained in conservation activities such as: damage assessment, analytic investigation of materials, craftsmanship, traditional skills, and intervention recording. The conservation of Burana’s heritage was part of a wider UNESCO/Japan Trust Fund project named ‘Preservation of Silk Roads Sites in the Upper Chuy Valley in Kyrgyzstan: Navikat (Krasnaya Rechka), Suyab (Ak Beshim) and Balasagyn (Burana)’. The recommendations and practical methods explained here could be of use for those conservators working in similar projects in the Middle East or Asia.
|
Figure 5 After the cleaning of the debris, a damage assessment was carried out by employing a standardized system through which every symbol was associated with a different symbol of decay (see Appendix). the symbols refer to a datasheet where a short explanation is given in both English and Russian. the dotted line shows the extent of the rubble on the wall head. This was a useful tool that was constantly used for planning and specifying conservation work (2005) |
Enrico Fodde MA, PhD
Enrico Fodde is Lecturer at the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Bath (UK). He was formerly International Project Director of Moenjodaro (World Heritage Site, Pakistan), consultant to the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (UAE), and Field Director for the following UNESCO projects: conservation of the Buddhist monastery of Ajina Tepa (Tajikistan), the Silk Road sites of the Chuy Valley in Kyrgyzstan (Krasnaya Rechka, Ak Beshim, Burana), and Otrar Tobe (Kazakhstan).
.
More information on the Journal of Architectural Conservation.
How to subscribe.