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MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND SPORTGENERAL DIRECTORATE OF ANTIQUITIES AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

DIRECTORATE OF MUSEUMS/ DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNICATION

Preventive conservation of monuments

Prevent,

Protect

Predict,

... monuments from the ravages of time!

Preventive

conservation:

a shield that

protects

monuments

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To begin with: what is a monument?

That’s a title we read in newspapers and on the internet, a phrase we frequently hear.

But what does this phrase mean?

In the past the term monument was used

to refer to sculptures and architectural

compositions, which man created in order to

honour and preserve the memory of a person

or a historical event. Nowadays we consider

that any product of human endeavour, which

endures as a testament of an age and not

solely sculpture or architecture, but also

painting, music, narrative etc. is a monument

Monuments at risk!

The Monument to the Tobacco Producers by sculptor Thymios

Panourgias was erected in Kypseli, Agrinio, in memory

of their bloody uprising against the government in 1962.

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Monuments are passed on from generation to

generation, transferring with them particular

values: archaeological, artistic, technological,

economic, and others. They are vested with

special significance by each generation, as

they become part of the life and common points

of reference for the people who live alongside

them, irrespective of gender, age and derivation.

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Weather conditions (including humidity and frost, salts and

microorganisms) pose frequent threats to the materials of

which monuments are made.

So do major natural disasters, such as earthquakes

and fires. The greatest dangers, however, come from

human activities:

Air pollution

due to increased use of fossil

fuels dissolves and destroys

urban monuments.

What dangers threaten the sculptures and architectural monuments?

The Fountains at Menites

on the island of Andros.

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Additionally increases in ambient temperatures due to

the greenhouse effect and the hole in the ozone

layer are expected to accellerate the rate at

which chemical reactions and microbiological

processes take place to the detriment of the

materials of which monuments are made.

Monuments along the coast are under

direct threat from elevated sea levels.

Finally, during wars and

conflicts, monuments can

be irreparably harmed by

bombing, looting, arson,

vandalism etc.Rising water levels in Venice.

Traces of bullets on Hadrian’s

Arch in Athens.

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Conservation is a professional field that includes

all the work undertaken in order to slow down the

destruction of monuments; to take care of them and

to preserve them in a condition

similar to what they were originally like,

for as long as possible.

This work includes examining the monuments;

recording any issues; and a variety of

interventions to clean, re-affix, stabilise the

materials of the monuments. Monument conservation can by systematic or

preventive and is undertaken by conservators of antiquities.

By conservation!

How do we keep monuments going?

Conservation of mosaics in Daphni Monastery

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Systematic conservation of monuments is undertaken

by conservators of antiquities and works of art and

includes all the interventions undertaken in order to

treat the ruined materials from which these are made.

Such interventions include cleaning, joining,

stabilising, filling in with new materials etc.

What is the systematic conservation of monuments?

Completing monuments, such as the Tholos

at Epidaurus, which is done using tested

new materials and methods.

Joining fragments of a wall

painting from Tiryns.

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With preventive conservation, conservators locate and intervene

in environmental risks that threaten monuments in order to avoid

damage to their materials. Cutting weeds, repelling birds,

cleaning the surrounding area,

stopping vehicular traffic

in the area are all actions

that fall withing the purview of

“preventive conservation”.

What is preventive conservation of monuments?

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• to locate the risks that threaten monuments;

• to prevent greater destruction and the need for

systematic conservation of materials;

• to lengthen the life-span of systematic conservation

interventions that have already taken place (e.g. cleaning,

reattaching etc.);

• they cost less;

• they encourage communication with and participation of the

public in the issue of maintaining monuments of our cultural heritage.

The work of preventive conservation must be done

regularly and with care:

Why is preventive conservation so important?

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What can we do?

Each and every one of us should become actively involved in preventive

maintenance activities on the monuments of our country, our town,

or, even better, our neighbourhood, as these monuments are our

cultural heritage.

The Lambraki monu-

ment in Thessaloniki.

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We learn how to behave correctly

around monuments; we organise groups

and collaborate with the competent

authority for the conservation of the

monument (Ephorate of Antiquities,

Local Government, private

individuals); we take part in public

consciousness raising; we help keep the area tidy etc.

How do we do that?

ιουνιοσνέο ΑρχΑιολογικο Μουσέιο Μυτιλήνήσ

Μουσέιο Φυσικήσ ιστοριΑσ ΑπολιθωΜένου ΔΑσουσ λέσβου

ΑρχΑιολογικοσ χωροσ ΑρχΑιΑσ έλέυθέρνΑσ

τέΜένοσ κΑρΑ ΜουσΑ πΑσΑ, πΑλιΑ πολή ρέθυΜνου

Αργυρουπολή ρέθυΜνου

ΑΜΑρι ρέθυΜνου

ΑρχΑιολογικο Μουσέιο βρΑυρωνΑσ

υγροτοποσ βρΑυρωνΑσ

πυλή του ΑΔριΑνου

ΑρχΑιολογικοσ χωροσ ολυΜπιέιου

Μονή κΑισΑριΑνήσ

ΑρχΑιολογικοσ χωροσ κέρΑΜέικου

βυζΑντινοι νΑοι κΑλυβιων Αττικήσ

σουριζΑ, έθνικοσ ΔρυΜοσ σουνιου

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πρΑσινέσπολιτιστικέσ

ΔιΑΔροΜέσ

ΥποΥργείο πολίτίσμοΥ καί τοΥρίσμοΥ

γεΝίκΗ ΔίεΥΘΥΝσΗ αρΧαίοτΗτΩΝ καί πολίτίστίκΗσ κλΗροΝομίασ

ΔίεΥΘΥΝσΗ μοΥσείΩΝ, εκΘεσεΩΝ καί εκπαίΔεΥτίκΩΝ προγραμματΩΝ (Δμεεπ)

www.yppo.gr

www.visitgreece.gr

Athens, 2015

Project coordinatorMaria Lagogianni, Ph.D. (Archaeology)Souzana Choulia – Kapeloni, Archaeologist

General editingTonia Koutsouraki, ArchaeologistAlexandra Seleli, Archaeologist - Museologist

Graphic Design EditorSpilios Pistas, Graphic artist

TextsSofia Papida, Conservator of Antiquities and Works of Art - Museologist

Translation into English Katerina Apostolaki, Translator - Interpreter

Digital and Graphic DesignPashalia Tsagarian, Graphic designerIrene Charalampidi, Graphic designer

IllustratorElias Karras, Painter

© 2015 Ministry of Culture and SportISBN 978-960-386-216-1

The leaflet Systematic conservation” of the theme “Preventive conservation: a shield for protecting monuments” was created and digitised in 2015, within the framework of Action code no. MIS 339815 “Updating and digitizing educational material to support the educational process, which is implemented by the Directorate of Museums as part of the Operational Programme “Education and Lifelong Learning” and jointly funded by the European Union (European Social Fund) and by national funds.