How to conserve small-scale monuments?

Historic complexes, archaeological sites, monument ensembles, historic cemeteries, and parks consist of a multitude of individual monuments. Factors such as their often-remote locations and the limited resources available to institutional heritage conservation mean that preservation efforts occur only in isolated cases. Furthermore, there is little information regarding their current state of preservation. Consequently, this conservation-focused inventory aims to contribute to establishing a baseline understanding of the condition of the monument fabric. The inventory process seeks to define various criteria and evaluate them comparatively. Given the large number of comparable monuments, the goal is to identify those most at risk—thereby determining where restoration work should logically begin and what maintenance measures are required. By analyzing the results, it is also possible to prioritize which monuments should be addressed next. The objective is thus to develop a hierarchy of action based primarily on conservation needs, serving as a fundamental basis for planning. The assessment is supplemented by on-site investigations drawn from the field of evidence-based conservation, ranging from ultrasonic measurements of material cohesion to in-situ measurements of hydric dilatation associated with moisture absorption.

We are giving a presentation on this topic at the International Conference on Architectural Heritage and Contemporary Architecture (ICAH CA), which is taking place in Armenia again this year, following events in Venice and Vienna over the past two years.