FrançaisCICRP – Centre Interrégional de Conservation et Restauration du Patrimoine
[CICRP - Interregional Centre for Heritage Conservation and Restoration]
MEDISTONE
Preservation of ancient MEDIterranean sites
in terms of their ornamental and building STONE :
from determining stone provenance to proposing conservation/restoration techniques
Duration : 3 years (2006-2008).
Download this program in PDF (43.5 kilo octets).
Program
The conservation of archaeological sites around the Mediterranean basin constitutes a major challenge for the future. Hitherto, studies of archaeological sites have tended to lack sustained follow-up over time, and not interacted sufficiently with other similar sites to enhance the results of research. As a result investments and expertise has tended to disappear after completion. Due to the absence of durable conservation practices, increased exposure to semi-arid climatic conditions, increasing pollution, and to ever increasing pressure from tourism, many sites suffer from severe degradation.
MEDISTONE project is a contribution to the knowledge and the conservation of three of the most important archaeological sites in North Africa (Volubilis in Morocco, Djemila in Algeria, and the Alexandria Lighthouse in Egypt). It consists in :
- identifying of stones used and determining their origins in terms of geographic areas and, if possible, the former quarry sites
- establishing diagnosis of the state of conservation of the stones, and describing mechanisms of the deterioration to stone for semiarid continental climate
- developing appropriate conservation/ restoration techniques that are liable to be met at the selected sites i.e. reassembling fractured and fissured stones
The project involves twelve partners (technical institutes, universities and research organisations, government institutions in charge of cultural heritage i.e. users), five from North African countries and seven from Europe (France, Italy, Germany, Greece), having experience in the field of either ornamental and building stone studies and/ or the deterioration and conservation of cultural heritage stones.
Moreover, data management of the obtained results includes the circulation of the information between the non-European Mediterranean countries, and the dissemination of the obtained results to partners but also to the whole scientific and technical community through guidelines of best practice for conservation of stones in arid and semi-arid areas.
Research team
Dr David Dessandier (coordinator), Christopher Spencer, Dr. Fabian Delorme (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières) - France
Dr. Jean-Didier Mertz, Dr Mohamed Nasraoui, Dr. Lise Leroux (Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques) - France
Dr. Jean-Marc Vallet, Dr. Philippe Bromblet (C.I.C.R.P.) - France
Pr Dr. Lorenzo Lazzarini, Dr. Fabrizio Antonelli (Università degli studi di Venezia) - Italy
M. Paolo Pagnin, Mme Antonella Zannini (Lithos S.N.C.) - Italy
Dr. Myrsini Varti – Matarangas (Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration) - Greece
M. grad. Conservator Jens Linke, M. grad. Conservator Arnulf Dähne (Pons Asini GmbH) - Germany
M. Riache Cherif (Ministrary of Culture - National Archaeological Museum of de Setif) - Algeria
Dr. Messaoud Hamiane (University of Boumerdes) - Algeria
Dr. Rachid Bouzidi (Ministrary of Culture - Patrimony Department - Conservation service of the site of Volubilis) - Morocco
Pr Dr. Saïd Kamel (Moulay Ismail University of Meknes) - Morocco
Pr Dr. Ahmed Saïd Shoeib (Suprem Council of Antiquities) - Egypt
Publications
DESSANDIER D., BROMBLET P., VALLET J.M., MERTZ J.D., LEROUX L., DELORME F. (2006). MEDISTONE: A new research program on the preservation of ancient Mediterranean sites in terms of ornamental and building stone. 7th European Commission Conference "SAUVEUR" SAFEGUARDED CULTURAL HERITAGE Understanding & Viability for the Enlarged Europe, Prague, Czech Republic 31st May – 3rd June 2006, volume 2- Posters, pp 1038-1041.
MERTZ JD., VALLET JM., BROMBLET P. (2006). "MEDISTONE : Préservation des pierres ornementales et de construction des sites archéologiques antiques du pourtour méditerranéen.", Culture et Recherches, n° 110, pp. 14-15.
Page mise à jour le 21 septembre 2007.
C.I.C.R.P. - Centre interrégional de conservation et restauration du patrimoine
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