Materials and Strategies for Conservation Interventions on Monuments of the Sassanid Period in Fars, Iran

ABSTRACT

The present study deals with the definition of the necessary principles, methods and materials for conservation of the monuments in Firuzabad and Bishapur in the province of Fars in Iran, such as the remains of the Ardashir Palace and Anahita’s temple complex. Moreover, specifications are provided for the conservation interventions on these monuments, according to the international theoretical principles and rules, thus guaranteeing successful implementation of intervention methods and materials on these monuments of the world cultural heritage. The inspection of the monuments in 2009 by the scientific team of the Technical University of Crete resulted in the development of a framework for a conservation plan based on the characterisation of building materials and condition. More specifically, the analysis and characterisation of three gypsum mortars from the monuments in Fars provided invaluable information for the design of repair mortars with enhanced properties aiming at restoring these monuments.

KEYWORKS:

• Sassanid period
• Ardashir Palace
• Anahita’s Temple
• Qaleh-iDokhtar Fortress
• historic mortar
• gypsum
• anhydrite
• repair mortars

Acknowledgments

Associate Professor G. Alevizos and Dr. E. Repouskou of TUC are gratefully acknowledged for their assistance in the thin section study.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The visit and inspection in situ of the Sassanid Monuments by the team of Greek Experts were funded by the Iranian Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism. The authors acknowledge also financial support from the Research Committee of the Technical University of Crete under research grant #80102, for the project entitled ‘Documentation, Principles And Materials Research for the Restoration and Conservation of Ancient Monuments in Iran’.

Notes on contributors

P. N. Maravelaki

P. N. Maravelaki is Professor at the School of Architecture, Technical University of Crete, and Head of the lab ‘Materials for Cultural Heritage and Modern Builiding_MaCHMoB’ (www.machmob.tuc.gr). She is an expert in historic material characterisation and design of innovative compatible materials for stone and mortar conservation (https://scholar.google.gr/citations?hl=en&user=rYxkduQAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate.com).

F. Mallouchou-Tufano

F. Mallouchou-Tufano, Former Professor of Restoration of Monuments at the School of Architecture of the Technical University of Crete, is actually (2020) Deputy Chair of the Committee for the Conservation of the Acropolis Monuments (ESMA) and Member of the Central Archaeological Council of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.

M. Ashrafi

M. Ashrafi, PhD in Architecture, Geneva University, is Director of Research Center for Historical Buildings and Fabrics of the Iranian Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism and Manager of World Heritage Cultural Landscape of Maymand. She is also teaching at the Art University of Tehran, Iran.

I. Doganis

I. Doganis and A. Galanos are freelance conservators running the Conservation Consulting Company ‘Lithou Sintirisis’, https://www.facebook.com/lithousintiris