Technical strategies for conservation of earthen archaeological architecture

Abstract

The preservation of earthen architectural heritage is extremely complex due to the diversity of its constituent materials and potentially rapid physical deterioration. Interventions on historic earthen architecture throughout the world have shown very distinct levels of success, but there is no single procedure or combination of conservation procedures that guarantee success. One of the problems is the lack of knowledge about the behaviour of soil as the material component, and its relationships both with other materials, and associated natural and cultural environments. This article analyses some technical considerations that have influenced the preservation of earthen archaeological remains, through critical analysis of the existing bibliographic references from the proceedings of specialized international conferences that have taken place in the last twenty years.