Archaeometric Study and Restoration Implementation of Archaeological Roman Adobe Bath at Karanis – Fayoum, Egypt

Adam, Mahmoud Abd El Hafez M.

doi:10.21608/arcs.2023.186506.1034

	Archaeometric Study and Restoration Implementation of Archaeological Roman Adobe Bath at Karanis – Fayoum, Egypt
Advanced Research in Conservation Science
Article 3, Volume 4, Issue 1, June 2023, Pages 33-53 PDF (2.2 M)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/arcs.2023.186506.1034
Author
Mahmoud Abd El Hafez M. Adam^*
Conservation Department, Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
Abstract
The Roman bath is located in the city of Karanis in the Fayoum Governorate. The archaeological site is about 300 m from the asphaltic road linking the cities of Cairo and Fayoum. The present site consists of the remains of adobe walls, some of which are fired bricks. In some of the walls of the building the lower parts were built of fired bricks, while the upper parts of the walls were built of mud bricks.The building was severely damaged as a result of its presence in the harsh desert environment as well as the lack of conservation for a long time. This research paper aims to identify and evaluate the risks that threaten the archaeological site, and these were conducted through using analytical means on the building materials to identify the composition and properties of the studied building materials. The results were utilized to make modern mud bricks and mortars for the purposes of restoration and reinforcement of the archaeological bath. XRD, XRF, FTIR, PLM and SEM-EDX have been used in the current study to analyze and examine the archaeological samples of building materials. After completing the analytical and diagnostic studies, this paper presented the most important practical aspects of carrying out the restoration works of the archaeological bath site, which included general cleaning of the site, completion, reconstruction, treatment of cracked walls, filling the gaps between fired bricks, capping and protecting the upper parts of adobe walls and troweling with mud plaster.
Highlights
Adobe architecture is an eco-friendly architecture. Its splendor appeared in Roman era in the city of Karanis, Fayoum. Mud brick and fired brick are the main building materials of the Roman bath at Karanis. Atmospheric weathering and neglect of conservation are the main deterioration factors to the bath building. A preventive conservation plan should be developed for the Roman bath site.
Keywords
Roman bath; Karanis (Kom-Aushim); adobe (mud brick); fired brick; re-construction; reinforcement

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