Surface cleaning and structural survey of standing buildingsPredrag Novaković, University of Ljubljana

Standing architectural and structural remains are subjects of non-invasive archaeology from its very start. In long history of surveying and recording such monuments researchers applied a series of varying methods, mostly originating from architectural domain.

In this lecture another approach will be presented, that of structural survey based on the idea of single context unit as developed in the so called stratigraphic excavations in 1908s. In addition to this also the practice of ‘surface cleaning’ will be presented.

Two case studies (Church of St.Mary, Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Stari Trogir near Sevid, Croatia) will be used for illustrating this method and practices.

Major characteristics of surface cleaning and structural survey as non-invasive field techniques:

- site centered

- very valuable in low-tech circumstances

- enable very close ‘contact’ with site; very detailed knowledge about the site prior to the excavation, great potential for preventive and also ‘investigative’ archaeology

- could be efficiently done with small teams

- dealing with structures and artifacts (possibly more precise chronology than in e.g. surface surveys)

- allow very moderate (minimal) intervention in structures and soil cover.

Scraping the first 10 cm of top-soil is often a fast and intensive way of knowing what lies below the surface. Since the first 10 cm of soil is often very recent soil formation, to is considered non- destructive to the archaeological remains below(R. Tringham, Anthro 2AC Spring 2008, Forum 4b: Lecture 13, February 2008, Non-destructive/non-invasive ways of investigating archaeological places).

Clearing tropical Central American lowland vegetation.

(R. Tringham, Anthro 2AC Spring 2008, Forum 4b: Lecture 13, February 2008, Non-destructive/non-invasive ways of investigating archaeological places).

The floor-plan of buildings after surface scraping at 10 cm depth at Çatalhöyük, Turkey in 1993-94

Two case studies by the Dept. of Archaeology, University of Ljubljana:

1. Medieval church transformed to mosque, Jajce, Bosna in Herzegovina, July 2010

(STRUCTURAL SURVEY AND RECORDING)

2. Roman maritamae villa at Stari Trogir near Sevid, Central Dalmatia, Croatia, July 2004

(SURFACE CLEANING AND STRUCTURAL SURVEY)

Jajce

Stari Trogir, Sevid

Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina, July 2010

Student field exercises

University of Ljubljana,University of Sarajevo,University of Zagreb

Program:

a) Teaching basic skills in field recording of structures

b) Structural survey of Church of St. Mary and St. Luke tower

c) Small test excavation at fortress (testing the ground probing radar results)

Church of St. Mary and tower of St. Luke (dashed lines)

Plan of church of St. Mary and tower of St. Luke

Church of St. Mary and tower of St. Luke,

view from the west

Church of St. Mary;

Inner view on W wall

Tower of St. Luke

Teaching basic skills in field recording

Recording

Observing and recording the structural elements (units):

a) Structural units (i.e. single context units); much as the stratigraphic units in excavation

b) Recording dimensions, materials and relationships with other structural units

c) Primarily to understand building history (i.e. sequence of building events, phases etc.); style of secondary importance (taken to account in next steps).

Types of records

DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURAL UNIT

Types of records

PRECISE MEASUREMENTS

Types of records

PHOTOSKETCHES (INTERPRETED PHOTOGRAPHIES FOR STRUCT. UNITS

Types of records

PHOTOSKETCHES (INTERPRETED PHOTOGRAPHIES FOR STRUCT. UNITS

Types of records

REFERENCE LISTS:

- STRUCTURAL UNITS

- MEASUREMENTS

- DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHIES

- DRAWINGS

- SPECIAL FINDS

- PHOTOSKETCHES

SURFACE CLEANING AND STRUCTURAL SURVEY

Roman maritamae villa at Stari Trogir near Sevid, Central Dalmatia, Croatia, July 2004

Landscape setting

Situation before

Surface cleaning

Surfaces and structures cleaned

Recording: surveying, photographing

Recording: description

Describing: manual and models

Rubbershiting and georeferencing

Mosaicing

Composite plan

Analysis

New elements

Interpretation

Računalniška vizualizacije vile v Starem trogirju

(iz Nika Lužnik, Diplomska naloga FF UL, 2011)

Animacija – Stari Trogir (iz Nika Lužnik, Diplomska naloga FF UL, 2011)