Evangelia Kyriazi studied Conservation and Restoration at the University of Lincoln and completed her post graduate studies in Applied Geo-Informatics in Environmental Risk Management at the University of the Aegean. She has taught conservation, museology and risk management in tertiary education and vocational training centres and has worked as a conservator in Greece and abroad, treating a variety of objects and materials. She is currently a PhD candidate in Archaeometry at the University of Peloponnese in the Department of History, Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management researching on the deterioration factors and conservation of petrified forests.
Seven large in situ Cenozoic petrified tree trunks, including one of the world's longest ... more Seven large in situ Cenozoic petrified tree trunks, including one of the world's longest fossil trees measuring 72.22 meters long, were excavated from 2003 – 2005 in Bantak Petrified Forest Park, Thailand. These fossils have deteriorated considerably due to the lack of proper conservation. In order to preserve the integrity of fossil trunks, the Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood collaborated with the Petrified Forest Park and multidisciplinary scientists to propose a conservation project in 2013. Initiation of environmental readings including temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), SEM-EDS and other paleometric analysis of the fossil trees were performed in 2014 to identify the deterioration factors and proper conservation treatments. The result indicated that T and RH on the petrified trees, especially those without shelters, were greatly different between day and night causing significant damage to the fossils. For better conservation management, a laboratory , meteorological station, and temporary shelters were established. Additionally, educational programs were organized for local schools and related organizations to raise public awareness. The ultimate goal of this project is to save this unique natural geoheritage and to improve the protection and development of the sites for sustainable conservation and include the Petrified Forest Park in the Global Geoparks Network. Acknowledgements This project was supported and encouraged by Tak provincial government and Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University. We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Pratueng Jintasakul, the director of the Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources; Surapol Gawee, former director of the petrified forest park, and the forest park staff for their helps. Thanks to Stylianos Kesidis, a conservation student who volunteered for the conservation work. We very much appreciate Matthew Crane, Bartosz Nadol, Isaiah Hoyer, and Daniel Worthen, and other volunteers from Sakaerat Environmental Research Station in their help on animal surveys and comments on wildlife conservation for Geopark establishment. Finally, thanks to Prof. Miklos Kazmer, Prof. Nickolas Zouros, and Dr. B. Roger Moore for providing additional information on geology and conservation of the site.
Fibre samples from the fabric support of 33 Eastern Orthodox icons dating from the 14th to the 18... more Fibre samples from the fabric support of 33 Eastern Orthodox icons dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries A.D, owned by the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, Greece, were studied in order to identify the construction material of their fabric substrate. The methods employed included sampling, preparation on glass slides, Optical Microscopy (ΟΜ), Scanning Electron Microscopy (ΣΕΜ), and use of Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS for the categorisation, visualisation and statistical analysis of the results. OM and SEM observations led to the recording of morphological features of the fibre types, allowing their identification as linen, cotton and hemp. SEM was proven valuable in the identification of features not otherwise visible, which helped distinguish between fibres of a similar appearance. OM and SEM observations combined, also led to notes on the preservation state of the fabric substrate, and the presence of foreign matter trapped within the fibres. Initial graphs prepar...
Published Online: www.ICOM-CC.org 2018 Kyriazi, E., Pantazidou, N. and Oikonomou, A. 2018. A late... more Published Online: www.ICOM-CC.org 2018 Kyriazi, E., Pantazidou, N. and Oikonomou, A. 2018. A late 18th–mid 19th c. Sanctification Cross from Mount Athos - Description, Study and Conservation Issues. In: A. Nevin, M. Sawicki and K Seymour (eds). Heritage Wood: Research & Conservation in the 21st Century. Proceedings of the Joint Conference of three ICOM-CC Working Groups: Wood, Furniture, and Lacquer, Scientific Research, and Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration, Warsaw, 28 – 30 October, 2013. ICOM-CC.
Evangelia Kyriazi and Nickolas Zouros from the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified For... more Evangelia Kyriazi and Nickolas Zouros from the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest explain how getting volunteers involved has helped them in the task of conserving Lesvos’ vast petrified forest, as well as assisting the training of student conservators from all over the world.
SEM-EDS analysis performed as part of the research for the conservation of an approximately 70m l... more SEM-EDS analysis performed as part of the research for the conservation of an approximately 70m long petrified tree, revealed the presence of several types of microorganisms.
The paper presents the history and trends of facadism, with examples from around the world, inclu... more The paper presents the history and trends of facadism, with examples from around the world, including a case where the State intervened for the suspension of facadism plans after alarmed academics referred to the Supreme Administrative Court. The different practices and scopes of facadism are presented, along with the views of its supporters and adversaries. Issues of authenticity arising from facadism interventions are discussed. Answers on whether building renovation through facadism consists of cultural preservation practice and preservation of the authenticity of a place, are sought in internationally accepted cultural heritage policy documents. These may provide solutions that could assist countries and institutions to make the right decisions regarding the conservation of architectural heritage, and confront extreme facadism practices through planning programs, legislative measures and education.
geopark naturtejo Meseta Meridional, geology and Paleontology office, centro cultural raiano. Av.... more geopark naturtejo Meseta Meridional, geology and Paleontology office, centro cultural raiano. Av. Joaquim Morao 6060-101 idanha-a-nova, Portugal 2 Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichita, universita di trieste, via lazzaretto vecchio 6, 34123, trieste, italy universita di udine, via Palladio 8, Palazzo Florio, 33100 udine, italy natural history Museum of the lesvos Petrified Forest, Sigri, lesvos island, greece cnrS, cerege, universite Aix-Marseille, europole de l’Arbois, BP 80, 13545, Aix-en-Provence, France corresponding author e-mail: andrea@tracemaker.com
Wax effigies, fully dressed life-size models of human figures, have been constructed since the me... more Wax effigies, fully dressed life-size models of human figures, have been constructed since the medieval times. The construction materials of historical effigies differ to the contemporary ones, yet the construction process of the wax parts has more or less remained unchanged over the centuries. This paper starts with the history, construction materials and manufacture techniques of wax effigies. The inseparable relation of the wax effigies and their costumes is explained, and the characteristics and deterioration agents of their most important construction materials are presented in order to understand their needs for preservation, with emphasis on wax and fabrics. The aim of this paper is to suggest preventive conservation guidelines for wax effigies, with proposals for appropriate environmental conditions during display and storage, and suggestions for proper handling, storage and transportation. Advice for disaster preparedness and actions in cases of emergency situations is also...
Natural history collections, are among others, used for studies in biochemistry, genetics and eco... more Natural history collections, are among others, used for studies in biochemistry, genetics and ecology. Avoidance of the use of chemical substances is necessary to avoid loss or modification of the structure, chemical and genetic components of the specimens that reduce their scientific value and stability. The practice of preventive conservation is imperative, for the slowdown of chemical, mechanical and biological damage. In natural history collections of fossils, minerals, rocks, stuffed animals and birds, animal tissues in ethanol, dried plants bottles etc, damages observed include pyrite disease, delaminations, oxidations, discolourations, cracks, photomechanical and plastic damage. To avoid damage, it is necessary to control environmental parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, radiation and pollutants, provide proper storage condition and perform regular recording of the collections. Preventive conservation becomes a real challenge in the case of fossil-bearing areas...
Η συντήρηση αρχαιοτήτων και έργων τέχνης είναι μια διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένη επιστήμη, με Διεθνείς κα... more Η συντήρηση αρχαιοτήτων και έργων τέχνης είναι μια διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένη επιστήμη, με Διεθνείς και Ευρωπαϊκές οδηγίες να απαιτούν πανεπιστημιακή εκπαίδευση. Τα τελευταία χρόνια, στη Ζάκυνθο, μία από τις κοιτίδες πολιτισμού των Επτανήσων, λειτουργεί η Κατεύθυνση Συντήρησης Πολιτισμικής Κληρονομιάς του ΑΤΕΙ Ιονίων Νήσων, που στοχεύει στην εξασφάλιση της ποιοτικής εκπαίδευσης σε θέματα τεκμηρίωσης, συντήρησης, μουσειολογίας και πολιτισμικής διαχείρισης. Η Κατεύθυνση συνεργάζεται με τοπικά μουσεία για την προστασία και ανάδειξη του επτανησιακού πολιτισμού, ενώ στόχος είναι η επέκταση των δραστηριοτήτων του και στα υπόλοιπα νησιά του Ιονίου.
The petrified forest of Tak, northwestern Thailand, dating back to more than 800,000 years ago co... more The petrified forest of Tak, northwestern Thailand, dating back to more than 800,000 years ago covers an area of approx. 20 km2 and was partially excavated in 2003-’05. It features the longest known intact in situ fossil tree trunk in the world, measuring 69m in length. The Park is visited by up to 100,000 visitors annually and is expected to become a major eco- and geo-touristic destination, providing the possibility for sustainable development for the area and its habitants. Among the aims of the park is its entry to the Global Geoparks Network and its recognition by the UNESCO. The excavated trunks, within the ten years of their discovery, have suffered severe deterioration, erosion, disintegration, loss of material, detachments, fragmentations, mechanical damages, discolourations, biological colonisations, etc. The pathology of the fossil tree trunk is connected to the unstable environmental parameters such as intense T and RH variations, human-made damages and natural phenomena...
The European Geoparks Network - EGN, is founded in 2000, aiming to advance earth heritage conserv... more The European Geoparks Network - EGN, is founded in 2000, aiming to advance earth heritage conservation and promotion, education in earth sciences, as well as sustainable local development through geotourism. Educational activities exist in the core of the Geoparks' interest and operation. The European Geoparks are open-air geological museums and can contribute significantly to environmental education programmes offering excellent examples for the interaction between the abiotic and biotic parameters in natural ecosystems. They constitute natural outdoor laboratories where children can investigate Earth sciences. The Petrified Forest of Lesvos (Greece), declared as a protected natural monument in 1985, is a founding member of the EGN. Its creation is directly related to the volcanic activity in the North-eastern Aegean area during late Oligocene - middle Miocene. Systematic excavations and scientific research has been carried out by the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrif...
International Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, 2019
Fibre samples from the fabric support of 33 Eastern Orthodox icons dating from the 14 th to the 1... more Fibre samples from the fabric support of 33 Eastern Orthodox icons dating from the 14 th to the 18 th centuries A.D, owned by the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, Greece, were studied in order to identify the construction material of their fabric substrate. The methods employed included sampling, preparation on glass slides, Optical Microscopy (ΟΜ), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and use of Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS for the categorisation, visualisation and statistical analysis of the results. OM and SEM observations led to the recording of morphological features of the fibre types, allowing their identification as linen, cotton and hemp. SEM was proven valuable in the identification of features not otherwise visible, which helped distinguish between fibres of a similar appearance. OM and SEM observations combined, also led to notes on the preservation state of the fabric substrate, and the presence of foreign matter trapped within the fibres. Initial graphs prepared in an Excel environment suggest that linen is the predominant material for most centuries and most sizes of icons. Yet statistical analysis with SPSS through one way ANOVA, cross tabulation and chi-square tests contradict the initial conclusions , highlighting the importance and need of statistical analysis for the drawing of safe conclusions regarding the interpretation of results.
The Lesvos Petrified Forest was created by volcanic activity in the Lower Middle Miocene and has ... more The Lesvos Petrified Forest was created by volcanic activity in the Lower Middle Miocene and has been a protected area since 1985. Since 1997, the newly founded Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest has taken over research, excavation, conservation and restoration and undertakes protective measures in this area. Conservators treat dozens of petrified trees and face several problems, including unstable temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions, as fossils are exposed to the open air. Conservators perform innovative work by applying and testing various treatment methods to withstand both weather conditions and careless visitors. Research and educational work are two of the areas into which the conservation team are putting a lot of effort, aiming to sensitize visitors and save the fossils for the generations to come.
Seven large in situ Cenozoic petrified tree trunks, including one of the world's longest ... more Seven large in situ Cenozoic petrified tree trunks, including one of the world's longest fossil trees measuring 72.22 meters long, were excavated from 2003 – 2005 in Bantak Petrified Forest Park, Thailand. These fossils have deteriorated considerably due to the lack of proper conservation. In order to preserve the integrity of fossil trunks, the Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood collaborated with the Petrified Forest Park and multidisciplinary scientists to propose a conservation project in 2013. Initiation of environmental readings including temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), SEM-EDS and other paleometric analysis of the fossil trees were performed in 2014 to identify the deterioration factors and proper conservation treatments. The result indicated that T and RH on the petrified trees, especially those without shelters, were greatly different between day and night causing significant damage to the fossils. For better conservation management, a laboratory , meteorological station, and temporary shelters were established. Additionally, educational programs were organized for local schools and related organizations to raise public awareness. The ultimate goal of this project is to save this unique natural geoheritage and to improve the protection and development of the sites for sustainable conservation and include the Petrified Forest Park in the Global Geoparks Network. Acknowledgements This project was supported and encouraged by Tak provincial government and Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University. We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Pratueng Jintasakul, the director of the Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources; Surapol Gawee, former director of the petrified forest park, and the forest park staff for their helps. Thanks to Stylianos Kesidis, a conservation student who volunteered for the conservation work. We very much appreciate Matthew Crane, Bartosz Nadol, Isaiah Hoyer, and Daniel Worthen, and other volunteers from Sakaerat Environmental Research Station in their help on animal surveys and comments on wildlife conservation for Geopark establishment. Finally, thanks to Prof. Miklos Kazmer, Prof. Nickolas Zouros, and Dr. B. Roger Moore for providing additional information on geology and conservation of the site.
Fibre samples from the fabric support of 33 Eastern Orthodox icons dating from the 14th to the 18... more Fibre samples from the fabric support of 33 Eastern Orthodox icons dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries A.D, owned by the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, Greece, were studied in order to identify the construction material of their fabric substrate. The methods employed included sampling, preparation on glass slides, Optical Microscopy (ΟΜ), Scanning Electron Microscopy (ΣΕΜ), and use of Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS for the categorisation, visualisation and statistical analysis of the results. OM and SEM observations led to the recording of morphological features of the fibre types, allowing their identification as linen, cotton and hemp. SEM was proven valuable in the identification of features not otherwise visible, which helped distinguish between fibres of a similar appearance. OM and SEM observations combined, also led to notes on the preservation state of the fabric substrate, and the presence of foreign matter trapped within the fibres. Initial graphs prepar...
Published Online: www.ICOM-CC.org 2018 Kyriazi, E., Pantazidou, N. and Oikonomou, A. 2018. A late... more Published Online: www.ICOM-CC.org 2018 Kyriazi, E., Pantazidou, N. and Oikonomou, A. 2018. A late 18th–mid 19th c. Sanctification Cross from Mount Athos - Description, Study and Conservation Issues. In: A. Nevin, M. Sawicki and K Seymour (eds). Heritage Wood: Research & Conservation in the 21st Century. Proceedings of the Joint Conference of three ICOM-CC Working Groups: Wood, Furniture, and Lacquer, Scientific Research, and Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration, Warsaw, 28 – 30 October, 2013. ICOM-CC.
Evangelia Kyriazi and Nickolas Zouros from the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified For... more Evangelia Kyriazi and Nickolas Zouros from the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest explain how getting volunteers involved has helped them in the task of conserving Lesvos’ vast petrified forest, as well as assisting the training of student conservators from all over the world.
SEM-EDS analysis performed as part of the research for the conservation of an approximately 70m l... more SEM-EDS analysis performed as part of the research for the conservation of an approximately 70m long petrified tree, revealed the presence of several types of microorganisms.
The paper presents the history and trends of facadism, with examples from around the world, inclu... more The paper presents the history and trends of facadism, with examples from around the world, including a case where the State intervened for the suspension of facadism plans after alarmed academics referred to the Supreme Administrative Court. The different practices and scopes of facadism are presented, along with the views of its supporters and adversaries. Issues of authenticity arising from facadism interventions are discussed. Answers on whether building renovation through facadism consists of cultural preservation practice and preservation of the authenticity of a place, are sought in internationally accepted cultural heritage policy documents. These may provide solutions that could assist countries and institutions to make the right decisions regarding the conservation of architectural heritage, and confront extreme facadism practices through planning programs, legislative measures and education.
geopark naturtejo Meseta Meridional, geology and Paleontology office, centro cultural raiano. Av.... more geopark naturtejo Meseta Meridional, geology and Paleontology office, centro cultural raiano. Av. Joaquim Morao 6060-101 idanha-a-nova, Portugal 2 Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichita, universita di trieste, via lazzaretto vecchio 6, 34123, trieste, italy universita di udine, via Palladio 8, Palazzo Florio, 33100 udine, italy natural history Museum of the lesvos Petrified Forest, Sigri, lesvos island, greece cnrS, cerege, universite Aix-Marseille, europole de l’Arbois, BP 80, 13545, Aix-en-Provence, France corresponding author e-mail: andrea@tracemaker.com
Wax effigies, fully dressed life-size models of human figures, have been constructed since the me... more Wax effigies, fully dressed life-size models of human figures, have been constructed since the medieval times. The construction materials of historical effigies differ to the contemporary ones, yet the construction process of the wax parts has more or less remained unchanged over the centuries. This paper starts with the history, construction materials and manufacture techniques of wax effigies. The inseparable relation of the wax effigies and their costumes is explained, and the characteristics and deterioration agents of their most important construction materials are presented in order to understand their needs for preservation, with emphasis on wax and fabrics. The aim of this paper is to suggest preventive conservation guidelines for wax effigies, with proposals for appropriate environmental conditions during display and storage, and suggestions for proper handling, storage and transportation. Advice for disaster preparedness and actions in cases of emergency situations is also...
Natural history collections, are among others, used for studies in biochemistry, genetics and eco... more Natural history collections, are among others, used for studies in biochemistry, genetics and ecology. Avoidance of the use of chemical substances is necessary to avoid loss or modification of the structure, chemical and genetic components of the specimens that reduce their scientific value and stability. The practice of preventive conservation is imperative, for the slowdown of chemical, mechanical and biological damage. In natural history collections of fossils, minerals, rocks, stuffed animals and birds, animal tissues in ethanol, dried plants bottles etc, damages observed include pyrite disease, delaminations, oxidations, discolourations, cracks, photomechanical and plastic damage. To avoid damage, it is necessary to control environmental parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, radiation and pollutants, provide proper storage condition and perform regular recording of the collections. Preventive conservation becomes a real challenge in the case of fossil-bearing areas...
Η συντήρηση αρχαιοτήτων και έργων τέχνης είναι μια διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένη επιστήμη, με Διεθνείς κα... more Η συντήρηση αρχαιοτήτων και έργων τέχνης είναι μια διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένη επιστήμη, με Διεθνείς και Ευρωπαϊκές οδηγίες να απαιτούν πανεπιστημιακή εκπαίδευση. Τα τελευταία χρόνια, στη Ζάκυνθο, μία από τις κοιτίδες πολιτισμού των Επτανήσων, λειτουργεί η Κατεύθυνση Συντήρησης Πολιτισμικής Κληρονομιάς του ΑΤΕΙ Ιονίων Νήσων, που στοχεύει στην εξασφάλιση της ποιοτικής εκπαίδευσης σε θέματα τεκμηρίωσης, συντήρησης, μουσειολογίας και πολιτισμικής διαχείρισης. Η Κατεύθυνση συνεργάζεται με τοπικά μουσεία για την προστασία και ανάδειξη του επτανησιακού πολιτισμού, ενώ στόχος είναι η επέκταση των δραστηριοτήτων του και στα υπόλοιπα νησιά του Ιονίου.
The petrified forest of Tak, northwestern Thailand, dating back to more than 800,000 years ago co... more The petrified forest of Tak, northwestern Thailand, dating back to more than 800,000 years ago covers an area of approx. 20 km2 and was partially excavated in 2003-’05. It features the longest known intact in situ fossil tree trunk in the world, measuring 69m in length. The Park is visited by up to 100,000 visitors annually and is expected to become a major eco- and geo-touristic destination, providing the possibility for sustainable development for the area and its habitants. Among the aims of the park is its entry to the Global Geoparks Network and its recognition by the UNESCO. The excavated trunks, within the ten years of their discovery, have suffered severe deterioration, erosion, disintegration, loss of material, detachments, fragmentations, mechanical damages, discolourations, biological colonisations, etc. The pathology of the fossil tree trunk is connected to the unstable environmental parameters such as intense T and RH variations, human-made damages and natural phenomena...
The European Geoparks Network - EGN, is founded in 2000, aiming to advance earth heritage conserv... more The European Geoparks Network - EGN, is founded in 2000, aiming to advance earth heritage conservation and promotion, education in earth sciences, as well as sustainable local development through geotourism. Educational activities exist in the core of the Geoparks' interest and operation. The European Geoparks are open-air geological museums and can contribute significantly to environmental education programmes offering excellent examples for the interaction between the abiotic and biotic parameters in natural ecosystems. They constitute natural outdoor laboratories where children can investigate Earth sciences. The Petrified Forest of Lesvos (Greece), declared as a protected natural monument in 1985, is a founding member of the EGN. Its creation is directly related to the volcanic activity in the North-eastern Aegean area during late Oligocene - middle Miocene. Systematic excavations and scientific research has been carried out by the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrif...
International Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, 2019
Fibre samples from the fabric support of 33 Eastern Orthodox icons dating from the 14 th to the 1... more Fibre samples from the fabric support of 33 Eastern Orthodox icons dating from the 14 th to the 18 th centuries A.D, owned by the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, Greece, were studied in order to identify the construction material of their fabric substrate. The methods employed included sampling, preparation on glass slides, Optical Microscopy (ΟΜ), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and use of Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS for the categorisation, visualisation and statistical analysis of the results. OM and SEM observations led to the recording of morphological features of the fibre types, allowing their identification as linen, cotton and hemp. SEM was proven valuable in the identification of features not otherwise visible, which helped distinguish between fibres of a similar appearance. OM and SEM observations combined, also led to notes on the preservation state of the fabric substrate, and the presence of foreign matter trapped within the fibres. Initial graphs prepared in an Excel environment suggest that linen is the predominant material for most centuries and most sizes of icons. Yet statistical analysis with SPSS through one way ANOVA, cross tabulation and chi-square tests contradict the initial conclusions , highlighting the importance and need of statistical analysis for the drawing of safe conclusions regarding the interpretation of results.
The Lesvos Petrified Forest was created by volcanic activity in the Lower Middle Miocene and has ... more The Lesvos Petrified Forest was created by volcanic activity in the Lower Middle Miocene and has been a protected area since 1985. Since 1997, the newly founded Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest has taken over research, excavation, conservation and restoration and undertakes protective measures in this area. Conservators treat dozens of petrified trees and face several problems, including unstable temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions, as fossils are exposed to the open air. Conservators perform innovative work by applying and testing various treatment methods to withstand both weather conditions and careless visitors. Research and educational work are two of the areas into which the conservation team are putting a lot of effort, aiming to sensitize visitors and save the fossils for the generations to come.
ΤΟ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΟ ΕΡΓΟ ΣΤΗΝ ΠΕΛΟΠΟΝΝΗΣΟ 2 (ΑΕΠΕΛ2) Πρακτικά της Β΄ Επιστημονικής Συνάντησης Καλαμάτα, 1-4 Νοεμβρίου 2017, 2020
This paper presents the analysis of 31 samples collected from 21 sampling points in nine differen... more This paper presents the analysis of 31 samples collected from 21 sampling points in nine different rooms of the Roman bath at Derveni, Corinthia. These included masonry mortars, wall plastering, wall cladding, opus caementicium, ceramic floor pipes, covers of floor pipes, ceramic tubuli, ceramic material and binding mortars from the hypocaust’s pilae, floor mortar, stone floor tiles, and stratigraphy samples of the only mosaic of the site. After in situ photographic documentation and coding, the samples were photographed and examined by optical microscopy and examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy for the analysis and study of their microtopography and X-ray Diffractometry for their mineralogical characterisation. The study revealed information about the stratigraphy of the plaster coatings of the internal and external walls, the stratigraphy and construction technique of the mosaic, the manufacturing technique of the cast mortars and the binding mortars, and the composition of ceramic building materials and stones. The results contribute to the greater understanding of the construction technology of Roman baths in the Peloponnese and to the decision-making process regarding the monument’s in situ conservation and display.
5th ARCH_RNT Symposium Archaeological Research and New Technologies Proceedings, 2020
Study of a child mummy's lock of youth hairs. Digital photography, measuring of dimensions, stere... more Study of a child mummy's lock of youth hairs. Digital photography, measuring of dimensions, stereoscopic observation, LED optical microscopy, SEM/EDS. Description of colour and hair morphology, description of covering material on the hair (possibly cosmetics or embalming material), description of preservation state, evidence of micro-organisms. Suggestions for preventive conservation. 4 OM images, 6 SEM micrographs.
4th ARCH_RNT Symposium Archaeological Research and New Technologies Proceedings, 2020
OM and SEM observations on fossil wood samples from 69.25m long petrified trunk BT1 at Ban Tak, T... more OM and SEM observations on fossil wood samples from 69.25m long petrified trunk BT1 at Ban Tak, Thailand. Microorganism types identified include bacteria, fungi, photosynthetic algae, amoebae. 2 OM images (x50, x200) with indications of microbial biocolononisation. SEM micrographs of 15 microorganisms: cocci, diplococci, raspberry-like microorganisms, bacteria, amoeba, multicellular microorganisms, at magnifications x400-x5000. Various types of morphological structure (longitudinal, branched, sheet, round and uneven formations), chemical composition (carbon-rich, silicon-rich, iron-rich and calcium-rich), presence (individual, colonies), location (attached on amorphous fossil surface, attached on SiO crystals, in cracks), movement (rolling, moving through the use of flagella). Findings of partially mineralised microorganisms and indication that the fossilisation process of the trunk is still in progress – discussion of biomineralisation-biofossilisation. Discussion on fossil discolouration, biodeterioration and choice of conservation materials.
MATCONS 2019-Matter and Materials in/for Heritage Conservation, Oct 2019
This paper outlines the significance of Optical Microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy ... more This paper outlines the significance of Optical Microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDS) in understanding the pathology in order to propose a tailor-made conservation plan for petrified wood. Twelve (12) samples from five different locations of the longest excavated fossil trunk at the Petrified Forest at Ban Tak, Thailand (BT-1 fossil tree) were observed through optical microscopy and SEM-EDS to record their pathology and identify deterioration mechanisms. OM observations revealed the presence of microfractures that allow water movement and eventually facilitate microbial growth. OM indicated that the fossilisation process due to the Si-rich water that runs through the body of the fossil is still in progress. Active microorganisms and suface deposits including salts, dried mud, etc. instigate high tensions which together with chemical alterations due to high RH contribute to the detachment of fossilised cells. OM revealed distinct mineral heterogeneity, and SEM-EDS analysis concluded that Si is the main material of the fossil whereas Mg, Fe and Ti participate in its composition as trace elements, Fe also results as an oxidation product, particularly between cells, and Al appears as surface deposit of aluminosilicate soil. The heterogeneity of the material, including various mineral habits, cracks and void areas, leads to differential water absorption, thus creating different micro-environments throughout the body of the fossil, a parameter that should be taken into consideration, especially during consolidation and chemical cleaning. Conclusively, the findings of this research study underline the presence of microfissures, material loss, deterioration, pulverization, erosion, disintegration, oxidation, discolouration and biological colonisation which need to be taken into consideration.
Πρακτικά 4ου συμποσίου ARCH_RNT Αρχαιολογική έρευνα και νέες τεχνολογίες / 4th ARCH_RNT Proceedings Archaeological Research and New Technologies, 2020
Analysis of samples from a Roman mosaic-paved room in a Roman baths baths complex in Dervini, Cor... more Analysis of samples from a Roman mosaic-paved room in a Roman baths baths complex in Dervini, Corinthia, Greece. Characterisation of the materials of plastering mortars, paint layers, masonry mortars, brickwork, wall cladding and mosaic of the room; identification of renovation techniques performed in the ancient times; recording of the preservation state of the architectural elements of the room that would assist the conservators of the Ephorate in their choice of conservation materials mainly for consolidation purposes.
Due to their poor preservation state, an early 20th c map series, property of Lesvos General Stat... more Due to their poor preservation state, an early 20th c map series, property of Lesvos General State Archives, has, until recently, been constituting of unexploited cartographic material. Deteriorations included material and geographical information losses, foreign matter, bending, photodegradation, and mechanical damage. This paper presents the conservation and digitization methods for one of the maps, measuring 100x98 cm. Upon completion of conservation treatment, the map was scanned and digitized. Based upon coordinate sampling from building corners built earlier than 1920, the map was georefered in the GCSGGRS-1987 Geographical Coordinated System using Greek Grid as a Projected Coordinated System.
Meanwhile, georeferencing was performed on a 1953 Mytilene town map series, which had been constituting the urban structure of the town up to 1985. The superimposition and comparison of two maps revealed that the 1953 maps constitute copies of the older map series, with sole differences the designing in a different orientation and in different paper dimensions. The comparative study of the two maps leads to the conclusion that the map series belonging to the General State Archives had been drawn in a 1:500 scale, and portray the urban structure of Mytilene town in the years between 1920-1922.
Η συντήρηση αρχαιοτήτων και έργων τέχνης είναι μια διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένη επιστήμη, με Διεθνείς κα... more Η συντήρηση αρχαιοτήτων και έργων τέχνης είναι μια διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένη επιστήμη, με Διεθνείς και Ευρωπαϊκές οδηγίες να απαιτούν πανεπιστημιακή εκπαίδευση. Τα τελευταία χρόνια, στη Ζάκυνθο, μία από τις κοιτίδες πολιτισμού των Επτανήσων, λειτουργεί η Κατεύθυνση Συντήρησης Αρχαιοτήτων και Έργων Τέχνης του ΑΤΕΙ Ιονίων Νήσων, που στοχεύει στην εξασφάλιση της ποιοτικής εκπαίδευσης σε θέματα τεκμηρίωσης, συντήρησης, μουσειολογίας και πολιτισμικής διαχείρισης. Η Κατεύθυνση συνεργάζεται με τοπικά μουσεία για την προστασία και ανάδειξη του επτανησιακού πολιτισμού, ενώ στόχος είναι η επέκταση των δραστηριοτήτων του και στα υπόλοιπα νησιά του Ιονίου.
Η συντήρηση αρχαιοτήτων και έργων τέχνης είναι μια διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένη επιστήμη, με Διεθνείς κα... more Η συντήρηση αρχαιοτήτων και έργων τέχνης είναι μια διεθνώς αναγνωρισμένη επιστήμη, με Διεθνείς και Ευρωπαϊκές οδηγίες να απαιτούν πανεπιστημιακή εκπαίδευση. Τα τελευταία χρόνια, στη Ζάκυνθο, μία από τις κοιτίδες πολιτισμού των Επτανήσων, λειτουργεί η Κατεύθυνση Συντήρησης Πολιτισμικής Κληρονομιάς του ΑΤΕΙ Ιονίων Νήσων, που στοχεύει στην εξασφάλιση της ποιοτικής εκπαίδευσης σε θέματα τεκμηρίωσης, συντήρησης, μουσειολογίας και πολιτισμικής διαχείρισης. Η Κατεύθυνση συνεργάζεται με τοπικά μουσεία για την προστασία και ανάδειξη του επτανησιακού πολιτισμού, ενώ στόχος είναι η επέκταση των δραστηριοτήτων του και στα υπόλοιπα νησιά του Ιονίου.
Η επιστήμη της προληπτικής συντήρησης (The Science of Preventive Conservation {in greek}), 2013
"Natural history collections, are among others, used for studies in biochemistry, genetics and ec... more "Natural history collections, are among others, used for studies in biochemistry, genetics and ecology. Avoidance of the use of chemical substances is necessary to avoid loss or modification of the structure, chemical and genetic components of the specimens that reduce their scientific value and stability. The practice of preventive conservation is imperative, for the slowdown of chemical, mechanical and biological damage.
In natural history collections of fossils, minerals, rocks, stuffed animals and birds, animal tissues in ethanol, dried plants bottles etc, damages observed include pyrite disease, delaminations, oxidations, discolourations, cracks, photomechanical and plastic damage. To avoid damage, it is necessary to control environmental parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, radiation and pollutants, provide proper storage condition and perform regular recording of the collections.
Preventive conservation becomes a real challenge in the case of fossil-bearing areas. Conservators are invited to in situ protect the objects from extreme weather variations and anthropogenic disasters. "
Caring for Natural Science Collections: A one day conference exploring advances in conservation, 2018
The conservation of fossils and in particular petrified forests in situ is a developing field. Mo... more The conservation of fossils and in particular petrified forests in situ is a developing field. Most conservation work on fossils is performed by palaeontologists or preparators, and in very few cases by conservators. Analyses for the understanding of fossils are performed mainly by palaeontologists who concentrate on the taxonomy of samples. The fossilisation processes are not fully understood, and conservation treatments for in situ petrified forests are based mostly on knowledge on the conservation of stone. Yet, plants are fossilised in a variety of ways. In scientific literature, several types of silicification are named, over 10 types on non-Si mineralisation, and several other types of preservation of body and trace fossils of plants. Therefore, in order to safely propose a conservation treatment plan, it is of major importance to understand the material of the fossils, their preservation state, their deterioration factors and the environment in which they are exposed. In situ petrified forests deteriorate due to various causes including unstable environmental parameters, intense T and RH variations, frost cycles, intense rainfalls, direct sunlight and heat, flooding, biodeterioration, vandalism acts and many more. Methods for the understanding of the pathology of fossil include visual observation, GIS mapping, optical microscopy, XRD, XRF, SEM/EDS, tests for the understanding of water intake both for meteoric water and water absorbed from the ground, porosimetry tests, and analysis of environmental/meteorological data. This paper presents the outcomes of research on petrified forests, mainly on petrified wood, with particular focus on the research on the Petrified Forest of Ban Tak, Thailand, which is a research still in progress, performed by the Laboratory of Archaeometry of the University of the Peloponnese, Greece; the study concludes via a laboratory protocol for the analysis and treatment of petrified forests.
Προκαταρκτική μελέτη δύο Αιγυπτιακών νεαρών μουμιών. Σκοπός της έρευνας είναι η εκτίμηση κατάστασ... more Προκαταρκτική μελέτη δύο Αιγυπτιακών νεαρών μουμιών. Σκοπός της έρευνας είναι η εκτίμηση κατάστασης διατήρησής τους μέσω της αναγνώρισης του είδους των υλικών τους, της περιγραφής των μορφών διάβρωσης τον προσδιορισμό παραγόντων φθοράς. Μακροσκοπική εξέταση, OM, SEM-EDS, ATR-FTIR, XRF, μυκητολογικές αναλύσεις. Δείγματα που αναλύθηκαν: τμήματα επιδέσμων, τμήματα ιστού δέρματος και τρίχες μαλλιών, φυτικό υλικό γέμισης και ρητινώδες υλικό ταρίχευσης, χάντρες, χρυσά υπολείμματα.
Seven large in situ Cenozoic petrified tree trunks, including one of the world's longest fossil t... more Seven large in situ Cenozoic petrified tree trunks, including one of the world's longest fossil trees measuring 72.22 meters long, were excavated from 2003 – 2005 in Bantak Petrified Forest Park, Thailand. These fossils have deteriorated considerably due to the lack of proper conservation. In order to preserve the integrity of fossil trunks, the Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood collaborated with the Petrified Forest Park and multidisciplinary scientists to propose a conservation project in 2013. Initiation of environmental readings including temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), SEM-EDS and other paleometric analysis of the fossil trees were performed in 2014 to identify the deterioration factors and proper conservation treatments. The result indicated that T and RH on the petrified trees, especially those without shelters, were greatly different between day and night causing significant damage to the fossils. For better conservation management, a laboratory , meteorological station, and temporary shelters were established. Additionally, educational programs were organized for local schools and related organizations to raise public awareness. The ultimate goal of this project is to save this unique natural geoheritage and to improve the protection and development of the sites for sustainable conservation and include the Petrified Forest Park in the Global Geoparks Network. Acknowledgements This project was supported and encouraged by Tak provincial government and Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University. We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Pratueng Jintasakul, the director of the Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources; Surapol Gawee, former director of the petrified forest park, and the forest park staff for their helps. Thanks to Stylianos Kesidis, a conservation student who volunteered for the conservation work. We very much appreciate Matthew Crane, Bartosz Nadol, Isaiah Hoyer, and Daniel Worthen, and other volunteers from Sakaerat Environmental Research Station in their help on animal surveys and comments on wildlife conservation for Geopark establishment. Finally, thanks to Prof. Miklos Kazmer, Prof. Nickolas Zouros, and Dr. B. Roger Moore for providing additional information on geology and conservation of the site.
ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗ Η συντήρηση απολιθωμάτων και κυρίως απολιθωμένων δασών in situ αποτελεί έναν όχι διαίτερ... more ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗ Η συντήρηση απολιθωμάτων και κυρίως απολιθωμένων δασών in situ αποτελεί έναν όχι διαίτερα ανεπτυγμένο κλάδο. Αναζητώντας απαντήσεις σε ερωτήματα όπως ποιοι είναι οι κύριοι παράγοντες φθοράς των απολιθωμένων δασών, ποια πρέπει να είναι η ενδεδειγμένη μεθοδολογία εξέτασής τους για σκοπούς συντήρησης και ποιοι είναι οι βέλτιστοι τρόποι συντήρησης πυριτιωμένων απολιθωμένων δέντρων στο φυσικό τους περιβάλλον, στο εργαστήριο Αρχαιομετρίας του Πανεπιστημίου Πελοποννήσου διενεργείται έρευνα με αντικείμενο μελέτης το πάρκο του απολιθωμένου δάσους του Τακ στην Ταϋλάνδη. Πρόκειται για μία πρόσφατα ανεσκαμμένη απολιθωματοφόρα θέση, που παρουσιάζει τάχιστο ρυθμό διάβρωσης. Ο σκοπός της έρευνας είναι η κατανόηση του υλικού των απολιθωμάτων, η κατανόηση της παθολογίας τους και η πρόταση μεθόδων για τη συντήρησή τους. Οι προκλήσεις του τροπικού κλίματος, της ευαισθησίας των συγκεκριμένων απολιθωμάτων και η έως τώρα απουσία δράσης συντήρησης, καθιστούν το υλικό μελέτης μοναδικό και την έρευνα πρωτοποριακή, αφού ενδέχεται να ανοίξει νέους δρόμους για την επιστήμη της συντήρησης.
Educational activities in a European geopark and new tools for earth heritage interpretation - Th... more Educational activities in a European geopark and new tools for earth heritage interpretation - The Lesvos Petrified Forest - Greece as a case study
Nickolas Zouros, University of the Aegean (Greece)
Kostantina Mpentana, Natural History Museum (Greece)
Ilias Valiakos, Natural History Museum (Greece)
Katerina Vasileiadou, Natural History Museum (Greece)
Evangelia Kyriazi, Natural History Museum (Greece)
The European Geoparks Network - EGN, is founded in 2000, aiming to advance earth heritage conservation and promotion, education in earth sciences, as well as sustainable local development through geotourism.
Educational activities exist in the core of the Geoparks' interest and operation. The European Geoparks are open-air geological museums and can contribute significantly to environmental education programmes offering excellent examples for the interaction between the abiotic and biotic parameters in natural ecosystems. They constitute natural outdoor laboratories where children can investigate Earth sciences.
The Petrified Forest of Lesvos (Greece), declared as a protected natural monument in 1985, is a founding member of the EGN. Its creation is directly related to the volcanic activity in the North-eastern Aegean area during late Oligocene - middle Miocene. Systematic excavations and scientific research has been carried out by the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest since 1997 in main fossil sites. The abundance of standing and lying petrified tree trunks and the perfect preservation of the fossils lead to the creation of a new inventory for fossil plants and volcanic geosites.
This database was also used as the source of information for the development of new educational activities and tools, such as the educational CD-ROM "The Petrified Forest of Lesvos", the Museum kit on fossil preservation, the Museum kit "The Deinotheres" and special educational programmes aiming to support Earth heritage interpretation and communication.
The educational CD-ROM is based on the scenario of two children from Lesvos finding notes about the Petrified Forest and beginning an attempt to discover the secret of the Forest. Information on the Petrified Forest, the volcanic activity in the Aegean area and conservation of plant fossils are included in the application. Numerous games aim to entertain and, at the same time, educate children, whereas several photographs offer a virtual trip to the unique monument. The fossil conservation Museum kit aims to familiarise teenagers with the sensitive nature of fossils and provide basic knowledge on their conservation and restoration. Developed by the Conservation Department of the Museum, it includes booklets, information material and conservation-based educational activities. The Museum kit "The Deinotheres" is based on the important finding in the area of the Petrified Forest of a primitive proboscidean belonging to the extinct family Deinotheriidae. The kit, designed for children in the last years of high school, includes activities that urge children to identify fossils and use them as tools for reconstructing the past, as well as books on proboscidean evolution and their presence in Greece.
The main purpose of the educational tools is to help children (and adults) to understand nature and its mechanisms, so that they can feel a part of it and appreciate its complexity.
2nd International Meeting for the Conservation & Documentation of Ecclesiastical Artefacts (IMCDEA) ABSTRACTS, 2016
Quite commonly, " worn " , " old " , " rusty " and " rotten " ecclesiastical and litourgical obje... more Quite commonly, " worn " , " old " , " rusty " and " rotten " ecclesiastical and litourgical objects end up unwanted and disposed of, burnt or burried following the customs of Eastern Orthodox Church, and replaced by modern ones lacking the artistic and historical value of their predecessors. This paper discusses research, conservation, reuse and exhibition as alternatives to neglect, replacement and destruction. The case study of this paper is a wood-carved church tabernacle or artophorion discovered in a tavern on a Greek island. Its small door was spotted hanging on a wall of a private museum a few kilometres away. The object was identified by the abbot of a local monastery as originally placed on the altar of a small glebe church, serving to keep the reserved sacrament. The tabernacle, reunited with its door, was transported to the TEI of Ionian Islands for study and conservation upon request of the abbot. The external appearance of the tabernacle gave few clues about its original grandeur. Similar objects were often shaped like miniature churches with a cross on their top, and whether wrought of precious metals or wood-carved, they were usually elaborately decorated or gilded. However, this artophorion was nearly entirely covered in white paint; the cross that used to ornate its top and some of its relief decorative elements were missing, and some wooden additions had been loosely nailed on the carved decorative buttresses of its facade. Careful study of the object resulted in a better understanding of its construction materials and methodology. Cleaning tests and sampling indicated that the object had been over-painted several times. Conservation, which is currently in progress, has been revealing a burnished, water gilded artefact of great beauty and craftsmanship that deserves to be treated in respect for what it represents in terms of religion and aesthetic excellence.
"Renewable energy sources such as hydro power and wind power have been known since antiquity, and... more "Renewable energy sources such as hydro power and wind power have been known since antiquity, and were connected to legends and traditions, supported the local economies and found great application until the period of pre-industrial technology, having as their main representatives structures like watermills, windmills, oil presses etc.
The advent of the industrial era led to the gradual abandonment of the traditional structures associated with the Aeolian and hydraulic energy. These pre-industrial buildings, which blend so harmoniously with the natural environment, are now in their majority abandoned. The rate of their destruction is fast because of natural and man-made damage, unsuccessful restorations and changes of their use that led to the loss of their mechanisms and alteration of their form. In addition, unregulated building leads to the alteration of their natural environment, to which such buildings are so inextricably linked.
In some countries, such buildings are legally protected in order to continue their operation, and tax deductions and grants are provided. In Greece the prospects are great, and can include environmental education, workshops, switching to traditional production methods, sustainable development and ecotourism, which in turn can create new jobs, contribute to the decentralization and stimulate the local economy while protecting the natural and cultural environment of the region."
SEM-EDS analysis performed as part of the research for the conservation of an approximately 70m l... more SEM-EDS analysis performed as part of the research for the conservation of an approximately 70m long petrified tree, revealed the presence of several types of microorganisms.
The petrified forest of Tak, northwestern Thailand, dating back to more than 800,000 years ago co... more The petrified forest of Tak, northwestern Thailand, dating back to more than 800,000 years ago covers an area of approx. 20 km2 and was partially excavated in 2003-’05. It features the longest known intact in situ fossil tree trunk in the world, measuring 69m in length. The Park is visited by up to 100,000 visitors annually and is expected to become a major eco- and geo-touristic destination, providing the possibility for sustainable development for the area and its habitants. Among the aims of the park is its entry to the Global Geoparks Network and its recognition by the UNESCO.
The excavated trunks, within the ten years of their discovery, have suffered severe deterioration, erosion, disintegration, loss of material, detachments, fragmentations, mechanical damages, discolourations, biological colonisations, etc. The pathology of the fossil tree trunk is connected to the unstable environmental parameters such as intense T and RH variations, human-made damages and natural phenomena including intense rainfalls, annual forest fires, flooding etc.
For the study and submission of proposals regarding the conservation treatment of the Tak petrified trees, a research collaboration has commenced, involving Thai and Greek institutes [Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources (NRIPM), Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University (NRRU), University of the Peloponnese, National Technical University of Athens, etc.]. Within the context of the research collaboration, a study is being made to determine the composition, properties and pathology of the petrified material, the identification of the causes, rates and speed of its deterioration, and the realisation of tests for cleaning, consolidation, filling and hydrophobiation, in order to submit proposals for the treatment of fossils and sustainable development of the area. In parallel, seminars, educational and volunteer programmes are being organised, aiming to raise the awareness of the scientific community and the public in issues of fossil conservation treatments.
The above research and the actions it involves is pioneer in the field of fossil wood conservation and is expected to bring a number or research benefits such as the recording of the pathology of fossilised material, and proposals on conservation treatment, interpretation and management for sustainable development.
Για τις ανάγκες της κατανόησης των υλικών κατασκευής των ρωμαϊκών λουτρών Δερβενίου Κορινθίας, λ... more Για τις ανάγκες της κατανόησης των υλικών κατασκευής των ρωμαϊκών λουτρών Δερβενίου Κορινθίας, λήφθησαν συνολικά 31 δείγματα από 21 σημεία ενδιαφέροντος από 9 διαφορετικούς χώρους του κτιρίου. Αυτά περιελάμβαναν δείγματα συνδετικού κονιάματος τοιχοποιίας, κονιαμάτων επιχρίσματος τοίχων, επιτοίχιου λίθου (ορθομαρμάρωση), χυτού κονιάματος (opus caementicium), επιδαπέδιων κεραμικών αγωγών, λίθινες καλυπτρίδες επιδαπέδιων αγωγών, κεραμικού tubuli, κεραμικού υλικού και συνδετικού κονιάματος από στυλίσκους (pilae) των υπόκαυστων, επιδαπέδιου κονιάματος, λίθινης επιδαπέδιας πλάκας και δείγματα από τη στρωματογραφία του μοναδικού ψηφιδωτού του χώρου. Μετά την επιτόπια φωτογραφική τεκμηρίωση και κωδικοποίηση των σημείων δειγματοληψίας, τα δείγματα φωτογραφήθηκαν και μελετήθηκαν με οπτική μικροσκοπία. Στη συνέχεια διενεργήθηκαν αναλύσεις με Φθορισμομετρία Ακτίνων-Χ (XRF) για το χημικό χαρακτηρισμό τους, Περιθλασιμετρία Ακτίνων-Χ (XRD) για την ορυκτολογική τους μελέτη, και Ηλεκτρονικό Μικροσκόπιο Σάρωσης με Φασματόμετρο Ενεργειακής Διασποράς Ακτίνων Χ (SEΜ-EDS) για τη μελέτη της μικροτοπογραφίας τους. Από τη μελέτη προέκυψαν στοιχεία για τη στρωματογραφία των κονιαμάτων επιχρίσματος των εσωτερικών και εξωτερικών τοίχων, τη στρωματογραφία και τεχνολογία κατασκευής του ψηφιδωτού, την τεχνολογία κατασκευής των συνδετικών κονιαμάτων και των χυτών κονιαμάτων, και τη σύσταση των κεραμικών οικοδομικών υλικών και των λίθων που απαντώνται στο μνημείο. Τα αποτελέσματα συμβάλλουν στη μεγαλύτερη κατανόηση της τεχνολογίας κατασκευής των δημόσιων λουτρών της ύστερης ρωμαϊκής περιόδου στην Πελοποννήσο, ενώ θα συμβάλλουν καθοριστικά στις προγραμματισμένες επεμβάσεις καθαρισμού, στερέωσης και συμπλήρωσης για την in situ αποκατάσταση και έκθεση του μνημείου.
For the purposes of understanding the construction materials of the Derveni Roman Baths in Corinthia, Greece, 31 samples were collected from 21 sampling points in 9 different rooms of the archaeological site. These included masonry mortars, wall plastering, wall cladding, cast mortars (opus caementicium), ceramic floor pipes, covers of floor pipes, ceramic tubuli, ceramic material and binding mortars from the pilae of the hypocausts, floor mortar, stone floor tiles, and samples of the stratigraphy of the only mosaic of the site. After in situ photographic documentation and coding of the samples, the latter were photographed and examined by optical microscopy. Other techniques employed were X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) for chemical classification, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) for the mineralogical study, and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) for the study of their microtopography. The study revealed information on the stratigraphy of the plaster coatings of the interior and exterior walls, the stratigraphy and construction technique of the mosaic, the manufacture technique of the cast mortars and the binding mortars, and the composition of ceramic building materials and stones found in the monument. The results contribute to the greater understanding of the construction technology of public baths of the late Roman period in the Peloponnese, and will contribute to the decision making regarding the scheduled cleaning, consolidation and filling for the in situ conservation and exhibition of the monument.
A late 18th–mid 19th c. Sanctification Cross from Mount Athos - Description, Study and Conservation Issues, 2013
Published Online: www.ICOM-CC.org 2018
Kyriazi, E., Pantazidou, N. and Oikonomou, A. 2018. A l... more Published Online: www.ICOM-CC.org 2018
Kyriazi, E., Pantazidou, N. and Oikonomou, A. 2018. A late 18th–mid 19th c. Sanctification Cross from Mount Athos - Description, Study and Conservation Issues. In: A. Nevin, M. Sawicki and K Seymour (eds). Heritage Wood: Research & Conservation in the 21st Century. Proceedings of the Joint Conference of three ICOM-CC Working Groups: Wood, Furniture, and Lacquer, Scientific Research, and Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration, Warsaw, 28 – 30 October, 2013. ICOM-CC.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 5th ARCH_RNT SYMPOSIUM, UNIVERSITY OF THE PELOPONNESE, KALAMATA , 2020
Among the collections of the Museum of Anthropology of the Medical School of the National and Kap... more Among the collections of the Museum of Anthropology of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, are two Egyptian mummies of children. Little information is available regarding their historical background and origin, yet, according to Egyptologist V. Chrysikopoulos it is likely that they date in the first centuries AD (Karamanou et al., 2017). Features of the mummies, such as great attention to embalming practices and remains of gold leaf on the face and feet of both child mummies point towards the assumption that they belonged to the upper class (Karamanou et al., 2017). The problematic preservation state and questions on the embalming materials and procedures led to a series of analyses on a variety of samples from both mummies (Karamanou et al., 2017). This paper focuses on the Optical Microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy / Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) observation and analysis performed on hair samples of the largest in size of the children’s mummies. DNA analysis on the hairs and species level fungal characterization were also performed.
Cover: Dimitrios Koutsoyiannis, Lena Lampropoulou. Cover photograph: Statue of Apollo. Academy of... more Cover: Dimitrios Koutsoyiannis, Lena Lampropoulou. Cover photograph: Statue of Apollo. Academy of Athens. Back cover photograph: Capital column. Academy of Athens.
Περιλήψεις Πρώτου Κύκλου Διαλέξεων για τη Συντήρηση και τον Πολιτισμό
This paper describes the location of the Lesvos Petrified Forest and the geological mechanisms th... more This paper describes the location of the Lesvos Petrified Forest and the geological mechanisms that led to its creation and provides information on the plant and animal fossils found, their composition and dating. A brief history of its discovery is also presented, dating from ancient times to present.
It refers to decay mechanisms and presents the conservation treatments performed for different types of damage, including cleaning, consolidation, filling, adhesion and protection from rain water, while providing information of lifting of heavy and smaller fossils from the excavation sites.
The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for educational programs, sensitization of the public and further research as tools for the safekeeping of the Petrified Forest.
Plant fossil conservation is a new, not widely known science. In order to make it further known, ... more Plant fossil conservation is a new, not widely known science. In order to make it further known, and at the same time to sensitize young people, the Conservation Department of the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, in collaboration with the Educational Department, has developed several conservation-based educational activities. These activities include programmes for elementary, junior high, high school and university students and are based on the immediate contact of students with the fossils and use of scientific conservation and restoration terms.
Fossils are far more sensitive material than what is commonly believed, and they require special ... more Fossils are far more sensitive material than what is commonly believed, and they require special treatments to ensure their well-being and accessibility to the public and the scientific community. The total of these treatments is known as “conservation and restoration” and among others include cleaning, adhesion, consolidation and waterproofing. The Conservation Department of the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest is responsible not only for the conservation and restoration of the plant fossils and the pyroclastic materials supporting them, but also for the sensitization of the public on conservation matters.
After the success of the 1st seminar and worshop on petrified wood conservation in Thailand, a se... more After the success of the 1st seminar and worshop on petrified wood conservation in Thailand, a second seminar is going to take place on August 21-22, 2014. Talks include fossil conservation, botany, palaeontology, geology and biodiversity, given by scientists from Thailand, Greece and the United States. The languages of the seminar and workshop are thai and english.
Petrified wood is usually studied in terms of mineralogy and taxonomy, yet the pathology and cons... more Petrified wood is usually studied in terms of mineralogy and taxonomy, yet the pathology and conservation needs of in situ petrified forests are not properly addressed. In order to propose a conservation plan according to the needs of each site and each fossil within it, more questions need to be answered. These are: what is the structure, properties and composition of fossils; which are their deterioration factors; what is the nature of the environment in which they are exposed; and to what extent are the various parameters likely to harm the fossils and the site where they are located. Techniques that can be employed, include in situ observations, sampling, macroscopic observation, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, geographic information systems, photographic documentation, record drawing, 3D laser scanning, automatic weather stations, environmental data-loggers, geological studies, water and moisture absorption tests, and conservation tests.
Wax effigies, fully dressed life-size models of human figures, have been constructed since the me... more Wax effigies, fully dressed life-size models of human figures, have been constructed since the medieval times. The construction materials of historical effigies differ to the contemporary ones, yet the construction process of the wax parts has more or less remained unchanged over the centuries. This paper starts with the history, construction materials and manufacture techniques of wax effigies. The inseparable relation of the wax effigies and their costumes is explained, and the characteristics and deterioration agents of their most important construction materials are presented in order to understand their needs for preservation, with emphasis on wax and fabrics. The aim of this paper is to suggest preventive conservation guidelines for wax effigies, with proposals for appropriate environmental conditions during display and storage, and suggestions for proper handling, storage and transportation. Advice for disaster preparedness and actions in cases of emergency situations is also provided. Resumo As efígies de cera, modelos de figuras humanas completamente vestidas em tamanho real, foram criadas desde os tempos medievais. Os materiais de produção de efígies históricas diferem dos contemporâneos, mas o processo de produção dos componentes de cera manteve-se mais ou menos inalterado ao longo dos séculos. Este artigo começa com a história, materiais e técnicas de produção de efígies de cera. Explica-se a relação inseparável das efígies de cera e os seus trajes, apresentam-se as características e os agentes de deterioração de seus materiais de produção mais importantes, de modo a compreender as suas necessidades de preservação, com ênfase na cera e nos tecidos. O objetivo deste artigo é sugerir procedimentos de conservação preventiva para efígies de cera, com propostas de condições ambientais adequadas durante a exposição e armazenamento, e sugestões para manuseamento, armazenamento e transporte adequados. São também fornecidos conselhos para a preparação para desastres e ações em casos de situações de emergência.
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Papers by Evangelia Kyriazi
Meanwhile, georeferencing was performed on a 1953 Mytilene town map series, which had been constituting the urban structure of the town up to 1985. The superimposition and comparison of two maps revealed that the 1953 maps constitute copies of the older map series, with sole differences the designing in a different orientation and in different paper dimensions. The comparative study of the two maps leads to the conclusion that the map series belonging to the General State Archives had been drawn in a 1:500 scale, and portray the urban structure of Mytilene town in the years between 1920-1922.
In natural history collections of fossils, minerals, rocks, stuffed animals and birds, animal tissues in ethanol, dried plants bottles etc, damages observed include pyrite disease, delaminations, oxidations, discolourations, cracks, photomechanical and plastic damage. To avoid damage, it is necessary to control environmental parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, radiation and pollutants, provide proper storage condition and perform regular recording of the collections.
Preventive conservation becomes a real challenge in the case of fossil-bearing areas. Conservators are invited to in situ protect the objects from extreme weather variations and anthropogenic disasters. "
Nickolas Zouros, University of the Aegean (Greece)
Kostantina Mpentana, Natural History Museum (Greece)
Ilias Valiakos, Natural History Museum (Greece)
Katerina Vasileiadou, Natural History Museum (Greece)
Evangelia Kyriazi, Natural History Museum (Greece)
The European Geoparks Network - EGN, is founded in 2000, aiming to advance earth heritage conservation and promotion, education in earth sciences, as well as sustainable local development through geotourism.
Educational activities exist in the core of the Geoparks' interest and operation. The European Geoparks are open-air geological museums and can contribute significantly to environmental education programmes offering excellent examples for the interaction between the abiotic and biotic parameters in natural ecosystems. They constitute natural outdoor laboratories where children can investigate Earth sciences.
The Petrified Forest of Lesvos (Greece), declared as a protected natural monument in 1985, is a founding member of the EGN. Its creation is directly related to the volcanic activity in the North-eastern Aegean area during late Oligocene - middle Miocene. Systematic excavations and scientific research has been carried out by the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest since 1997 in main fossil sites. The abundance of standing and lying petrified tree trunks and the perfect preservation of the fossils lead to the creation of a new inventory for fossil plants and volcanic geosites.
This database was also used as the source of information for the development of new educational activities and tools, such as the educational CD-ROM "The Petrified Forest of Lesvos", the Museum kit on fossil preservation, the Museum kit "The Deinotheres" and special educational programmes aiming to support Earth heritage interpretation and communication.
The educational CD-ROM is based on the scenario of two children from Lesvos finding notes about the Petrified Forest and beginning an attempt to discover the secret of the Forest. Information on the Petrified Forest, the volcanic activity in the Aegean area and conservation of plant fossils are included in the application. Numerous games aim to entertain and, at the same time, educate children, whereas several photographs offer a virtual trip to the unique monument. The fossil conservation Museum kit aims to familiarise teenagers with the sensitive nature of fossils and provide basic knowledge on their conservation and restoration. Developed by the Conservation Department of the Museum, it includes booklets, information material and conservation-based educational activities. The Museum kit "The Deinotheres" is based on the important finding in the area of the Petrified Forest of a primitive proboscidean belonging to the extinct family Deinotheriidae. The kit, designed for children in the last years of high school, includes activities that urge children to identify fossils and use them as tools for reconstructing the past, as well as books on proboscidean evolution and their presence in Greece.
The main purpose of the educational tools is to help children (and adults) to understand nature and its mechanisms, so that they can feel a part of it and appreciate its complexity.
The advent of the industrial era led to the gradual abandonment of the traditional structures associated with the Aeolian and hydraulic energy. These pre-industrial buildings, which blend so harmoniously with the natural environment, are now in their majority abandoned. The rate of their destruction is fast because of natural and man-made damage, unsuccessful restorations and changes of their use that led to the loss of their mechanisms and alteration of their form. In addition, unregulated building leads to the alteration of their natural environment, to which such buildings are so inextricably linked.
In some countries, such buildings are legally protected in order to continue their operation, and tax deductions and grants are provided. In Greece the prospects are great, and can include environmental education, workshops, switching to traditional production methods, sustainable development and ecotourism, which in turn can create new jobs, contribute to the decentralization and stimulate the local economy while protecting the natural and cultural environment of the region."
The excavated trunks, within the ten years of their discovery, have suffered severe deterioration, erosion, disintegration, loss of material, detachments, fragmentations, mechanical damages, discolourations, biological colonisations, etc. The pathology of the fossil tree trunk is connected to the unstable environmental parameters such as intense T and RH variations, human-made damages and natural phenomena including intense rainfalls, annual forest fires, flooding etc.
For the study and submission of proposals regarding the conservation treatment of the Tak petrified trees, a research collaboration has commenced, involving Thai and Greek institutes [Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources (NRIPM), Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University (NRRU), University of the Peloponnese, National Technical University of Athens, etc.]. Within the context of the research collaboration, a study is being made to determine the composition, properties and pathology of the petrified material, the identification of the causes, rates and speed of its deterioration, and the realisation of tests for cleaning, consolidation, filling and hydrophobiation, in order to submit proposals for the treatment of fossils and sustainable development of the area. In parallel, seminars, educational and volunteer programmes are being organised, aiming to raise the awareness of the scientific community and the public in issues of fossil conservation treatments.
The above research and the actions it involves is pioneer in the field of fossil wood conservation and is expected to bring a number or research benefits such as the recording of the pathology of fossilised material, and proposals on conservation treatment, interpretation and management for sustainable development.
For the purposes of understanding the construction materials of the Derveni Roman Baths in Corinthia, Greece, 31 samples were collected from 21 sampling points in 9 different rooms of the archaeological site. These included masonry mortars, wall plastering, wall cladding, cast mortars (opus caementicium), ceramic floor pipes, covers of floor pipes, ceramic tubuli, ceramic material and binding mortars from the pilae of the hypocausts, floor mortar, stone floor tiles, and samples of the stratigraphy of the only mosaic of the site. After in situ photographic documentation and coding of the samples, the latter were photographed and examined by optical microscopy. Other techniques employed were X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) for chemical classification, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) for the mineralogical study, and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) for the study of their microtopography. The study revealed information on the stratigraphy of the plaster coatings of the interior and exterior walls, the stratigraphy and construction technique of the mosaic, the manufacture technique of the cast mortars and the binding mortars, and the composition of ceramic building materials and stones found in the monument. The results contribute to the greater understanding of the construction technology of public baths of the late Roman period in the Peloponnese, and will contribute to the decision making regarding the scheduled cleaning, consolidation and filling for the in situ conservation and exhibition of the monument.
Kyriazi, E., Pantazidou, N. and Oikonomou, A. 2018. A late 18th–mid 19th c. Sanctification Cross from Mount Athos - Description, Study and Conservation Issues. In: A. Nevin, M. Sawicki and K Seymour (eds). Heritage Wood: Research & Conservation in the 21st Century. Proceedings of the Joint Conference of three ICOM-CC Working Groups: Wood, Furniture, and Lacquer, Scientific Research, and Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration, Warsaw, 28 – 30 October, 2013. ICOM-CC.
such as great attention to embalming practices and remains of gold leaf on the face and feet of both child mummies point towards the assumption that they belonged to the upper class (Karamanou
et al., 2017). The problematic preservation state and questions on the
embalming materials and procedures led to a series of analyses on a variety of samples from both mummies (Karamanou et al., 2017). This paper focuses on the Optical Microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy / Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) observation and analysis performed on hair samples of the largest in size of the children’s mummies. DNA analysis on the hairs and species level
fungal characterization were also performed.
It refers to decay mechanisms and presents the conservation treatments performed for different types of damage, including cleaning, consolidation, filling, adhesion and protection from rain water, while providing information of lifting of heavy and smaller fossils from the excavation sites.
The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for educational programs, sensitization of the public and further research as tools for the safekeeping of the Petrified Forest.