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Heritage Conservation - Introduction: Dr. Aditya Kanth

This document provides an introduction to heritage conservation. It defines heritage as the legacies passed down from past generations, including tangible objects and intangible cultural practices. Conservation aims to safeguard cultural heritage for present and future generations through preventative and remedial measures while respecting the significance and physical properties of heritage items. The document outlines key conservation terminology and principles such as minimal intervention, reversibility, and full documentation of work. It also describes the objectives of learning about scientific approaches to conserving different materials, preventing deterioration, and examining heritage objects.

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Charmil Gandhi
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66 views

Heritage Conservation - Introduction: Dr. Aditya Kanth

This document provides an introduction to heritage conservation. It defines heritage as the legacies passed down from past generations, including tangible objects and intangible cultural practices. Conservation aims to safeguard cultural heritage for present and future generations through preventative and remedial measures while respecting the significance and physical properties of heritage items. The document outlines key conservation terminology and principles such as minimal intervention, reversibility, and full documentation of work. It also describes the objectives of learning about scientific approaches to conserving different materials, preventing deterioration, and examining heritage objects.

Uploaded by

Charmil Gandhi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Heritage Conservation - Introduction

Dr. Aditya Kanth

Assistant Professor
Centre for Heritage Management (CHM)
What is Heritage
• Legacies from the past, what we live with today, and
what we individually or collectively pass on to
future generations.
What is Heritage?
• The practices, representations, expressions,
knowledge, skills
as well as
• the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural
spaces

• associated therewith –

that communities, groups and, in some cases,


individuals recognize as part of their cultural
heritage.
The birth of Indian Art with Ajanta Paintings
The burgeoning market of
modern and contemporary art
Musée d'Orsay, Paris
Materials found at Archaeological excavation
sites
Conservation training of wall paintings at
Pushkar, Rajasthan
ICOM-CC definition

• Conservation - all measures and actions aimed at safeguarding


tangible cultural heritage while ensuring its accessibility to present
and future generations. Conservation embraces preventive
conservation, remedial conservation and restoration. All measures
and actions should respect the significance and the physical
properties of the cultural heritage item.

- Remedial conservation - all actions directly applied to an item or


a group of items aimed at arresting current damaging processes or
reinforcing their structure. These actions are only carried out
when the items are in such a fragile condition or deteriorating at
such a rate, that they could be lost in a relatively short time. These
actions sometimes modify the appearance of the items. 
Preventive conservation
• -  All measures and actions aimed at avoiding and minimizing future
deterioration or loss. They are carried out within the context or on the
surroundings of an item, but more often a group of items, whatever
their age and condition. These measures and actions are indirect – they
do not interfere with the materials and structures of the items. They do
not modify their appearance.

Examples of preventive conservation are appropriate measures and


actions for registration, storage, handling, packing and transportation,
security, environmental management (light, humidity, pollution and pest
control), emergency planning, education of staff, public awareness, legal
compliance.
Conservation Terminology
The legacy of our collective cultural heritage enriches our lives. Each generation has a responsibility to
maintain and to protect this heritage for the benefit of succeeding generations. Those who care for cultural
heritage use special terminology, which we have currently defined as follows:

Conservation: The profession devoted to the preservation of cultural property for the future. Conservation
activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventive care, supported by research and
education.

Examination: The investigation of the structure, materials, and condition of cultural property including the
identification of the extent and causes of alteration and deterioration.

Documentation:The recording in a permanent format of information derived from conservation activities.

Treatment: The deliberate alteration of the chemical and/or physical aspects of cultural property, aimed
primarily at prolonging its existence. Treatment may consist of stabilization and/or restoration.

Stabilization: Treatment procedures intended to maintain the integrity of cultural property and to


minimize deterioration.
Conservation Terminology
Restoration: Treatment procedures intended to return cultural property to a known or assumed state,
often through the addition of nonoriginal material.

Preventive Care (also referred to as preventive conservation): The mitigation of deterioration and damage
to cultural property through the formulation and implementation of policies and procedures for the
following: appropriate environmental conditions; handling and maintenance procedures for storage,
exhibition, packing, transport, and use; integrated pest management; emergency preparedness and
response; and reformatting/duplication.

Cultural Property: Objects, collections, specimens, structures, or sites identified as having artistic, historic,
scientific, religious, or social significance.

Preservation: The protection of cultural property through activities that minimize chemical and physical
deterioration and damage and that prevent loss of informational content. The primary goal of preservation
is to prolong the existence of cultural property.
Conservation Terminology
• Conservator: A professional whose primary occupation is the practice of conservation and who,
through specialized education, knowledge, training, and experience, formulates and implements all the
activities of conservation in accordance with an ethical code such as the AIC Code of Ethics and
Guidelines for Practice.

Conservation Administrator: A professional with substantial knowledge of conservation who is


responsible for the administrative aspects and implementation of conservation activities in accordance
with an ethical code such as the AIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice.

Conservation Educator: A professional with substantial knowledge and experience in the theory and
techniques of conservation whose primary occupation is to teach the principles, methodology, and/or
technical aspects of the profession in accordance with an ethical code such as the AIC Code of Ethics
and Guidelines for Practice.

Conservation Scientist: A professional scientist whose primary focus is the application of specialized
knowledge and skills to support the activities of conservation in accordance with an ethical code such
as the AIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice.

Conservation Technician: An individual who is trained and experienced in specific conservation


treatment activities and who works in conjunction with or under the supervision of a conservator. A
conservation technician may also be trained and experienced in specific preventive care activities.

Collections Care Specialist: An individual who is trained and experienced in specific preventive care
activities and who works in conjunction with or under the supervision of a conservator.
Conservation of cultural heritage
applies simple ethical guidelines
• Minimal intervention;
• Appropriate materials and reversible methods;
• Full documentation of all work undertaken. Often there are
compromises between preserving appearance, maintaining
original design and material properties, and ability to
reverse changes.
• Reversibility is now emphasized so as to reduce problems
with future treatment, investigation, and use.
Course Objective
• To familiarize students with scientific dimensions of heritage study
• To inform students how to take care of the heritage materials
• To acquaint the students with definitions and terminologies pertaining
to material culture
• To familiarize the students about the impact of environmental factors
on the heritage materials and various
• To create curiosity, an appreciation and sensitivity towards heritage and
heritage materials.
Course Content
• 1. Introduction and Conservation Philosophy Historical development, current
principles and practices, Ethics in Conservation.

• 2. Science of inorganic materials Stone objects – Technique and composition,


Metal objects – technique and composition, Ceramics – Stucco, terracotta,
stoneware, porcelain and glass, Archaeological monuments and materials.

• 3. Science of organic materials Wooden objects – Techniques and composition,


Paper-based materials - manuscripts and archival materials, Palm leaves, Birch
bark, Bhojpatra, Textiles – Varieties and composition, Objects of animal origin –
Bones, ivories and leather

• 4. Science of composite materials Paintings - construction of painted surfaces,


Watercolour paintings, tempera paintings, gouache paintings, Oil paintings,
acrylic paintings and wall paintings
Course Content
• 5. Process of deterioration - Physical and chemical deterioration of cultural
property, Bio-deterioration of cultural property, Pollutants and their effects on
cultural property

• 6. Preventive conservation and Microclimate management - Museum climate –


Temperature, Relative humidity and Lighting systems, Integrated pest
management, Handling and storage of cultural property

• 7. Scientific examination and dating techniques - Visual examination of art


objects, Scientific examination – ultraviolet radiation, infrared radiation, x-rays,
Examination of objects at the molecular level, Connoisseurship and scientific
authentication, Dating techniques for cultural material.
Assessment/ Evaluation
• Mid semester
Quiz – 20% ; Assignment -20%

• End semester
Quiz -20%; Assignment – 20%
Project /Written Examination - (20-40) %

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