Bangladesh / Cambodia

25

2020

The Twenty-fifth Regular Report

Malaysia / Mongolia

ACCU Nara International Correspondent
The ACCU correspondents periodically send reports on cultural heritage protection activities in which they have been
recently involved. This is a collection of eight reports submitted by international correspondents in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Twenty-fifth Regular Report
Contents
Bangladesh

1

Cambodia

5

Malaysia

8

Mongolia

21

Mst. Naheed Sultana
The Beautiful Nayabad Mosque and its Conservation

Chan Vitharong
Human Resources Development in Sambor Prei Kuk Conservation Activities

A Ghafar Bin Ahmad
Temporary Roof Systems in the Conservation of Heritage Buildings, Sarawak, Malaysia

Munkhtulga Rinchinkhorol
Protection of Medieval Burial Sites in Mongolia

New Zealand

27

Philippines

33

Sri Lanka

37

Uzbekistan

42

Matthew Schmidt
Cultural Heritage Conservation in a World Heritage Area - Auckland Islands, Subantarctic,
March 2020 Fieldwork

Louella Solmerano Revilla
Report on the Cleaning of the Facade of the Historic Church of San Agustin

D.A. Rasika Dissanayaka
A Summary of Fire Disaster Management in Sri Lanka

Akmaljon Ulmasov
Lacuna, Rigatino, and Tinta Neutra (Italian Experience in Conservation)

Bangladesh
Bangladesh

The Beautiful Nayabad Mosque and its Conservation
Mst. Naheed Sultana, Regional Director
Department of Archaeology, Ministry of Cultural Affairs
Nayabad Mosque is located in Nayabad village in Kaharol
Upazila (an administrative area), about 20 km from the
Dinajpur district in Bangladesh. This ancient mosque,about 1.5 km south of the famous Kantanagar Temple,
is situated on the western bank of the Punarbhaba

A map of Bangladesh(lDhepa) River. At present, it is a protected monumentof the Department of Archaeology under the Ministry of
Cultural Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic ofBangladesh.

Archaeological sites in the Dinajpur district

Enclosed by a low outer wall, the mosque forms an oblong
structure of brick and plaster. The mosque was constructedwith octagonal turrets in the four corners and it hasoutside dimensions of nearly 12 m × 5 m. In the western(Kiblah) wall are three semi-octagonal arched mihrabs,
with the central one being larger. The central doorway
and the central mihrab have outward projections withflanking turrets on each side. The eastern wall of themosque is penetrated with three arched doorways. The
central one is larger than the other two. There is anarched window in each of the north and south walls.
The rectangular interior prayer chamber is 10.15 m × 3 m.
It is divided into three unequal bays by two wide archeson brick pilasters. All this is covered by three domes,

with the central one being larger than the other two. The
domes are crowned with lotus and kalasa finials. Mughalfeatures are seen in the cornices and parapets of themosque.
A Persian inscription established on the central doorwayof the mosque and its time period is 12 A.H. (1785 CE)
during the period of the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II.
The corner turrets are decorated with kalasa bases andkiosks with cupolas on the top. The eastern wall is richly
ornamented with terracotta plaques. The motifs of theseplaques consist of small trees, rosettes, creepers, flowers
and twin peacocks.

General view of Nayabad Mosque and its ground plan1

Bangladesh

Terracotta plaques are used for decoration.

Conservation work of Nayabad Mosque:Internationally, Bangladesh is often considered to be
one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change.
To maintain its archaeological sites and monuments,
Bangladesh needs to adapt to climate risks and natural
disasters such as annual flooding, extreme dry weather,sea level rise, storm surges, and coastal cyclones, with
Bangladesh having a long history of severe floods,
cyclones, storms, tidal surges, river and coastal erosion,etc. Climate change threatens to increase the country’s
exposure to these hazards in the near and distant future.
In ancient Bengal, ordinary houses were built of mud,but special buildings and religious structures were builtwith brick. Mud mortar or lime-surki (brick dust) mortar
was the cementing material for building construction.

That is why most ancient structures have deteriorated
only gradually. Later, building construction techniquesand methods changed with the passage of time. Ancientbuildings have become relatively strong.
Due to climate change in the country, ancient buildings
are now being eroded and facing damage. Nayabad
Mosque was facing the same problem. The bricks, walls,
domes and ornamentations of the mosque had beendamaged. Climate change had also caused salinity,
algae and fungal infection on the walls, corner turrets,
ornamentations and domes of the mosque.
The conservation work of the mosque was carried out
to protect the mosque from this damage. It is worth
mentioning here that a small part of the conservation

The inner side and outer side of the mosque were infected with salinity, algae and fungi.

2

Bangladesh

work was carried out in this mosque in 1977. After a longhiatus, the Department of Archaeology conducted theconservation work of the mosque in the 2018-19 budget
year.
Nayabad Mosque was built in the late Mughal period andthe principal building materials were brick, lime, surki(brick dust) and sand. Lime-surki mortar was used as the
cementing material in the construction. At the same time,
this lime-surki mortar was also used on the inside andoutside walls and domes of the mosque. Stucco had beenused for decorations on the front wall, domes, and thecorner turrets of the mosque.
The mosque was fully documented (photographs anddrawings) before the conservation work was carried out.
Lime-surki mortar was used in the masonry and plasterwork while the conservation work was being carriedout. Stucco had been used in the ornamentation of themosque and a white-coloured coating was added to theornamentation to enhance its beauty.

Many archaeological monuments, including Nayabad
Mosque, are facing multifaceted damage due to climatechange, extreme dry weather, heavy rainfalls and dense
fog in Bangladesh. Nayabad Mosque has faced similar
problems. As a result, the government is trying its best
to protect archaeological sites and monuments from suchnatural climate factors.
------o------References:
1. Bangladesh Archaeology, vol-11 Dhaka: Directorate ofArchaeology.
2. Bangladesher Muslim purakirti, Dr. Syed Mahamudul
Hasan, Maola Brothers, 39- Banglabazar, Dhaka-1100.
3. The Mughal Mosques of Bangladesh, (Unpublished
PhD thesis) Dr. M. A. Bari, Registrar, University of Rajshahi.
Acknowledgements:
1. Md. Firoz Ahmed, Assistant Engineer, Department ofArchaeology.
2. Md. Afjal Hossain Mondol, Senior Draftsman, Departmentof Archaeology.
3. Md. Abul Kalam Azad, photographer, Department ofArchaeology.

During conservation of Nayabad Mosque

During conservation of Nayabad Mosque3

Bangladesh

Nayabad Mosque, after conservation

4

Cambodia
Cambodia

Human Resources Development in Sambor Prei Kuk Conservation Activities
Chan Vitharong, Director
Department of Site, Archaeology and Conservation, National Authority for Sambor Prei Kuk, Ministry of
Culture and Fine Arts
1. Introduction
Since 2017, the National Authority for Sambor Prei Kuk(NASPK) has been intensively working on the preservation,
protection, and development of the World Heritage Siteof the Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, which was listedon July 8, 2017, in Krakow, Poland, by the 41st Session of
the World Heritage Committee. A series of interventions
was conducted by a team from the Department of Site,
Archaeology and Conservation (DSAC) of NASPK. Parallelwith those activities, human resources development in
the areas of heritage, archaeology and conservation/
restoration was needed and undertaken. Notably, severalof my previous reports introduce the conservation
activities at the Sambor Prei Kuk site. Among thosereports is the last report (Vol.22/2019) in which I
described an intensive, hands-on training program I gave
to students from the Royal University of Fine Arts. The
training of RUFA students is only part of the effort ofresource training and development.
2. Activities
In this report I will present the five keys of humanresource development that support the conservation

activities at Sambor Prei Kuk. Many variables are involvedin such development. Those concepts are as follows:
2-1. Local community student training
NASPK was approached to provide a series of training
programs to the local communities in the protected
property area. Along with this vision, the DSAC, incooperation with local educational institutions, theTechnology Institute of Kampong Cheu Teal, and Prasat
Sambor High School, contributed its expertise to a oneday training program to a hundred students with thetheme: “Cultural Heritage of Sambor Prei Kuk.” This
program provided general knowledge to the high school
students to understand more about the Sambor Prei
Kuk site. The training also gave them an awareness ofthe notion “what heritage is,” and encouraged themto join in the protection of the site. We hope, thisprogram will protect heritage value and its place in thecommunity. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 situation forced
a postponement of these future activities. However, weare planning to design a small group training programand online educational materials, mainly focusing on
communication via social media.

Site visit to provide general knowledge of Sambor Prei Kuk to high school students (Photo: DSAC)

2-2. University student training
As I already reported in the last report (Vol.22/2019),
students from the Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA)
were selected to participate in a training program at thesite of Sambor Prei Kuk. This program not only gavethem the chance to learn with on-site practice, but also
opportunities in practical research and conservation withspecialists from NASPK. The program will also contributeto an increase in trained human resources for thecontinuation of archaeological research and conservation
work. This program is a long-term vision and programof NASPK in the field of pre-Angkor studies, which hasdeveloped from a pilot project into an annual training
program of DSAC.

5

2-3. On-the-job training
There was also on-the-job training for people fromthe local community. They were selected to work withvarious conservation projects based on their willingness
and the proximity of their residences to the site. They
were supported by the Royal Government Annual
Budget, and the Angkor Conservation and Development
Foundation. This program will also contribute to anincrease in trained human resources that will be utilized
to improve the level of local experience in brick temple
restoration, excavation, and conservation.

Cambodia

Training program for a group of students from the Royal University of Fine Arts (left) and their presentation of a conservation proposal (right)

On-the-job training program for a group of local people (Photo(right): Em Phearak)

2-4. Tour to conservation sites
There is an annual academic tour for capacity buildingin conservation for DSAC’s technical staff, focused mainly
on archaeology and conservation/restoration. Visiting thevarious restoration sites in the Angkor Archaeological Parkand the Ministry of Culture and Arts conservation sites isa principal part of this tour program. The improvementof skills and ability to overcome challenges have been
observed and exchanged. Another benefit is that amuch better comprehensive understanding and view ofproblems and restoration techniques has prompted an
expansion of their knowledge in brick, lime stucco andplaster, sandstone, site maintenance and site monitoring.

Visiting at conservation site in Angkor (Photo: Seang Sopheak)

2-5. Exchange programs
Exchange programs were held to develop the capacity
building of staff who work at NASPK, and to open
a global vision in the fields of cultural property,archaeology, and conservation. Very recently, undercooperation between NASPK and Waseda University
in Japan, a series of exchange programs with Japaneseexperts has been ongoing. Because of the effect of
COVID-19 some activities have been postponed, however,a method of online exchange programs is in progress.
Under this program, discussions and exchanges takeplace between experts from institutes in Cambodia andJapan, in order to talk more about Sambor Prei Kuk andNara, two Asian cities of the 7th century.

6Cambodia
7

3. Conclusion
The extended effects of this project will lead to a longterm framework of sustainability in the safeguarding,preservation, and conservation of monuments in theWorld Heritage Site of Sambor Prei Kuk and beyond. The
programs of NASPK have contributed to an increase intrained human resources that will be available for future
activities. As presented above, these progressive activities
are not only for maintaining the monuments, but also
for providing a new enhanced program of educational
outreach to the next generation of archaeological researchand conservation university students in the field of preAngkor studies. They also give a new conservation aspect
to the monument visiting route without causing harm to
the monuments, their authenticity, integrity, or value.
Remarks: This report is part of the conservation activities
which are being carried out by the Department ofSite, Archaeology and Conservation (DSAC), National
Authority for Sambor Prei Kuk (NASPK). Most of the photos
in this report were taken by the reporter and the membersof the project, except for the dedicated photos.

Malaysia
Malaysia

Temporary Roof Systems in the Conservation of Heritage Buildings, Sarawak, Malaysia
A Ghafar Bin Ahmad, Professor
School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Introduction
In the practice of heritage building conservation in
Sarawak, Malaysia, a temporary roof is usually installed
to provide weather-proof covering for the building during
roof repair and conservation work. The use of temporary
roof systems has been observed in heritage building
conservation projects over the past three years in theareas of Sibu, Kanowit, Julau and Kuching in Sarawak.
Based on the building height, form, and site restrictions,the three most commonly used temporary roof systems
in the conservation of heritage buildings in Sarawak are
the scaffold roof system (SRF), portal frame roof system(PFRS), and steel truss frame system (STFS). This article
discusses the installation of temporary roof systems thatwere used in the conservation projects of five selected
heritage buildings in Sarawak, namely Al Qadim Mosquein Sibu, Fort Emma in Kanowit, Fort Brooke in Julau andthe Old Sarawak Museum and Curator’s House in Kuching,over the period from 2017 until 2020. Conservation ofthese heritage buildings involved close coordinationand continuous monitoring among various government
agencies and individuals, including the Sarawak Museum
Department ( Jabatan Muzium Sarawak), Sarawak Public
Works Department ( Jabatan Kerja Raya Sarawak), andexpert consultants, contractors and building conservators
registered with the National Heritage Department ( Jabatan
Warisan Negara). Due to their historical, architectural andcultural significance, these heritage buildings have beengazetted as Historical Buildings under the then Sarawak
Cultural Heritage Ordinance 1993 (currently Sarawak
Heritage Ordinance 2019). As more invaluable buildings
come under the purview of the law, stakeholders
are encouraged to enhance their levels of heritage
awareness and to participate actively in heritage building
preservation and conservation. All conservation work on
gazetted Historical Buildings should be carefully recorded
and documented by appointed consultants, registeredconservators, and contractors based on the conservation
guidelines and requirements as outlined by the Sarawak
Museum Department and National Heritage Department,
Malaysia.
Temporary Roof Systems in Heritage Building Conservation
Installing a temporary roof as a means to protect a
heritage building is very important as buildings are often
at their most vulnerable during the construction periodof conservation work. When roof repair and conservation
work are required, the entire building shall be vacatedto allow for a temporary roof to be erected over thebuilding. At the outset, installation of a temporary roof
system should consider multiple factors, including
detailed analyses of conservation issues, risks and costs
estimation, meticulous project planning, and continuous
monitoring. These are the critical success factors as
far as protecting the building fabric and structure areconcerned. Various types of temporary roof systems areavailable with diverse applications, ranging from weather
protection for conservation work to the construction of
new structures, and there are various applications for
special events and functions. Subject to site conditions
and constraints, a temporary roof system can be installedusing mobile cranes. If crane access is not possible, arolling system can be utilised instead. The most commonlyused material for temporary roof is corrugated iron (CI),also known as metal sheet or tin sheet. Alternatively,
waterproof materials such as fabric, canvas, or polyester
coated with polyurethane (known as tarpaulin or tarp)
are also used in providing temporary protection duringconservation work on heritage buildings, structures, ormonuments. Tarpaulin needs to be properly secured andreinforced at the building corners and along the sides toform attachment points for ropes, allowing them to betied down or suspended. This is very crucial in rainforest
regions such as Sarawak where heavy downpours andstrong winds occur all year round. The use of plastic
sheets for temporary roof systems over heritage buildings
is not recommended because the material is flimsy andcan be blown away during strong winds if not properly
secured. Furthermore, pools of water can form on theplastic roofing following a heavy rainfall. This can leadto water leakage from the rooftop which requires more
repair work and regular monitoring. The advantages of
temporary roof systems in the conservation of heritagebuildings are summarised in Table 1.
Installation of Temporary Roof Systems in the Conservationof Al Qadim Mosque, Fort Emma, Fort Brooke, Old Sarawak
Museum, and Curator’s House
The temporary roof systems used in the conservation of
Al Qadim Mosque, Fort Emma, Fort Brooke, Old Sarawak
Museum and Curator’s House are discussed in turn in thissection; they are either the scaffold roof system, portal
framed roof system, or steel truss frame system. Metal
sheet (also known as metal deck) is the most effective
material to be used for temporary roof systems because
it is sturdy, can be secured, and is easy to erect anddismantle. It provides protection from harsh weather andcontainment throughout the duration of the conservation
project, usually lasting for 18 months. Despite harshweather conditions and regardless of the time of day,the use of a weather-resistant temporary roof system
can facilitate work on the conservation and repair ofroofs within a safe and conducive working environment
while maintaining levels of productivity. Installation ofa temporary roof system is instrumental in preventing
rainwater leakage and moisture damage to the building
interior, structure, and internal fabric.
Al Qadim Mosque, Sibu
Built in 1861 using Sarawak’s ironwood, locally known
as belian (Eusideroxylon zwageri), Al Qadim Mosque
or Masjid Al Qadim is one of the oldest mosques in8

Table 1 Advantages of Temporary Roof Systems in the Conservation of Heritage Buildings

Malaysia

Temporary Roof Systems
Metal corrugated iron or metal sheet (CI sheet):i. Scaffold roof system (SRS).
ii. Portal framed roof system (PFRS).
iii. Steel truss frame system (STFS).

i.	Provide a high degree of versatility, protection andencapsulation.
ii.	Encompass very wide roof spans and complex
applications.
iii.	Enable work to carry on within a comfortable
Fabric, canvas or polyester coated with polyurethane:working environment.
i. Tarpaulin or tarp.
iv. Maintain levels of productivity.
ii. Rope or cable ties.
v. Safe methods of installation.
vi.	Efficient modular system which is fast to erect and
It is noteworthy that the use of plastic sheet for a
dismantle.
temporary roof system is not recommended in heritage vii. Robust material against harsh weather conditions.
building conservation, especially in tropical regions viii. Reusable components.
including Sarawak, Malaysia.
ix. Applicable to all types of buildings.
x. Improved worker well-being.
xi. Reduced risk of moisture damage to buildings.
xii.	Projects continue on schedule irrespective of weather
conditions.
Sarawak, with a built-up area of 485 square metres. The
mosque is located at the junction of two major roads,
Jalan Kampung Nyabor and Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg,in Sibu. Historically, the mosque played a significant rolein the early settlement of the Malay-Melanau Muslim
community in Sibu. The mosque’s architectural style
exemplifies a vernacular mosque of Javanese architecturewith its distinct three-tier pyramidal form. Sibu’s rapid
urbanisation over the decades has witnessed drasticchanges in the mosque’s locality and surroundings. The
mosque, originally located in a quiet small village, is
now surrounded by tall modern buildings and a networkof busy roads in the heart of Sibu. The floor space ofthe mosque has been expanded over time to meet thedemands of an increased Muslim congregation or qariah
in the local area. The mosque has undergone many
stages of renovation, mainly in 1935, 1950, 1968, andmost recently in 2017–2019, involving roof repair andconservation work at a contract cost of RM 2.22 million(USD 527,388). During the conservation period in 2017–2019, a temporary roof structure 16 metres in height waserected over the mosque at a cost of RM 120,000 (USD
28,766) to protect the building during the installationof new roofing material to replace the old roof. The
scaffold roof system was installed as the temporary roof,
supported by steel columns that were secured by bolts
and nuts to concrete bases on the ground. The steel
columns were also stabilized with cable tie bracing.
Fort Emma, Kanowit
The original Fort Emma was built in 1849 of bamboo witha nipa palm thatch roof, but was soon demolished. A
new fort known as Kubu (Fort) Kanowit was constructedin 1851 on a hilltop facing the Rajang River, which gave
good advantage to the Brooke administration in patrollingand securing the river and surrounding areas. Later, a
big fire destroyed the fort in 1859, but by 1860 the fort
was rebuilt in two storeys and renamed as Fort Emmaafter James Brooke’s elder sister, Emily Brooke. With abuilt-up area of 379 square metres, Fort Emma was once
used as the Brooke administrative centre before it waschanged to the District Office for Kanowit, housing the9Advantages

Native Court, Kanowit Broad Band Centre, and Museum.
The fort is renowned for its nine human skulls whichhave been well kept inside the fort until the present day.
The fort has undergone several conservation projects,
including a major one back in 1960s, and the most recent
one in 2018–2020 at a contract cost of RM 2,983,192 (USD
704,602). In the recent conservation work, a scaffold roof
system 10.5 metres high was erected over Fort Emma asa temporary roof at a cost of RM 75,000 (USD 17,985),
giving the fort full protection from adverse weather
conditions during the installation of belian roof shingles.
Fort Brooke, Julau
Built in 1935, Fort Brooke is strategically located on ahilltop overlooking the Kanowit River (Sungai Kanowit)
in Nanga Meluan, Julau. The fort was once used as a baseto halt a rebellion led by Asun Paing (born in the 1880s),
who was a local headman from Entabai. According tohistory, Asun Paing headed a protracted revolt against
the Brooke administration over a tax system introduced
by Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke. The fort was originallybuilt from bamboo with wooden roofing. However,in 1940 the Brooke administration directed the fort’sbuilding materials to be replaced with belian timber.
Each longhouse in the area donated one pole and threebelian planks for the construction. The work to replace
the building material was completed three years later in
1943. With a built-up area of 535 square metres, the twostorey fort was used to accommodate the Julau District
Council and Julau police station from 1954 to 1981. The
fort has undergone several phases of conservation work,
including repair and painting in 2012, and the mostrecent was in 2019–2020 at a contract cost of RM 3,792,019(USD 909,357). In this recent conservation project at Fort
Brooke, steel truss frames 12 metres high were erected
for a temporary roof system at a cost of RM 70,000 (USD
16,786), providing a comfortable working environment
during the installation of belian roof shingles. The
temporary roof system protected the fort, particularly
its roof structure, from adverse weather, dust, and otherenvironmental damage throughout the construction
period.

Curator’s House, Kuching
Built in 1892, the Curator's House is located close to the
Old Sarawak Museum in Kuching. Like the Museum,
the architectural design of the Curator’s House reflects a
European style. With a built-up area of 223 square metres,
this single-storey building was later renovated in 1922 as
the curator’s workplace. In 1925 a two-storey building
was built and connected to the Curator’s House at thenorth side and later at the east side (rear) in the 1950s.
The building was used to house the State library in 1934
before it was used by the British Council in the 1960s.
Afterwards, it was taken over by the Sarawak Museum
Department. In 2006, the building was converted into an
Art Museum displaying art pieces ranging from paintings,
carvings, and sculptures from the Brooke period tothe present day. It was also used to hold temporary art
exhibitions organised by government agencies, privatebodies, or individuals. In 2019–2020, under the sameconservation project as the Old Sarawak Museum, theCurator’s House underwent conservation work including
the installation of belian roof shingles at the cost of RM
596,683 (USD 143,089). During the conservation of theCurator’s House, a temporary roof 6.5 metres high using
a portal framed roof system was installed at the cost of
RM 161,995 (USD 38,847) to provide a high degree ofversatility, protection, and encapsulation. In the eveningof 22 August 2020 (during the construction period),
the temporary roof saved the Curator’s House fromdestruction when a nearby tree fell down and hit thebuilding during a heavy rainstorm. Only a small part of
the temporary roof was damaged, and was later fixed.

Malaysia

Old Sarawak Museum, Kuching
The Old Sarawak Museum (also known as Sarawak State
Museum) is the oldest museum in Borneo. It was built
during 1888–1891 on top of a prominent hill in Kuchingcity during the administration of Charles Brooke, the second
White Rajah of Sarawak. This masonry and timber building
was designed in European style with a symmetricalbuilding layout, pitched roof, Dutch gables and dormer
windows reflecting the architectural style of Normandy
Town Hall in France and Sir Samuel Way Adelaide Children’s
Hospital in Australia. In 1911–1912, the museum underwent
major modifications including the extension of a newwing which mirrored the old wing, building up newwalls at the upper level balcony of the old wing, andthe demolition of the double brick staircases at the front
facade of the old wing. With a built-up area of 1,365
square metres, this two-storey museum houses andexhibits the natural history collection, and has displayson the petroleum industries and ethnographic artefactsof the indigenous people of Sarawak. The museum was
temporarily closed in 2017–2020 for major conservation
work that involved the restoration of the pitched roof,
dormer windows, timber floors, masonry walls, plus newelectrical wiring, the installation of new air conditioning
systems, a new elevator, and other interior work at a
cost of RM 8,081,392 (USD 1,937,983). During thisconservation project, for the period 2019–2020 themuseum was protected with a temporary roof using a
portal framed roof system. At a cost of RM 349,591 (USD
83,834,772), the portal framed roof system incorporated
concrete footings, galvanised light-weight steel purlins,
fly bracing and printed netting or inkjet-mesh tarpaulin
which displayed images of the building facade. At aheight of 14.6 metres, this temporary roof provided a
conducive and comfortable working environment during
the conservation work.

Conclusions
As the conservation of heritage buildings involves a topdown approach, the installation of a temporary roof
system is very important and gives many advantages.
A temporary roof system is a cost-effective method ofprotecting the building from harsh weather conditions;thus, it provides guaranteed working hours. In heritagebuilding conservation, roofing work usually involves
the replacement of roof materials, the removal of oldroof tiles and re-tiling, strengthening of roof trusses, andconstructing a temporary roof system which requires
careful planning and preparation. Project consultants
including architects, structural engineers, and quantity
surveyors have to work closely in considering the typeof temporary roof system. Regardless of the height, size,and form of the heritage building, there are a number ofconsiderations in selecting the type of temporary roof
system for a conservation projecct. Firstly, the temporary
roof system installed should be of weather resistant androbust material, and cover the building throughout theconstruction period. The joints between metal corrugated

Table 2 Summary of Temporary Roof Systems in the Conservation of Heritage Buildings in Sarawak
Al Qadim
Mosque,Sibu

Fort Emma,
KanowitFort
Brooke,Julau

Old Sarawak
Museum,Kuching

Curator’s
House,
Kuching1

Year of construction, original building

1861

1851

1935

1891

1908

2

Built-up area (square metres)

485

379

535

1365

223

3

Most recent conservation project

2017–20192018–2020

2019–2020

2019–2021

2019–2021

4

Cost of recent
conservation project (RM)

2,220,000

2,983,192

3,792,019

8,081,392

596,6835Type of temporary roof system used

SRS
(Scaffoldroof system)SRS(Scaffoldroof system)

STFS(Steel truss
frame
system)6

Height of temporary roof (metres)

16.0

10.5

12.0

14.6

6.5

7

Cost of temporary roof (RM)

120,000

75,00070,000349,591

161,995PFRS
PFRS(Portal framed (Portal framedroof system) roof system)

10Malaysia

iron or metal sheets need to be secured and properly
installed to avoid rain penetration that would result fromany gaps. Secondly, a heritage building that has site
constraints requires ample space for setting up footings
for a scaffold or framed roof system. Mobile cranes
should be used to provide a safe system of work for
installation teams. Other considerations in selecting thetype of temporary roof system include how the temporary
roof is going to be assembled and later dismantled within
the allocated budget. In determining the appropriate
type of temporary roof system, mainly in the earlystage of construction, a structural engineer needs tocalculate the roof span and roof height as well as the
speed of installation. The installation of temporary roof
systems at Al Qadim Mosque, Fort Emma, Fort Brooke
and the Old Sarawak Museum and Curator’s House, aregood examples of best practices in heritage building
conservation in Sarawak, Malaysia. All parties involved inthese conservation projects have adopted a sense of trust
and responsibility to ensure the success of the projects
and thus prolong the lifespans of heritage buildings ofSarawak for future generations.
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to thank the Sarawak State Government,
Sarawak Museum Department, Sarawak Public Works
Department (PWD HQ and PWD Regional Offices),
Tazudin Mohtar, Suria Bujang, Yasmin Khalid Nicholls,
Dayang Morzanah Awang Haddy, Iswandi Junaidi, Mohd
Sherman Sauffi, Bong Ah Khan, Rhemy Romeo Jamal,
Chang Kueh Chin, Iswandi Ahmad Zaidin, Jabez Ho Chen
Kwang, Lembaga Amanah Kebajikan Islam Sibu (LAKIS),
UCTS Consultancy Services Sdn. Bhd. (UCSSB), Jati Igan
Sdn. Bhd., Wan Mas Construction, Ar. Dominic Chuo
Kong Uh, Arkitek DChuo, Ir. Anding Anak Unchi, Cassidy
Anak Morris, Ade Fairuz Marzuki, Steve Mcllory Petrus, Ar.
Haris Fadzilah Abdul Rahman, EDS Konsultant Sdn. Bhd.,
Perunding Elecmec Sdn. Bhd., LT Juruukur Bahan Sdn.
Bhd., Crest Realty Sdn. Bhd., Wong Fak Heng, Rizaleslie

Sdn. Bhd., Kejuteraan Syatek Sdn. Bhd., PPES Works(Sarawak) Sdn. Bhd., Raymond Lee Chong Teik, Andy Lee
Kuok Ping, Ooi Chai Hoon, Voon Choon Hin, Akitek KDI
Sdn. Bhd., PUBM Quantity Surveyors Sdn. Bhd., EcoSteel
Sdn. Bhd.; and the School of Housing Building and
Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, for making this project
and article possible.
References
A Ghafar Bin Ahmad. (2019). “Community Engagement
Programmes in the Conservation of Fort Emma,
Fort Hose and Fort Lili, Sarawak, Malaysia.” ACCU
Nara International Correspondent: The Twentythird Regular Report, Cultural Heritage Protection
Cooperation Office, Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for
UNESCO (ACCU), Nara, Japan, pp. 23–37.
Arkitek DChuo. (2017). Pemuliharaan dan Menaik Taraf
Kubu-Kubu Bersejarah Kubu Emma, Kanowit,
Sarawak: Dilapidation Survey Report (unpublished).
Jabatan Muzium Sarawak. (n.d.). Muzium Sarawak:
Sumber Inspirasi Anda Sebenar (phamplet).
“Museums in Sarawak.” (2020). Borneo Talk, Vol. 56 (April–June), pp. 50–53.
Salfarina Abdul Gapor and Haris Fadzilah Abdul Rahman.
(2019). “Historical Significance and Architectural
Elements of Masjid Al Qadim, Sibu.” Journal ofArchitecture, Planning and Construction Management,
Vol. 9 (Issue 2), pp. 11–21.
Sarawak State Government. (2015). The Guide to Sarawak.
Kuching: Leisure Guide Publishing Sdn. Bhd.
	“Sarawak State Museum.” https://www.wikiwand.
com/en/Sarawak_State_Museum (accessed 26
October 2020).

Location of Sibu, Kanowit, Julau, and Kuching, in Sarawak, Malaysia

11Malaysia

The architectural style of Al Qadim Mosque exemplifies a typical vernacular mosque of Javanese architecture with its
distinct three-tier pyramidal form (Drawing courtesy of UCTS Consultancy Services Sdn. Bhd.).

Al Qadim Mosque (under the temporary roof) is located at the junction of two major roads, Jalan Kampung Nyabor
and Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, in Sibu, Sarawak.

The scaffold roof was the temporary roof system installed at Al Qadim Mosque, supported by steel columns that weresecured by bolts and nuts to concrete bases on the ground. The steel columns were also stabilized with cable tie
bracing.

12

Malaysia
A temporary roof 16 metres high was erected to protect Al Qadim Mosque when the new roofing material was
installed to replace the old roof.

A scaffold roof system 10.5 metres high was erected for the temporary roof at Fort Emma.

Due to site constraints, a mobile crane was used in the installation of the temporary roof system at Fort
Emma.

13

Malaysia

A frontal view showing scaffold roof system that covered Fort Emma, giving full protection to the fort fromadverse weather conditions during the installation of belian (ironwood) roof shingles

Aerial view of Fort Brooke before the installation of the temporary roof system

Steel truss frames of 12 metres in height were erected for the temporary roof system at Fort Brooke.

14

Malaysia
The temporary roof system at Fort Brooke provided a comfortable working environment, particularly during
the installation of belian (ironwood) roof shingles.

Throughout the construction period, the temporary roof system protected the roof structure of Fort Brooke
from harsh weather, dust, and environmental damage.

A close-up view of the newly laid belian (ironwood) shingles at Fort Brooke15

Malaysia

Detailed drawing of the portal framed roof system installed at the Old Sarawak Museum (Drawing courtesy of PPES
Works, Sarawak, Sdn. Bhd., and EcoSteel Sdn. Bhd.)

Installation of the temporary roof system at the Old Sarawak Museum

Printed netting or inkjet-mesh tarpaulin, displaying images of the Old Sarawak Museum building facade, installed tocover the building throughout the construction period. This was the first such printed netting introduced in a heritagebuilding conservation project in Sarawak.

16

Malaysia
An aerial view of the Old Sarawak Museum showing its long-span temporary roof system

At a height of 14.6 metres, the temporary roof at the Old Sarawak Museum provided a conducive and comfortable
work environment.

Roofers conveniently laid belian (ironwood) roof shingles under the temporary roof at the Old Sarawak Museum.

17

Malaysia

The portal framed roof system at the Old Sarawak Museum incorporated concrete footings, galvanised light-weight steel frames,and fly-bracing cables.

An aerial view of the Curator’s House (far right) before installation of the temporary roof system

During the conservation of the Curator’s House, a temporary roof 6.5 metres high using a portal framed roof system was installed.

18

Malaysia
The temporary roof system at the Curator’s House provided a high degree of versatility, protection, and encapsulation. The
Old Sarawak Museum is located on the far right.

A panoramic view of the Curator’s House showing its wide-span temporary roof system

View of the temporary roof system at the Curator’s House before the installation of new belian (ironwood) roof shingles

19Malaysia

In the evening of 22 August 2020, the temporary roof saved the Curator’s House from destruction when anearby tree fell down during a heavy rainstorm.

A small part of the temporary roof at the Curator’s House was damaged due to the fall of a nearby tree and waslater fixed.

20

Mongolia
Mongolia

Protection of Medieval Burial Sites in Mongolia
Munkhtulga Rinchinkhorol, Researcher
Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Institute of History and Archaeology
According to the Cultural Heritage Law of Mongolia, any
ancient burial sites that are endangered by construction
wor k s houl d be excava te d a nd documented byprofessional organizations only. However, ancient burialsites are still destroyed by unplanned and uncontrolled
projects even in urban areas.
In this report, I will present evidence that the protectionof medieval burial sites in Mongolia has not changed
since the 1990s.
In 1991, the Government of Mongolia issued an orderto implement the long-term “Gold Program.” This order
aimed to restore the Mongolian economy, which hadcollapsed shortly after Soviet technical and financial
assistance stopped in 1990. As a result of this action,
the government could gradually rebuild the country’s
economy by increasing gold mining. Although it had anegative effect on the ecosystem, immovable cultural
heritage, and people’s morale, it continues still today.
Thanks to the above action, thousands of unemployedcountry people became able to work at the dozens ofgold rush areas, which were mostly opened in virginlands. The new ‘class’ of artisanal miners, mostly former
state-employed herders, lived far from their homes
and dug illegally in places where gold deposits andother natural resources had been discovered. Most of
those places had never been used for mining, even for
cultivation. In many cases, they dug in the most beautiful
lands in Mongolia including specially protected areas,
national parks, waterheads, and forests, and extracted
the gold by using mercury and cyanide. Harsh conflict
between the artisanal gold miners and major mining
companies pushed the unfortunate amateurs to dig
up ancient tombs and structures, in other words, thecountry’s immovable cultural heritage. The new, spreading
illegal antiquities market also fired the process. Since
the lifestyle of the artisanal miners and their ‘manner ofworking’ influenced the local people, herders also began
to dig not only for gold but also for ancient ‘treasures’ inthe burial sites. They often used metal detectors and if it
signaled the existence of something metal underground,they directly dug for it. Artifacts from the burial sites
were sold to antiquarians. Many cultural heritages in the
countryside were destroyed and looted in such a mannerover the last 20 or more years.
Santyn Durulj Burial
Between September 18 and 21, 2017, I carried out
fieldwork in Renchinlhumbe soum, Khuvsgul aimag.
Renchinlhumbe soum is located to the west of Lake
Khuvsgul and its center is 1,000 km to the northwest of
Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia.
On September 18, 2017, Mr. Battogtokh, a wildlife ranger
at Ulaan Taiga State Special Protected Areas guided Mr.

21

Chinbatsukh Dorj, an employee of the Cultural Center ofRenchinlhumbe soum, and me to a recently looted burialsite. Mr. Battogtokh said to us, “The burial site was dug
up in the autumn of 2017. When I suddenly arrived at
the burial site, the looters escaped. There were some veryskillfully-carved bone decorations near the burial hole”.
So we went into the burial site.
The burial site is located near the eastern edge of theeastern foothills of a mountain called Tsakhir, 20.2 km to
the west of the center of Renchinlhumbe. The name of
the foothills is Santyn Durulj. Therefore, this burial site
was named the Santyn Durulj Burial Site.
There was a hole measuring 140 × 120 cm and piles
around the edge of the hole (Figs. 1 and 2). It is obviousthat the looters dug the hole and shoveled dirt and gravelfrom the hole to create the piles. We saw that there
really were ancient bone decorations, as Mr. Battogtokh
told us (Fig. 5). Also, we found human teeth, vertebrae,fragments of a birchbark quiver (Figs. 9-13), a femur, aniron buckle (Figs. 14 and 15) and a piece of wood on the
ground which had come from the piles of dirt and gravel(Figs. 2 and 4).
The depth of the hole was 130 cm. At the bottom of thehole, there were two parts of a human skull, a piece ofa birch-bark item, and large stones, undoubtedly fromthe burial mound (Fig. 3). This indicates that it was not
the real bottom of the burial hole and that the burial site
had just been fully destroyed. The stones and the humanskull which were at the bottom of the hole had only been
thrown in from the outside after the looters had filled thehole with the dirt and gravel from the burial site.
On the next day, we came again to the burial site andcontinued the documentation. We checked the pilesof soil which were around the hole and found many
finds such as human skeletal remains (Fig. 6), pieces ofbirchbark, and bone decorations. Consequently, we alsocleaned the pile of soil in the burial hole and reached thelevel of the ‘real’ bottom of the burial hole. There were
only a few bones such as the right rib bones, right radius,
right hand bones, right sacrum, right hip bone, and rightfemur of a young adult or adolescent male individualin situ (Figs. 7 and 8). The other bones had alreadybeen disturbed by the looters, and as mentioned above,
most of them had been scattered around the hole. The
reconstruction of the human skeleton shows that only themetacarpals and phalanges remained from the left upper
limb bones.
Some pieces of birchbark were revealed near and under
the human bones in situ, but those had been preserved
very poorly due to long-term degradation and thesoil condition. The depth of the burial hole is 150 cm.

Although the Santyn Durulj Burial Site was looted andalmost fully destroyed, its characteristic features suggestthat it was undoubtedly a Mongol burial from the 13th to14th centuries. The pieces of birchbark are the remainsof a quiver. Items such as birchbark quivers were often
buried with a deceased in typical Mongol burials of thesame period. Moreover, the skillfully carved bone pieces(Figs. 9-13) are decorations from a birchbark quiver.
It should be noted that similar bone decorations fromquivers have not often been found in Mongolia, and only
from a few burial sites. Most of them belong to the burialsites of men who might have had a higher social status(Batbold 2020: 166).
Aguit Cave Burial
On September 20, 2017, Mr. Chinbatsukh and I went by
motorcycle to a mountain called Aguit, which is located
9.9 km to the northeast of the center of Renchinlhumbe.
Crossing three mountain rivers, we reached a local herderfamily. This family spends autumn in front of Aguit
Mountain. From that family, Mr. T. Munkhbayar, who is a
bag governor, guided us to Aguit Mountain (Figs. 19 and20). He told us that in the winter of 2016, several peoplecame in a van and looted a burial site which was in acave of the mountain.
There are two little caves on the front slope and at aheight of 30-40 m from the foot of Aguit Mountain (Figs.
21-23). The entrance of the upper ‘cave’ measures 100 cm
high and 60 cm wide (Figs. 24 and 25). The next one is
140 cm high and 49 cm wide, located 40 cm to the lower
right side of the upper entrance (Fig. 26). Both entranceslean to the left (Figs. 23-26). Indeed, the caves are joined
to each other with a small narrow space (Figs. 30 and31). In other words, they are are basically two separatechambers of one cave, and each of them has an entrance.
The lower chamber is 190 cm long from the entrance tothe back. Its height is 170 cm between the floor and theceiling. The upper chamber measures 440 cm in length.
Its height is 170 cm at the back. Its width is 100 cm at a
distance of 1 m from the entrance (Figs. 27 and 28).

Too many bones were dispersed within the soil and stone
deposits on the beds of the cave. Most of them are fromsheep or goats and might have been gathered by birdsof prey and other carnivores. Furthermore, some humanskeletal remains including a mandible (Fig. 31), clavicles,
left humerus, right scapula (Fig. 37), hip bones (Figs.
32 and 38), a right femur (Figs. 29 and 38), a right tibia(Figs. 34 and 38), a right fibula (Figs. 33 and 38) and a
few ribs and vertebrae, were uncovered. The shape of the
obturator foramen (Fig. 38) of the hip bone indicates thatthe deceased was probably a male.

Mongolia

Although there are quite a few human skeletal remains in
situ, it is possible to determine that the deceased’s bodywas placed with his head pointed to the northeast at thebottom of the burial hole measuring 200 × 70 cm (Figs. 7
and 8). Tarsal bones of sheep such as talus and calcaneus
had been placed in the right of the place where the righthumerus of the deceased would have been situated (Fig.
16). After the field documentation, we reburied the burial
hole and put the larger stones of the burial mound on topof it (Fig. 18).

Unfortunately, there were no artifacts other than a horn
piercer with a hole and a bone belt buckle (Figs. 30 and40). Some wood fragments were also found (Fig. 39). The
human skeletal remains and artifacts confirm that there
was a medieval burial in the cave, particularly in its upper
chamber.
Burial in the street
At the beginning of December 2018, when I was walking
from home to work, I found human bones such as a left
clavicle (Fig. 45) and a rib (Fig. 43) on the southern edgeof a cement road. There were also eight small pieces ofwood. The road is located to the north of apartment No
87 in 15th Khoroo, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar (Figs.
41 and 42).
On January 14, 2019, when I was also going to work, I
found the head of a left femur (Fig. 46). On April 3, 2019,
I also found a left radius (Fig. 44) and a little piece of ahuman bone in the place where I had previously foundthe abovementioned human bones. On April 11, 2019, a
sheep (?) radius and a little piece of bone (of a sheep?)
were found. The colors of the human bones clearly showthat those had been underground for a long time and areprobably remains of a medieval burial with a wooden
coffin. The human bones were exposed with a crosstrench that was excavated between two buildings at least
three times over several months.
References
Batbold 2020 – Г.Батболд. Нүүдэлчдийн нохой. I дэвтэр.
Уб.
Munkhtulga 2017 – Р.Мөнхтулга. ШУА-ийн Түүх,археологийн хүрээлэнгийн эрдэм шинжилгээний ажилтан
Р.Мөнхтулгын, Хөвсгөл аймгийн Рэнчинлхүмбэ сумын
нутагт гүйцэтгэсэн хээрийн судалгааны ажлын товчтайлан. Уб.

22

Mongolia
Fig. 1: Santyn Durulj Burial Site

Fig. 2: A looters’ holeFig. 3: A human skull and pieces of birchbark

Fig. 4: Fragments of a birchbark quiverFig. 5: Bone decorations of the quiverFig. 6: Human bones

Figs. 7 and 8: Human skeletal remains in situ on the bottom of the burial holeFigs. 9-11: Bone decorations of a quiverFigs. 12 and 13: Bone decorations of a quiver23

Mongolia

Figs. 14 and 15: The iron buckle

Fig. 16: The talus and calcaneus of a sheep

Fig. 18: Santyn Durulj Burial Site after reburying

Fig. 20: Aguit Mountain, from the south

Fig. 17: A human skull from Santyn Durulj Burial Site

Fig. 19: Aguit Mountain, from the south

Fig. 21: The Aguit Mountain cave, from the foot of the mountain24Mongolia
Fig. 22: The cave, from the south

Fig. 23: Entrances of the caveFigs. 25: The upper entrance of the cave

Fig. 26: The lower entrance

Figs. 27 and 28: The interior of the upper chamber

Fig. 31: A human mandible

25

Fig. 24: The upper entrance of the
cave

Fig. 29: A human right femur Fig. 30: A bone belt buckle near the space between thenear the upper entrance
two chambers

Fig. 32: A human right hip boneFig. 33: A human right fibula

Mongolia

Fig. 34: A human right tibia

Fig. 38: Human leg
bonesFig. 35: The bed of the cave, theupper chamber

Fig. 39: Wood fragments

Fig. 41: The road where burial site was destroyed, from the west

Fig.44: A human left radius, from thesoutheast

Fig. 36: The lower chamber

Fig. 42: From the southeast

Fig. 45: A human left clavicle, from the northFig. 37: A human right scapula and arib near the lower entrance

Fig. 40: A bone belt buckle from theAguit cave burial site

Fig. 43. A human vertebra, from the northFig. 46: A head of a human left femur

26

New Zealand
New ZealandCultural Heritage Conservation in a World Heritage Area - Auckland Islands, Subantarctic, March
2020 Fieldwork
Matthew Schmidt, Senior Heritage Advisor
Southern South Island, Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Introduction

Figure 1. Locations of the UNESCO World Heritage Area Subantarctic
islands: the Snares, Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands
and Campbell Island

Figure 2. Map showing heritage sites and features recorded during the
March 2020 Operation Endurance Expedition to the Auckland Islands
as well as proposed infrastructure locations (Image courtesy of DOC
Geospatial Services)

The Auckland Islands are one of five island groups
located in the Subantarctic World Heritage Area. The
islands in this Area consist of the Snares, Bounty Islands,
Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands and Campbell Islandand they are known for their significant natural andcultural heritage values (Figure 1). The Subantarctic has
a history of human occupation which dates back to the27

great Polynesian voyages of the 12th to 14th centuries
AD. This is illustrated by the late 13th/late 14th centuries
AD Polynesian occupation site in Sandy Bay on Enderby
Island (Anderson 2009:29). The Pakeha (European)history of the Auckland Islands only begins in 1806 when
the islands were first encountered by Europeans on 18
August of that year. Since this time Pakeha have occupied
and used the islands for various reasons including sealing
and whaling, planned settlement, farming, scientific andastronomical surveys, military outposts, establishing
castaway depots, with the islands also being the locationof a number of historically significant shipwrecks. Maorialso occupied the islands early in its written history with
Ngati Mutunga and Morori arriving in 1842 and finallyleaving in 1856. Many of these historic events have left afootprint on the islands, particularly on Auckland Island
itself.
The Maukahuka – Pest Free Auckland Island Project isa ten-year project aimed at removing pest animals fromthe Auckland Islands so as native species can thrive andrecover. Pests on the island were introduced by Pakeha/
Europeans during various visits in the 19th century.
The release of rabbits and pigs were to provide foodfor those who became isolated on the islands such as
from shipwrecks. Cats and mice followed Pakeha during
attempts to settle the islands such as the 1849-1852
Enderby Settlement. This pest eradication project requires
infrastructure which has the potential to affect heritage
sites and so management of the heritage on the island wasincorporated into the project planning. It was alreadyknown that the potential locations of the projects’
infrastructure in the Enderby Cove/Davis Cove area would
be in the vicinity of the extensive archaeological siteof the 1849-1852 Enderby Settlement (also known as
Hardwicke). Infrastructure may also be required at thehistoric Erebus Cove Boatshed, Castaway Depot andMonckton’s Farmhouse. Hence the primary aim of the
March 2020 cultural heritage survey and assessment was toinform on where infrastructure could be placed to avoid
heritage features. A second aim was to determine if any
heritage features could be adaptively re-used for the
project with an outcome being the long-term preservationand management of these features. A third aim was toundertake management work on selected heritage features iftime allowed. This report briefly describes the outcomesof the March 2020 heritage fieldwork.
Cultural Heritage Site Survey
The cultural heritage site survey was undertaken by
Matthew Schmidt and Andrew Blanshard, Departmentof Conservation (“DOC”) Senior Heritage Advisors for
the Southern South Island and Northern North Island,
respectively. Support was provided by the pest project
team whose skills with chainsaws were particularly
valuable in clearing vegetation from heritage sites. The

Figure 2 shows the GPS locations of recorded heritage
features identified during the survey. Locations marked
H1 through H23 are where monitoring markers wereplaced so as changes to these particularly importantfeatures could be documented over time. In total, 50
heritage features were recorded each associated with its
own GPS point, photographic record and field notes.
The archaeology of the 1849-1852 Enderby Settlement/
Hardwicke recorded typically consisted of living terraces,house sites, numerous scattering of bricks, ceramics,
bottles and roof slates (Figure 3). The cultural remainsof the day-to-day activities of the settlement were foundto be quite defined in their distribution. Cut rata stumps,
the result of 19th century deforesting activities, had awide distribution and were more extensive than shownon the original 2003 survey map, though they were morecommon closer to the coast. It was found that not all of
the cut Rata necessarily dated to the Enderby Settlement
activities as demonstrated by the age of some of thetrees with cuts. The survey established a boundary of
the known heritage features associated with the Enderby
Settlement where proposed infrastructure work for thepest eradication project would avoid these features (seeFigure 2). This boundary (marked as a yellow dotted line
on Figure 2) was not only GPS’d but marked physicallyon site through spray paint marking on trees (Figure 4).
Outside of this area evidence of cut rata was present
but this was easily recognisable and could be avoided
if necessary. Heritage features that could be re-used forthe project were also identified during the survey andthis included the original 1849 boat haul/slipway and a
nearby boat cutting/jetty as well as sections of the original
Hardwicke Road (Figures 5 & 11).

New Zealandfirst task for the survey consisted of ground truthingearlier heritage survey work in Erebus and Davis Coves
undertaken in 2003 (Figure 2). Key to this was GPSing
features recorded on the original tape and compass maps
and as described in the associated NZAA Site Record
Forms (NZAA Site No’s AU/22 to AU/29). Secondly, the
new survey was widened to record in more detail thenature and extent of the Enderby Settlement heritage
features. The opportunity was also taken during the
project to update the 2003 recordings of the 1874 German
Transit of Venus heritage site (NZAA Site No. AU/21).
New sites/features discovered during the teams’ various
field activities were also recorded.

Figure 3. A montage of the various heritage features and artefacts present in the area of the 1849-1852 Enderby Settlement (Photos: Matthew Schmidt)

Three important heritage features were found during
the survey work. The first was a brick, cobble andcement plinth discovered during track clearance work
(Figure 6). This plinth matches one located at the 1874
German Transit of Venus site. Further research will
determine what this feature is. Jones (2009:93) attempted
to date the similar plinth at the Venus site back in 2003
and concluded that it could date from the Ross 1840
expedition era, the 1907 Philosophical Institute Expedition(more likely in Jones mid) or from Eden’s 1945, 1947
magnetic measurements. If this new plinth is from theGerman Venus expedition, then it may be the location ofanother Collimatorhaus used to record light levels as the1887 Krones map of the Venus site shows this instrumentin the location of this type of plinth.
The second find was that of a whole 19th century blackbeer bottle found in the general location of the possible
Ngati Mutunga ‘pa’ (Figure 7). The bottle was well buried
implying deposition in the period of use of the area
by Ngati Mutunga and the occupants of Hardwicke.
Thirdly, on Enderby Island two Polynesian ovens wererecorded eroding out of dune faces on the Sandy Bay
beach front as well as a mussel midden layer. Although28New Zealandoccupation has been identified in the bay previously andhas been physically investigated on a minor scale (backin 1998 & 2003), these recent recordings confirm that thisinternationally significant heritage site is continually being
lost to coastal erosion and sea lion activity.
Heritage Conservation Management Work Undertaken
The March 2020 fieldwork provided an opportunity toundertake heritage conservation management works onparticular sites and this third aim was achieved for four
key heritage locations.
The Amherst spar dates from 1868 and was once a tall
imposing structure set on a vegetation bereft headland(NZAA Site No. AU/25). It was erected to direct people
shipwrecked on the island to a castaway depot. Today
this artefact lies in three pieces. The base of the spar
protrudes 3 m from the ground on an ca. 80-degree angle(Figure 8). A 4 m long piece of the spar has cracked off,
fallen vertically and lies hung at a ca. 60-degree angle
against the ‘v’ of a tree (Figure 8). A third piece of spar
3 m long lies horizontally on the ground (Figure 8). The
vegetation cover does provide some protection from theelements for the pieces of spar but the piece lying on the
ground is exposed to moisture from below and insect
activity. The piece hung up in the tree will be prone tofuture damage when the weight of the branches holding
it up gives way. Sea lions and pigs are a constant issue forthe pieces by rubbing past them and, for the piece on the
ground, climbing onto or over this artefact. Recognisingthese risks, the team moved the piece of spar on the
ground next to the two vertical sections and built atemporary fence around these using metal warratahs andwire mesh to protect them (Figure 9). The loose pieceof spar was also lifted off the ground onto small timberblocks.
The brickwork of the 1874-1875 German Transit of Venus
site plinths and pedestals are sensitive to moisture andvegetation encroachment (NZAA Site No. AU/21). This
site required vegetation immediate to these features to be
removed but most importantly vegetation and peat build
up removed from the plinths and pedestals themselves(Figure 10). One of the plinths was completely hidden bypeat and moss build-up and was found through probing.
Each brick feature was cleaned down using trowels
and brushes and the wooden boxing placed around thestructures by past DOC management work exposed andchecked for integrity. It was this past boxing which saved
three of the plinth bases from deteriorating completely.
Interestingly, one of the plinths was not recorded during
an archaeological survey in 2003 and must have beenfound after this visit by DOC Rangers who then conserved it.
The ca. 1890 Erebus Cove Boatshed and Castaway Depot(NZAA Site No’s AU/22 & 23) had vegetation encroaching
on both structures cleared back to allow sunlight andfresh air to flow around the structures and to reduce therisk of overhanging branches damaging them further. A
section of a ship’s spar stored on the timber boatshedfloor was also lifted onto blocks to reduce moisture
uptake and increase airflow around the artefact to help
keep it dry.

29

Finally, sections of the original 1849-1852 Hardwicke roadalignment were cleared so its path could be delineatedmore clearly as it travelled through the rata forest. This
work would also help preserve any buried cobblingfrom further damage by vegetation growing through thestonework (Figure 11).
Conclusions & Recommendations
Heritage conservation management as a component of
the Maukahuka – Pest free Auckland Island Projectsuccessfully demonstrated the benefits of combining
two projects with the aims of conserving the naturaland cultural heritage values in a World Heritage Area.
It was found that the infrastructure required to be built
for the eradication of pests on Auckland Island could bedesigned to incorporate heritage features at the Enderby
Settlement and in the long term benefit these features
particularly in regard to the management of encroachingvegetation and visitor impacts.
The following recommendations were made as a resultof the fieldwork regarding the management of cultural
heritage sites in the vicinity of the proposed infrastructure
works for the Maukahuka – Pest Free Auckland Island
Project, at the 1874 German Transit of Venus site and fortwo sites visited on Enderby Island:•	Vegetation should be cleared from all heritage
features relating to the Enderby Settlement/
Hardwicke site and the German Transit of Venus
site where possible under supervision of a Senior
Heritage Advisor. The aim of this clearance is topreserve and protect the heritage and open the area
up for historic heritage visitation.
•	Permanent fencing should be built around at riskarchaeological features such as the Amherst spar
remains, particular Hardwicke house terraces,
areas of cobbling, the Hardwicke settlement well,
the German Transit of Venus plinths etc. Somefeatures, such as the spar remains, may require
simple corrugated iron roofing for environmental
protection.
•	Boardwalks should be built around the Hardwicke
settlement and various heritage features to not only
protect these from foot traffic and animal damage
but to take visitors on a journey around the story ofsettlement.
•	Interpretation panels should be installed at chosen
locations around Terror, Davis and Enderby Covesto tell the story of the human history of these coves
such as the arrival of Ngati Mutanga and the Moriori,
the Enderby Settlement, the German Transit ofVenus story.
•	T he Stella Castaway Depot on Enderby Island
requires vegetation to be cleared from within andoverhanging the enclosure.
•	The nature and extent of the Polynesian occupation
at Sandy Bay on Enderby Island must be investigatedurgently. It is unknown whether the eroding ovens
are the last remnants of the site or whether the siteextends under the extensive grassy terrace behind.
This investigation could be undertaken during the
proposed infrastructure programme and would
initially involve a series of test pits and auguring

New Zealandover the terrace area behind the eroding dune face
and undertaking salvage archaeology on the eroding
ovens.
•	An interpretation panel developed in consultation
with Iwi should be installed at Sandy Bay onEnderby Island to explain the Polynesian discoveryof the Auckland Islands in the late 13th/late 14th
century AD and a separate panel/s explaining thehistory of Enderby from Pakeha arrival onwards.
Acknowledgements
My thanks to my heritage colleague Andrew Blanshard
whom teamed up with me to embark on heritage
recording and management work and to the Maukahuka– Pest Free Auckland Island Project team of James Ware,
Stephen Horn, Veronika Frank, Rachael Sagar, and Micaela
Kirby-Crowe for their support in undertaking the heritage
component of the March 2020 fieldwork. Also, thanks to
Lindsay Chan and Ann De Shutter who provided the GIS
mapping services for the project.
References
New Zealand Archaeological Site Recording Scheme Site
Record Forms sourced through ArchSite.org.nz
Jones, K. 2009. In Care of the Southern Ocean - Anarchaeological and historical survey of the Auckland
Islands, Edited by Paul R. Dingwall, Kevin L. Jones andRachael Egerton. New Zealand Archaeological Association
Monograph 27.

Figure 4. Tree sprayed with paint to indicate boundary of known heritage
remains at the Enderby Settlement (Photo: James Ware)

Figure 5. The 1849 boat haul/slipway (left) and nearby boat cutting/jetty (right) (Photos: Matthew Schmidt)

Figure 6. The newly discovered plinth (left) and the plinth at the 1874 German Transit of Venus site (right). Both have 30mm copper pipes at their centre
and use the same bricks (Photos: Matthew Schmidt).

30

New ZealandFigure 7. The buried black beer bottle found during mouse trap monitoring work (Photos: Matthew Schmidt)

Figure 8. The three pieces of the Amherst 1868 spar: Left image - the piece hung in the tree (left), the section on the ground(center), and in-situ piece (right); Right image - the 4m length of spar hung up in the tree (Photos: Matthew Schmidt)

Figure 9. Temporary warratah and wire mesh fencing placed around all the pieces of the Amherst spar (Photo: Matthew
Schmidt)

31

New ZealandFigure 10. The German Transit of Venus Plinths before (top left) and after vegetation clearance (top right & bottom) (Photos: Matthew Schmidt)

Figure 11. Hardwicke Road cleared of vegetation (left). Close view of exposed road cobbling (right) located below the Rata roots on the left of the left image(Photo: Matthew Schmidt)

32

Philippines
Philippines

Report on the Cleaning of the Facade of the Historic Church of San Agustin
Louella Solmerano Revilla, Conservator and Head/Supervisor
Conservation Laboratory, San Agustin Museum, Intramuros, Manila
A Reflection During the Lockdown in the Philippines
I am about to report on a topic that happened prior to
the worldwide pandemic, but before that let me give ashort narrative about what has taken place this year in
my country. In the Philippines, Batangas City was undera state of calamity due to the Taal Volcano eruption thatstarted on January 12, 2020. Several areas, including
Manila, experienced ash fall for some time. The affectedareas were just beginning to recover when the entire
island of Luzon, including its associated islands, wasplaced under an enhanced community quarantine on
March 16, imposing a lockdown in Manila due to therise in corona virus cases. Business establishments andthe tourism industry were greatly affected. Even various
projects for the conservation and restoration of heritagebuildings and art objects were temporarily suspended.
There was no way even to regularly monitor museum
collections. We all came to realize, by watching the news,
that covid-19 had affected the entire world and mostcountries had instituted social distancing measures. The
Catholic faithful in the country during the lockdown
relied on live-streamed masses in different parishes onsocial networks. The Augustinian priests of the Order of
St. Augustine in the Intramuros district of Manila madesure that Lenten Week was celebrated online in theirparish to lift the hearts of the people. On April 5, 2020,
a Palm Sunday, the people were encouraged to gather
leaves, twigs, or any part of the plants that a family could
get in their gardens as representations of the traditionalpalaspas, the woven palm fronds used for the blessing.
There was a prayer procession at the cloisters of the San
Agustin Monastery depicting several key moments in thelife of Christ. Since regular processions were not allowed,
the Parish priests would go around the Intramuros districtin a vehicle with the Holy Cross, Our Lady, Santo Niño,
and other Saints so that people could venerate the images
and be granted blessings without leaving their houses.
The traditional practice of pag-dungaw of Our Lady ofConsolation on April 18, and the feast day of Saint Rita
on May 22 at the San Agustin Church, were also featured.
The Pope led the world’s shrines in a rosary prayer online
on May 30, 2020, and a subsequent series of healingrosaries were led by the Manila Cathedral and different
parishes to unite the people in prayer for healing and to
end the pandemic. On July 10, a fire hit the Santo Niño
de Pandacan Church in Manila, and a revered 400-yearold image of the Child Jesus was not saved. So much has
happened to the world in just a short period of time. It istime to reflect on what has happened and think of what
can still be done. We must be respectful and hopeful.
Moving forward, we must continue to protect ourselves
and our communities, and together overcome this crisis.
Report on the Cleaning of the Facade of the Historic
Church of San Agustin
It is of paramount importance to decide cautiously

33

which products and methods to use when faced withmaintaining and preserving a historic structure. The repair
and maintenance of such a structure requires specializedskills and knowledge. When cleaning a facade andwalls like those of the centuries-old San Agustin Church
in Intramuros, Manila, one must think of the gentlest
possible means and use methods and materials that are
not harmful.
It was in 2015 when the Augustinians at San Agustin
Church and Monastery, in the Intramuros district ofManila, celebrated the 450th anniversary of the arrivalof the Augustinians in the Philippines. In preparation,
the San Agustin Church, Convent, and Monastery
went through phases of conservation, restoration, andrefurbishment. Several years had passed since theprevious general cleaning and restoration of the facade of
the church and convent. Manila had experienced extreme
temperatures, storms, and earthquakes during recent
years which may have contributed to the poor conditionof the facade.
A German company named Kärcher Inc. offered theirvoluntary service to the Augustinian priests to clean
the San Agustin Church and Convent facade. Kärcher’scleaning technology aims to eliminate the biological
growth of algae, mosses, small plants, and emission
pollution from the walls. The company chose San Agustin
Church because of its stature as the oldest stone church
in the Philippines, inscribed on the World Heritage
List by UNESCO in 1993, as well as being a designatedNational Historical Landmark and a National Cultural
Treasure. After a series of test cleanings of the wallsof the church, and meetings from 2017 to 2019 withstakeholders regarding approval for this cleaning project,a memorandum of agreement was prepared between
Kärcher Inc. and San Agustin.
The walls of the San Agustin Church are made of adobefinished with plaster, known as paletada. There werevisible parts of the adobe walls which no longer had
their protective finish and had become exposed to theelements. Soot and grime were present over almost
the entire facade of the convent, the lower parts of thefacade of the church, the bases of columns, the edgesof walls, and parts of the belfry. The dark appearanceof the surface of the walls of the facade was due to theaccumulated dirt, grime, soot, and biological growth. Dueto its age and the country’s tropical climate, San Agustin
Church’s natural stone exterior had acquired organic
vegetation. These biological components produce harmful
acids and drill in their roots, which had weakened andpartially damaged the surface of the delicate stone
structure. There were plants that grew on the lower andupper parts of the church facade. All of these elements
threaten further damage to this heritage structure without

The cleaning of the San Agustin Church facade andwalls started last November 13, 2019, and continued toNovember 22. The aim was to clean the surface of the
San Agustin Church and Convent of any pollutants bywell-trained experts, taking care to maintain the structural
integrity of the building.
Kärcher Inc. provided a team of experts for this project
headed by Mr. Thorsten Marco Möwes, a specialistin Cleaning and Hygiene Technology for Cultural
Sponsorship and Restorative Cleaning Projects, whose task
was to perform the actual cleaning while ensuring thesafety and protection of the site. Mr. Möwes is a cleaning
specialist actively involved in supporting the preservationof historical monuments and buildings worldwide.
Cleaning heritage buildings may cause surface damage if
the methods lack the proper specifications and controls
needed to deal with various types of dirt, surface coatings,
and biological growth. Close inspection and tests werenecessary prior to cleaning. Mr. Möwes demonstrated
their two main cleaning systems, using hot steam andhigh pressure, before the full-scale cleaning of the facadeof the Church. Hot water, high-pressure cleaners remove
algae, lichens, and moss without chemicals. They remove
oil, soot, and grease from facades just as successfully.
Inside the hot water, high-pressure cleaning machine
are two main components: the electrically driven pump,
and a boiler with 150-degree Celsius heating capacity.
To eliminate biological components, they only need 60
degrees Celsius. The temperature, water quantity, andoperating pressure can be minutely adjusted. This makes
the equipment especially suitable for sensitive materials,
since it can clean very thoroughly yet gently using hot
water or steam, even at low pressure. The technology
using gentle steam is harmless to delicate facades, but canremove biological growth such as algae, moss, and plants.
Hot steam is used for sensitive stone materials such as
adobe and limestone, while high pressure is used forstrong stone such as granite. Adobe is powdery in nature.
Only gentle steam can be introduced to clean the exposed
walls. Cleaning equipment such as hard brushes or metal
tools are some of the most common harmful practices
that damage historic structures. Mr. Möwes emphasized
the importance of using hot water for cleaning. Hot water
is more efficient than using cold water. The easiest andgentlest way to clean is the steam system. Its reducedpressure setting is suitable for sensitive stone. Dependingon the climate, the traditional cleaning of structures isdone every 6–7 years, but results using the hot steam
system may last up to 10 years or more. Super boom
and scissor lifts were used to carry out the cleaning
work in elevated areas. The use of steam cleaning wasintroduced during the cleaning of the church facade andwalls to prevent the growth of algae and other plants.
The roots can penetrate and greatly affect the conditionof the walls. The hot steam system is known to be themost effective technique for preserving and restoring old
structures made of mineral materials. Its high temperaturedelays the reintroduction of organic vegetation. With theuse of the steam mode, the wall surfaces of the church
were cleaned without any surface damage.

Philippines

immediate intervention. Hence, there was a great need forpreventive measures. It is difficult to do manual cleaningof the church wall facade since it requires scaffolding, ahose linked to tap water for cleaning, and the use of abrush on the walls to remove the dirt and grime. This is adifficult process and takes time, not to mention the cost it
entails.

Conclusion
The effects of sunlight, changes in weather andtemperature, the presence of moisture and air pollution,and the movement of the building due to vibrationand earthquakes contribute to the deterioration of thebuilding facade. There must be a consistent maintenance,
repair, and prevention plan in place to protect theproperty. When cleaning is not carried out properly, it
has the potential to cause damage either immediately,while cleaning is in progress, or over a period of time.
The abrasive or corrosive actions of many cleaning
methods can remove or destroy the protective surfaces.
It is imperative that the stone is only cleaned of harmful
materials by using the least aggressive methods to achieve
the desired result. It is best to determine or measure
how much cleaning is necessary. Pre-project trials should
be compulsory for work of this type and should beundertaken by skilled conservation contractors. Always
seek the advice and guidance on maintenance to best
preserve the structure. If the building is to be cleaned, it
is important that all parties agree on what is expected ofthe process.
Facade cleaning can be performed using high-pressure
water, low-pressure water, sandblasting, wet aggregate
blasting, hot water steam, chemicals, sponges, etc. In thecase of cleaning the facades of the San Agustin Church
and Convent, cleaning equipment using a gentle steam
method was introduced to effectively clean the delicate
walls. The cleaning was done methodically. The soot,grime, and biological growth were removed without
destroying the wall of the facade. Proper maintenanceof a heritage structure increases the life of the property
and improves the building’s value. The Augustinians aremaking sure that this heritage structure is well preserved
for the generations to come.

34

Photographic Documentation: November 15–22, 2019, Cleaning of the San Agustin Church and Convent Facade

Philippines
35

Philippines

Acknowledgements
San Agustin Church/Convent and Monastery: Rev. Fr. Roy
Gallano, OSA (Prior); Rev. Fr. Ricky Villar, OSA (Museum
Director); Rev. Fr. Arnold Santa Maria, OSA (Parish Priest).
Kärcher Inc.: Mr. Klaus Puehmmeyer (Regional Manager),Mr. Thorsten Möwes (Cleaning and Hygiene Technology
Specialist), Ms. Daina Bartuseviclute (MarketingInternational Project), Mr. Mark Palisoc (General
Manager), Mr. Ramon Ramirez (Marketing Manager).
Photographs courtesy of Kärcher Inc.

36

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka

A Summary of Fire Disaster Management in Sri Lanka
D.A. Rasika Dissanayaka, Civil Engineer / Assistant Director (Promotions)
Department of Archaeology
Introduction
This short paper provides an overview of the backgroundto fire and protection activities used in Sri Lanka. Sri
Lankans have experienced the following categories ofnatural and manmade disasters.
i. Fireii. War and Terrorismiii. Looting
iv. Floodv. Tsunami
Of these, fire is one of the main types of disasters because
it can totally destroy monuments or objects in a matter of
seconds. About 50% of ancient monuments in Sri Lanka
are wooden heritage, i.e., image houses, dwellings, publicbuildings, etc. These buildings are often susceptible tofire. Although timber structures are combustible, fire
protection equipment has not been installed in many cases.
History of Fire Disasters in Sri Lankai.	The Lovamahapaya, built by the Great King
Dutugemunu, and described as an edifice of ninestories measuring 120 m x 120 m and containing
1,600 stone columns, was destroyed by fire during
the reign of King Saddatissa (137-119 BC). It is
recorded that a century later, it was renovated by
King Bhatikabha (22 AD). Hundreds of Sri Lankanexperts in architecture, engineering, interior
decoration, and artists, along with thousandsof workers, had worked hard generation aftergeneration to rebuild the building. All that hard
work and the resources used in the project were
wasted in just one day.
ii.	Warlord Magha of Kalinga (Kerala) came when
Sri Lanka was already under the control of the
Pandyan invaders, but unlike many invaders
before him, they destroyed the Sinhalese
Kingdom. Like a scorching fire sweeping througha dry forest, they ruled and ruined the country for
21 years, setting fire to everything they found.
WildfiresWildfires occasionally occur in Sri Lanka, with thewar ming of the atmosphere paving the way formore wildfires. In the dry season, mountain forests
can sometimes catch fire. Although the forest on
Pidurutalagala Mountain caught fire in March 2010,
destroying a large amount of wood, fortunately it did
not affect any cultural heritage. People are responsible
for wildfires either due to malicious intent or negligence;
forests are often purposely set on fire by hunters so thatthey can hunt animals in the dry season.
Causes of Wildfires
i. Fire starting inside the forests

37

ii. Lightningiii. Careless disposal of heat-generating items
iv. Human activities
In Sri Lankan practice, most fire incidents are generated
from human activities, which can be intentional orunintentional.
Causes of Fire in Ancient Monuments
i. Human activities such as rituals and vandalism
ii. Lightningiii. Faulty electrical installation
iv. Negligence
Intentional
i.	Purposely lit fires due to quarrels between
owners and other parties
ii. Vandalismiii. War / Civil Conflict
Purposely lit fires cannot be eradicated because such
persons try to fulfill their aims by bypassing fire protection
measures.
In this paper, fire damage due to unintentional humanactivities is discussed.
Unintentionali.	Unsafe / careless handling of oil lamps / incense
sticksii. Careless disposal of heat-generating items
The lighting of oil lamps and incense for Lord Buddha /gods inside religious places in Sri Lanka and most other
South Asian countries has been done since a long time in
the past as a ritual which increases the risk of fire, withthe curtains hanging around the statues acting as a fire
carrier.
The best example of such a disaster is a recent fire at
Bihalpola Tampita Image House. The wooden structure ofthis image house caught fire due to oil lamps which were
lit by devotees in the evening. The fire spread to curtains
from the oil lamps and finally found its way into the roof,
where it was seen by neighbors who had taken steps toextinguish it.
Careless disposal of cigarette butts and used matches
will cause the same damage. But this situation has beensomewhat alleviated by the law against smoking in public
places in Sri Lanka, and it depends on personal patternsof behavior.
Anyway, it is unfortunate that no fire protection measures
are fixed for most wooden monuments, even at World
Heritage Sites. The reason for this is that not many fire

Most disasters like fire, explosions, lightning, etc. cannot
be forecasted or avoided. But by using preventive
measures they can be controlled to some extent to lessen
the damage. The following preventive measures havebeen taken to control fire damage.
i.
Awareness			Using signage, mentioning the significance ofsuch monuments, precautions, etc.
ii.	Preparing a place outside the building for lighting
oil lamps and candles
iii.	Keeping the outside of the monument free fromcombustible materials
iv.	To prevent grass fires spreading around thebuilding, removing all vegetation in a 1-meterwide zone around the monument
v.	Proper electrical installation including lightning
arresters
Most of the cultural monuments are located in places
where there is no vehicular access. Some of themonuments are situated on top of rocks, etc. On theother hand, the local authorities have no firefighting
facilities, and in these situations people use their own
simple methods to put out fires, i.e., using water, sandand earth, etc. Water can douse the flames with the use of
buckets and sand can be thrown onto the fire to separate
the object and the fire.
Although such simple efforts are a fantastic improvement,
some disadvantages will occur when water is used.
Wateri.	dissolves some materials (e.g. glue, wall paintings,
etc.)

ii. corrodes metals (e.g. roof materials)
iii. delaminates some materials (e.g. planks)iv.	leaves tide marks in porous materials (e.g.
ceilings, walls)v.
swells organic materials

Sri Lanka

incidents have not been recorded, and these fires havebeen controlled without spreading. The cost of such fire
protection systems is high as well.

On the above occasions and when the fire is out ofcontrol, modern techniques should be applied. Therefore,
studying these methods and techniques will be moreadvantageous for planning a disaster management systemfor cultural heritage.
Proposed strategies for better fire protection systems
i. Introducing suitable fire prevention methods tosuit the condition of the site.
		It is important to select proper fire extinguishingmedia after consideration of the characteristics ofthe monuments or sites.
ii. Fixing fire alarm systems
		As some of the sites are situated in remote areas,
there are no services available. In such cases, afire alarm system would be more useful than fire
extinguishers.
iii. Training of fire and rescue teams
iv. Extending fire regulations to heritage sites
		In practice, fire regulations are presently applied
only in urban areas.
Case Study - Fire Destruction of Bihalpola Tampita Vihara(Image House)
Location: Located on the Kuliyapitiya – Narammala highroad in the Kurunegala District, North Western Provinceof Sri Lanka (Latitude / Longitude (7.454433, 80.153754)
Implementation Body: Regional Archaeological Office(North Western Province) Department of Archaeology of
Sri Lanka
Funding Body: Annual Budget Allocation, Sri Lankan
Government.

Figure 1. Bihalpola Tampita Image House

38

Sri Lanka

Historic value
It is said that this place has been in existence since theera of King Devanam Piyatissa and was developed by
King Valagamba and Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe. Therefore, it
provides a historical testimony for the future.
Architectural value
This building represents Sri Lanka’s most importantbuilding tradition, called Tampita Vihara. Carved wooden
components, thick walls, decorative murals, timber roof
frames, and statues are its characteristics. This building
represents the Kandyan architecture of the 19th century.
Material value
All the walls of this building have been made out of mud/clay and wattle and daub, which are in their original state.
In Sri Lanka, the wattle and daub technique was usedwidely in the ancient periods.

Figure 2. Lighting oil lamps

Introduction and Background
Built on stone pillars, the Tampita architecture of Sri
Lanka makes a unique contribution to the architectural
tradition of the country. This tradition has been
extensively used to build the Buddhist image houses of
the 17th to 19th centuries. This temple is situated on rockand has a carved stairway in rock. The Bihalpola Tampita
Vihara is built on rough stone boulders, with a numberof heavy wooden beams horizontally laid on it. On these,
wooden planks were laid to form a stage for a shrineroom, and a series of wooden pillars were positioned
on each stone pillar to hold a traditional hipped tiled
roof structure. The shrine room is of wattle and daubconstruction, with two doorways in the northern andwestern facades. A special feature is the outer high wall,
instead of a railing or short wall. Images of Buddha andvarious gods are enshrined in the sanctum, and the walls
and ceilings are decorated with paintings dating back to
the 19th century.
Bihalpola Ancient Tampita Image House and Temple of
the Sacred Tooth Relic (Dalada Maligawa) were inscribed
as a protected monument by law in Gazette No. 14737 on
23 Feb., 1967. Therefore, the Department of Archaeology
has responsibility for the conservation and maintenanceof these monuments following accepted archaeologicalmethods. This monument was conserved from time totime since 1967 by the Department of Archaeology.
ValuesAlthough this building provides clues of the culture ofthat period in Sri Lanka, it has much value in representing
their living and administration system in the 19th century.
This is a good example of their culture of constructing
Tampita Image House and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth
Relic (Dalada Maligawa). The heritage values connectedwith this building can be summarized as follows.

39

Artistic value
The artistic impression is high as the architecturalcomposition is excellent. The inner area of the shrine
room has a decorative doorway, statues of Buddha andvarious gods give a deep artistic impression, with theinner and outer walls and ceiling containing decorativeand colorful murals.
Religious and Symbolic value
It has religious and symbolic value, as for a certain periodof time, the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is housed
here. This monument is still worshiped by devotees.
Fire Damage
The wooden structure of this Image House caught fireon 19th May, 1997 due to an oil lamp which was lit
by devotees in the evening. The fire spread to curtains
from the oil lamp and finally to the roof. It was seen byneighbors, who took steps to extinguish it.
Conservation Project
The conservation was started and is being carriedout with the Architectural Conservation team of the
Department, according to the conservation proposal
drawn by them. The Department of Archaeology has
appointed conservation staff for the task, who are
directly instructed and guided by the Director General ofArchaeology and Director (Architectural Conservation).
As a national monument is legally protected, it is necessary
to preserve the physical remains according to acceptedarchaeological conservation principles. Apart from that,
this is a living monument and also a sacred place forworship. Therefore, the monument has to be conserved
and the paintings and images must be cleaned and preserved
for ritual purposes. Structural strengthening of the roof
frame and load bearing structures had to be identified.
The Project Comprises the Following Main Activities
i. Conservation of the building
ii. Conservation of paintings and imagesiii. Introducing a fire or risk protection system
iv. Public awareness programSri Lanka

Figure 3. Before fire destruction

Figure 5. Damage

Figure 7. Damage to murals and paintings

Figure 9. Damage to a statue

Figure 4. After fire destruction

Figure 6. Floor totally burnt

Figure 8. Damage to the decorated ceiling

Figure 10. Damage to murals, paintings andstatues40

Sri Lanka

Procedure Followed for Conservationi.	Documentation and recording (complete conditionassessment / drawings / photographs)ii.	Studied the historical data and reports of theprevious conservationiii.	Prepared conservation proposals (decisions /drawings / structural details if any)
iv. Prepared estimatesv. Allocated funds
vi. Prepared work programmes
Short Term and Long Term Benefits to be Achieved From
the Projecti.	Protecting an important historical monumentwith rare architectural features and giving
people a good knowledge of vernacular timberarchitectural heritageii.	Keeping the necessary environment for rituals forvillagersiii.	Attracting more tourists to the northwestern partof Sri Lankaiv.	Upgrading the lifestyles of the local community interms of both economic and social aspects.

41

Problems Encounteredi.	Introducing a fire or risk protection system		The main problem in introducing a fire protection
system was financial difficulties as a developing
country for the installation of fire hydrant andalarm systems.
ii. Lack of knowledge of the latest techniques		A lack of knowledge of new fire protection
methods, techniques and use of the latest
equipment are also problems. Simple methods,i.e. using water / sand, are currently being used
for most fire incidents. Though it is cheap to use
water, some places need the latest techniques toobtain more protection. A lack of knowledge of
new methods, techniques and use of the latest
equipment are also problems.
As a developing country, the latest technology for fire orrisk protection is not accessible by the conservation field.

Uzbekistan
Akmaljon Ulmasov, Leader Specialist/ PhD on Architecture
Fine Arts Institute, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan
Italy is famous not only for its beautiful and picturesquenature, but also for its architectural, historical and culturalmonuments dating back thousands of years. Monuments
such as the Colosseum amphitheater in Rome, theLeaning Tower of Pisa and the ancient city of Pompeii,
preserved under the volcano, have become the hallmark
and symbols of the country. It is no coincidence that thisplace is visited by millions of tourists every year.
The ancient Roman Empire, considered one of the oldest
civilizations in Europe, left not only a rich written history,
but also hundreds of architectural and archaeologicalmonuments, as well as several thousand works of art.
Conservation, exploration, transformation into tourist
attractions and their transfer to future generations is
one of the most pressing issues today. The country has
sufficient experience in this area, because international
institutes in the field of restoration, universities that train
professional restorers, and repair laboratories have been
established here1.
Terms such as lacuna, rigatino, and tinta neutra arewidely used in the world of restoration, including in
the Italian scientific literature. Originally Italian, theseterms were introduced to the field of restoration long
ago, became deeply rooted and have now become
international terms. These terms refer to the theoreticaland practical rules of restoration.
Lacuna (lacuna or lacunae 2) is a word of Latin origin,meaning a gap or a missing part. A lacuna is a historicaland cultural object or part of a work of art that has notsurvived for a known or unknown reason. The term wasoriginally used to refer to books or manuscripts, butlater it came to be widely applied to other historical andcultural sites. The term “lacuna” is defined as follows in
EwaGlos glossary of restoration terms. That is, “a missing
part of an architectural surface or wall painting which
affects their integrity.” 3 The glossary explains that suchdeformation leads to a violation of the integrity of thesurface and can be produced by accidents or by loss ofadhesion. It differs depending on the size of the lacuna,which in turn determines whether it is possible to restore
the integrity of the image using a restoration technique(Fig. 1).
Among the main ethical principles of C. Brandi’s theory,
there are aspects directly related to filling a lacuna. That1

The article was prepared during a working visit to Germany and Italy by a delegation ofis, in his words, “a restorer should never take the placeof an artist, imitate his style and indirectly interpret theartist’s work.” At this stage, Brandi intended to strictly
prohibit the reconstruction of the restored object orrestore it in the form in which it appeared4.
Until the middle of the 19th century, a lacuna wasconsidered a violation of aesthetic rules, and therefore
restoring a work of art to its original state (mimetic
integration) was an integral part of restoration work. But
the development of a scientific approach in the second
half of the last century changed the attitudes towards
restoration. Now the authenticity and historicity of thework determined its value and created the conditions
for organizing the concept of modern restoration. These
conditions made it necessary to preserve or restore it
based on the exact meanings present in each piece.
The analysis of lacuna moves from its definition, focuseson the different meanings in relation to scale and context,
deals with the causes that generated it and the alterationof the work’s expressive value. A methodologicalapproach to tackle lacuna and to define the resulting
operative choices is proposed in relation to its treatment,
also to demonstrate how the same critical-methodologicalapproach is valid for architectural, historical-artistic andarchaeological works of restoration5.
Rigatino translated from Italian means “hatching,” amethod to fill in the missing part of the image, that is, thegaps, by placing very thin parallel lines of pure colors
close to each other in a vertical position. This makes it
difficult to separate the rigatino from the stored image
at a certain distance. Only a specialist can detect this at
close range.
This method was developed at the Central Institute of
Restoration (Ital. Instituto Superiore per la Conservazioneed
il Restauro) in 1945-1950 and became more widespreadthanks to the modern theory of restoration by Cesare
Brandi. A method that gives rigatino or similar filling
values restores the image and allows it to be understoodor recognized. To achieve the desired color, draw thin
vertical colored lines sequentially and dashed. Brandi
emphasizes that in any case; new paint on any restored
object can be removed, leaving the restored area easily
visible and understandable to the naked eye.

Architectural Surfaces. Russian/German translation of the English Terms. Hildesheim: Michael

the Research Center for the Restoration of Cultural Heritage and Art Objects at the Foundation

Imhof Verlag, 2018, p. 180.

for the Development of Culture and Art under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan

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to study international experience in the field of restoration.

Historical and Philosophical Issues in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (pp. 230-235). Los

The word lacūna itself comes from the Latin word lacus - “lake,” which Latin Americans replaced

Angeles, CA: Getty Conservation Institute.

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Brandi C. “Theory of Restoration, I.” In N. S Price, M. K. Talley Jr, & A. M. Vaccaro (Eds.),

with lacūna and used this word to mean “deep,” “crack” or “pool.” English speakers adopted this5phrase in the seventeenth century.

Innovation” // 6th International Congress on “Science and Technology for the Safeguard of Cultural

EwaGlos: European Illustrated Glossary of Conservation Terms for Wall Paintings andHeritage in the Mediterranean Basin” Proceedings. Vol. II. – Athens, 2013. – pp. 115-122.

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Lacuna, Rigatino, and Tinta Neutra (Italian Experience in Conservation)

Alvisi, A., Santopuoli, N., Sodano, C. “Lacuna’s Treatment Restoration and Technological42

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Essentially, rigatino is a branch of the tratteggio methodin the language of scientific conservation. According
to Brandi’s theory of restoration, tratteggio also means“hatching and is the restoration of the shape or color of a
missing piece by drawing short vertical lines.” Pure colors(mostly watercolor) are used in painting, as in the methodof pointillism. In this way, work can be better understoodby recovering lost parts that are small, easily recoverable,
and can be discerned at close range. In many countries,
the word “tratteggio” is mistakenly used as a term for any
type of “line drawing” (hatching), even a monochromatic
method made with lines. It is necessary to distinguishtratteggio from rigatino (Fig. 2).
Pointillism (or “dotting”)
Another tratteggio method is pointillism or dotting.
Pointillism is a method of restoring a damaged or
missing part of a work (lacuna) by drawing colored dots
next to each other in accordance with the principles ofpointillism. Small dots drawn in this way do not makeit possible to distinguish the distance from the place tobe repaired in the work. This recovery method is onlyused to recover recently lost parts. Pointillism restoration
can be used in some traction principles. However, in thiscase, the original mold can be used to restore severely
damaged or lost parts to a degree beyond repair (Fig. 3).
In this direction, there is another method, which in theliterature is called “chromatic or color selection” (Selezione
Chromatica). In fact, this method is the Florentine versionof the strategy developed by O. Casazza and U. Baldini.
Lines drawn with this method do not need to be vertical;
they need to be oriented according to the compositionof the image. Chromatic selection means finding thecharacteristics of the desired color and its repetitive
composition, as well as reintegrating the image (Fig. 4).
EwaGlos defines this method as follows: “Color picking is
the restoration of a missing piece of a piece by drawing
short parallel colored lines on a light background. It
repeats the original shapes and lines.” The tratteggio
method is not used in the conservation method developedby U. Baldini. The length of the lines depends on the sizeof the artwork and the distance from the viewer. Due tothe arrangement of the lines, the color selection method
is also suitable for polychrome three-dimensional objects.
These phrases were also pioneered by Brandi in the fieldof restoration. Cesari Brandi (1906-1988) himself wasn’t
only an art critic and historian, but also an expert on thetheory of conservation and restoration. In 1963 he wrote
the fundamental work The Theory of Restoration. It waslater translated into English by him and soon became
popular as a methodological guide for restorers. His
theory, opposing the technique of redrawing a missing
or damaged piece of art, amazed everyone. Brandi’s
proposal had a great impact not only on the Italian
restoration industry, but also on modern restoration
practice in many countries around the world.
Another method of restoration is “mimetic reintegration”– in which the damage (a lacuna) is reconstructed as
accurately as possible – technically and stylistically – so43that it cannot by distinguished from the original with
the naked eye6. Previously, this method was used basedon the principle that the work should be kept in its
original state. Today, this method is used only in casesof restoration of parts of a work, the origin of which is
known, and where the place of damage in the work is
not very large, in order to prevent historical and artistic
copying of the work. Restoration by the method of
historical imitation, as a rule, is acceptable as long as thisdoes not negatively affect the preservation of the original
work (Fig. 5).
Tinta Neutra – Neutral Reintegration
Tinta neutra (Ital. tinta – color, shade; and neutra –neutral) is a combination of several colors (red, yellow,blue), which means a neutral color. Tinta neutra is alsoa lacuna at work, that is, a neutral color with the sameshade, formed from several mixed colors to paint a filled
space. It is also a neutral color composed of different
shades of white, black and gray.
EwaGlos defines neutral restoration as follows: “Whendamage cannot be repaired due to the size of the roomor space, the lack of reliable sources or the artistic valueof the work of art, it can be reduced.” This method isaimed at preserving the original fragments of works andis widely used in archeology. However, this has recently
been criticized for its theory of perception. This isbecause, according to Gestalt psychology, or color theory,
there are no “neutral” colors or “neutral” additions to awork of art.
Restoring neutral space in works of art has not always
been welcomed. Some restorers and experts interprettinta neutra differently. For example, the architect G.
Sacconi wrote that it would be wrong to choose one
neutral color for a painting. In his opinion, in different
parts of the work it can seem dark, like a background,or vice versa, stand out. According to another expert, E.
Bouyer, tinta neutra cannot be systematically applied
to all visible voids. In his opinion, this would play animportant role in the history of conservation; otherwise it
would be disregarding the aesthetic value of the work ofart.
In short, today we require a deeper study of the terms
used in restoration, such as lacuna, rigatino, tinta neutra,
and their introduction into local schools of restoration.
With these expressions, it is advisable to strengthen andapply in practice clear theoretical rules in restoration.
References
1.	Alvisi A., Santapuoli N., Sodano C. “Lacuna’s Treatment
Restoration and Technological Innovation”. 6th International
Congress on “Science and Technology for the Safeguardof Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean Basin”
Proceedings. Vol. II. Athens, 2013. pp. 115-122.
2.	Berns, Roy S., Krueger, Jay, and Swicklik, Michael.
2002. “Multiple Pigment Selection for Inpainting Using
Visible Reflectance Spectrophotometry.” Studies inConservation 47 (1): pp.46-61.
6Althofer 1962a; Althofer 1962b; Philippot 1962; Riva 1980, pp. 240-244; Ortner 2003, pp. 37-39

9.	Piva, G. Manuale Pratico di Technica Pittorica //Enciclopedia Ricettario, “Ulrico Hoepli”. Milano, 2005.
pp. 116-117
10.	Restoration of an Early Italian Panel Painting. Yale
University Art Gallery Bulletin, Time Will Tell: Ethics
and Choices in Conservation (2010): pp. 91-93. http://
www.jstor.org/stable/41000895.
11.	Wendy, S. The Philosophy of Aesthetic Reintegration:
Paintings and Painted Furniture. History andConservation. Los Angeles, 1994. pp. 412-423 CA:
Getty Conservation Institute.
12.	https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/PMG_
Inpainting.
13.	http://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/Talk:Lacunae
14.	https://www.museunaciona l.cat/en/tratteggio-origatino
15.	https://www.museunacional.cat/sites/default/files/
styles/750x800/public/tratteggio_o_rigatino_.jpg
16. http://aic.stanford.edu/jaic/articles/jaic38-02-003.html
17.	http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/jaic/articles/
jaic38-02-003.html
18. https://artenet.it/il-restauro-pittorico

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http://www.jstor.org/stable/1506834.
3.	Bouyer, E. “The Bad Reputation of Neutral Retouching”
4th International Meeting on Retouching of Cultural
Heritage. University of Split. Split, 2017. pp. 28-37.
4.	Brandi, C. (1963/1996). “Theory of Restoration, I.” In N.
S. Price, M. K. Talley Jr, & A. M. Vaccaro (Eds.), Historicaland Philosophical Issues in the Conservation of Cultural
Heritage (pp. 230-235). Los Angeles, CA: Getty Conservation
Institute.
5.	Mimoso, J. Cesare. Brandi’s Theory of Restoration andAzulejos	(http://www-text.lnec.pt/AzTek/download/Azul_
Brandi_fin03a.pdf)
6. EwaGlos: European Illustrated Glossary of Conservation
Terms for Wall Paintings and Architectural Surfaces.
English Definitions with translations into different
languages. Michael Imhof. Petersberg, 2015. p. 333.
7.	Inpainting, 2004. Art and Architecture Thesaurus
Online. Getty Research Institute. http://www.getty.
edu/research/tools/vocabularies/aat/(accessed 15
March, 2014).
8.	Paolini C., Faldi M., Glossario delle tecniche artistiche edel restauro, edizioni Palazzo Spinelli. Firenze, 2000. p.
352.

Fig. 1. Lacunas on the surface of a wall painting. Varakhsha (Bukhara), VII c. A.D. (Photo appears in the book Shishkin V.A. Varakhsha, published by the Academyof Sciences SSSR. Moscow, 1963. Fig. IV.)

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Fig. 2. One of the types of tratteggio . Short vertical colored lines for reintegration of an infill, wall painting by Dionis Vidal, Church of San Nicolas Obispo San Pedro
Martir, Valencia (Spain) 1694-1700; Photo: 2014, UPV (EwaGlos. European Illustrated. p. 332)

Fig. 3. An example of pointillism. Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La-Grande Jatte , by Georges Seurat (https://www.amazon.com/Sunday-Afternoon-IslandGeorges-Art/dp/B01FVC478M)

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Fig. 4. Chromatic selection of lacuna. Wall painting of Agnalo Gaddi. Cappella Maggiore di Santa Croce . Florence (Italy), 1380 y. Photo by OPD (Maria Loza
Lafranchi, 2010. EwaGlos. European Illustrated.p. 342)

Fig. 5. Before and after mimetic reintegration filling. Church of St. Lawrence, Pozega (Croatia), XI c. Photo HRZ (Ivan Srsha, 2012. EwaGlos. European Illustrated. p.
338)

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Fig. 6. Tinta neutra – neutral reintegration of large lacunas. Griffin-shaped vinegar shock. Egypt, XI c. (© The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

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