Evaluation on XXth century conservation and restoration interventions of ancient monuments and an innovative approach: Re-restoration

Tez (Doktora) -- İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, 2020Arkeolojik alanlar, insan topluluklarının kökenleri ve gelişimleri ile ilgili içerdikleri bilgi bakımından değerli alanlardır. Arkeologların ve farklı disiplinlerden bilim insanlarının bu alanlarda yaptıkları çalışmalar insanlığın geçmişinin anlaşılmasına yardımcı olmaktadır. Bu nedenle kaybedildiğinde yenilenmesi mümkün olmayan taşınır ve taşınmaz kültürel mirasın, özgünlüğünün bozulmadan korunması ve gelecek nesillere aktarılması büyük bir önem taşımaktadır. Türkiye'de arkeolojik kazılar sırasında eserlerin gün yüzüne çıkarılma sürecinde ne yazık ki her zaman bir koruma uzmanı bulunmamakta ve çoğu zaman arkeolojik eserler kaderine terk edilmektedir. Bunun yanısıra koruma ve onarım uygulamalarındaki hatalar, koruma ve onarım çalışmaları sonrası ihmal edilen düzenli bakım da eserlerin yok olmasının bir başka şeklidir. Arkeolojik alanlarda yürütülen koruma uygulamalarının nesnelleştirilmeye ve dikkat edilecek temel koruma prensiplerin sınıflandırılmaya çalışıldığı ilk düzenli girişimlerin tarihi XX. yüzyılın başlarına dayanmaktadır. Fakat kabul gören ilkelerin yoruma açık niteliği nedeniyle ortaya çıkan farklı uygulamalar ve son çıkan teknolojilerin kullanımının getirdiği fiziksel ve anlamsal değişiklikler, günümüzde koruma ve onarım uygulamaların yeniden ele alınması konusunda çalışmalar yapılmasını gerekli kılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, öncelikle antik alanlarda gün yüzüne çıkarılan mimari buluntulara ilişkin koruma ve onarım yaklaşımlarının kuramsal gelişimi incelenmiştir. Daha sonra Avrupa'da ve Türkiye'de bulunan ve kazılarına XXI. yüzyıldan önce başlanılan antik alanlar tespit edilmiştir. Bunlardan çalışılan ülkeler ve ülkelerdeki antik alanlar çizelgelerle tasniflenmiştir. Erken dönem müdahalelerinin günümüzdeki fiziksel durumu XXI. yüzyıldan önce müdahale görmüş antik alanlar özelinde saha çalışmasıyla ve kazı başkanlarıyla yapılan anketle irdelenmiştir. Kazı başkanları ile gerçekleştirilen anketler ve röportajlar, çalışmaya, kazı başkanlarının arkeolojik eserlerin korunması ve onarılmasındaki rolüyle ilgili farklı bakış açıları kazandırmıştır. Saha çalışmasının ve anketin bir ürünü olarak XXI. yüzyıldan önce yapılmış müdahalelerin günümüzde tekrar ele alınmasının gerekli olduğu belgelenmiştir. Koruma ve onarım uygulamalarına tekrar müdahale edilmesi eylemi 're-restorasyon' olarak adlandırılmıştır. Örnek antik alanlar üzerinden fiziksel bozulmalar ve özgünlük sorunları sınıflandırılmıştır. Bunlara çözüm önerileri sunulduktan sonra antik alanlarda gerçekleştirilecek re-restorasyon uygulamaları için bir metodoloji geliştirilmiştir. Re-restorasyona ilişkin geliştirilen yöntem belgeleme, analiz, re-restorasyonun planlanması, re-restorasyonun uygulanması, yorum ve sergileme olarak altı basamaktan oluşmaktadır. Her arkeolojik sitin kendine özgü karakter taşımasından dolayı sorunların ve çözümlerin birebir uygulanması doğru olmasa da, sınıflandırmaların araştırma sürecini kısaltması ve farklı bölgelerde yapılmış/yapılmakta olan uygulamalara erişilebilirliği arttırması bu çalışmanın en önemli kazanımlarındandır. Tüm bunların ardından çalışma, günümüzdeki verileri kullanarak arkeolojik kazılara ve antik alanların sergilenmesine ilişkin değerlendirmelerde bulunmuştur.Archaeological sites are very valuable in terms of the information they contain about the origins and development of human communities. The studies of archaeologists and scientists from various disciplines in these fields help to understand the past of humanity. For this reason, it is of great importance that the movable and immovable cultural heritage, which can not be renewed when lost, is protected from its essence and transferred to future generations. In Turkey, in the process of unearthing the artifacts during excavations, unfortunately, there is not always a conservation and restoration experts and heritage is often abandoned to its fate. In additions, errors in preservation and intervention, regular maintenance and checks after the interventions are not included among the priorities are other forms of destruction. The first regular attempts to objectify conservation practices in archaeological sites and to classify the basic principles to be considered date back to the beginning of the XXth century. However, due to the open nature of the accepted principles, the practices and the physical changes and changes in authenticity brought about by the use of the latest technologies make it necessary to carry out studies to re-implement the practices. By the XXIst century, it has been understood that the protection and conservation practices carried out for more than a century have entered the process of wear and separated with the modern conservation approach. Thus, this thesis proposes an innovative approach for the restoration of ancient architectural monuments. The thesis is built on six main chapters. The first chapter is the introduction part of the thesis. In this chapter, the aim of the research is defined and the target of the study is explained. The research method is also presented in this first part after defining the research problem. In the second chapter of the study, the theoretical development of the restoration and conservation approaches to archaeological sites is examined chronologically from the past till present. The changes and breaking points in international regulations are determined with detailed literature research to define a theoretical frame. The process of protecting the archaeological heritage, defined as a dead monument, has evolved into a living archaeological heritage preservation process. The protection of the archaeological monument with its environment has been evaluated for a long time and within scope. In the third chapter, restoration and conservation interventions are classified after figuring out a theoretical and historical background. The classification is done by considering the ongoing preservations of immovable architectural artifacts in archaeological sites. In this part of the study, an innovative algorithm is prepared to present a clear model for intervention techniques for archaeological sites. The structure of the algorithm is designed to define the context of restoration and conservation terms used today and to show the necessity of redefining and expanding the contents. In order to understand the hypothesis of the study, in the fourth chapter of the thesis, the current situation of early interventions has been examined with field studies in the ancient sites, which were intervened in the XXth century. It has been documented that the current situation of XXth century interventions needs to be reconsidered today. The conservation and restoration interventions are not only subject to physical deterioration over time, but also to the deterioration of the meaning of cultural heritage and loss of authenticity, which is equivalent to the physical deterioration. However, in order to support the main body of the thesis, most common physical problems and authenticity problems are exemplified in the specific ancient areas. Physical problems are divided into subheadings as efflorescing, staining, biological colonization, detachment, static weakness, and condensation. Authenticity problems are divided into sub-headings as spolien material use, disproportionate integration, incompatible interventions, and unqualified workmanship. In this chapter, the opinions of the professionals were also included. The questionnaire and interviews conducted with the directors of excavations gave different perspectives to the thesis. Seven questions have been asked, mainly, to figure out the role of directors of excavations during the restoration progresses, the current situations of the recent interventions and the most important problem that an ancient monument, the site is facing today. The thesis uses current data coming from the questionnaire and interviews to predict the future of archaeological excavations, restoration and the exhibition of ancient sites. The unique part and the main core of the thesis is presented in the fifth chapter. This chapter explains why re-restoration is needed up to the documentation studies in the chosen ancient sites. Hence, if the interventions in the XXth century, itself, have been in the process of deterioration and the damage to the architectural monument has been restored, these should be considered to have restoration again. This act of restoration on restored architectural monument again is named as 're-restoration' in the thesis. The purpose of the re-restoration is to protect the essence of the architectural monument and to protect the monuments with an approach which can be understood by people who are not experts in preservation during the visit of the site. After a methodology has been developed for the re-restoration applications to be carried out in ancient areas, the solution proposals are presented. The methodology consists of six main stages. The first stage is the documentation. Documentation is also a frequent step in international regulations, as much important as the protection of the monument itself. The second stage covers the analysis of architectural works and early conservation and restoration interventions. These should be listed as physical and chemical changes, value and specificity changes. The third stage is the classification of the data obtained during the analysis. The classification of the problems will lead to a faster emergence of the solutions to be produced for them as well as to allow faster interventions in similar problems that may occur in the same ancient area in the future. The fourth stage is to prepare an intervention plan for early applications based on classification. The fifth stage covers the applications. Every decision to be put into practice, by designated experts, in the place and the time specified in the intervention plan, is within these applications. It is the presentation and display of the sixth and last stage repeated interventions. This last stage is of main importance in order to understand the process of the monument, avoid the same mistakes in the future, and to capture different perspectives. Although each archaeological site has its own unique character and its own problems, the methodology should be used as an example and preliminary outlining for the solutions. A further survey is necessary up to the character of the ancient site. In chapter six, the opportunities of technology which is used for excavations, conservations and restorations, and presentation of ancient monuments are examined. By comparing the advantages and disadvantages of technology with traditional methods, future approaches to ancient sites are foreseen. One of the contemporary approaches in restoration is to provide the longest life to the monument with the least possible intervention without damaging the authenticity. Rather than practicing every opportunity offered by technology, as in the past, it is important to realize that changes in the philosophy of conservation and restoration can be experienced and reversible interventions should be made. The interventions should be proved before the application on the monument and the changes in the long term should be recorded. Archaeological artifacts should be kept under strict supervision after conservation and restoration interventions. On the contrary, instead of ordinary maintenance touches, it would be necessary to perform extended and advanced restorations. In addition, a management plan, which can be implemented in ancient cities, needs to be prepared for any kind of preservation act.DoktoraPh.D