نشریه دانش حفاظت و مرمت
سال ششم شماره 1 (پیاپی 15، بهار 1402)

The Sassanian bas-reliefs are among the most significant historical artifacts of ancient Iran, primarily found in the province of Fars. Approximately 30 Sassanian bas-reliefs exist in Fars, depicting scenes related to power demonstrations, court proceedings, and battles or hunting scenes. Unfortunately, many of these bas-reliefs have suffered damage over the years due to their outdoor exposure and the impact of climatic conditions. Depending on the type of stone and their geographical location, they have been gradually eroded. Given their historical importance for Iran's cultural heritage, a comprehensive program involving study, documentation, conservation planning, and restoration is crucial. The Naqsh-e Rostam Relief Complex houses more than 11 bas-reliefs and numerous inscriptions, all situated in open-air environments and vulnerable to environmental factors such as rain, wind, and temperature fluctuations. These elements have contributed to the gradual deterioration of these ancient artworks. The central question addressed by this article pertains to the process of studying, assessing damage, documenting, and planning the conservation of a rock relief. To answer this, a combination of field and laboratory methods has been employed, including petrography, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The results indicate both physical and chemical weathering in the limestone structure, leading to various forms of damage such as erosion, flaking, cracking, and breakage. Therefore, protective and conservation measures for these prominent bas-reliefs should focus on strengthening and preserving their surfaces against deteriorating agents.

Alki Caravanserai – Near Marand is considered one of the most important buildings on the way in north-west regen- Iran due to its special position in archaeological studies. It was located on the side of the ancient Silk Road and was built by the order of Khawja Rashid al-Din Fazl-Allah (Fazllullah) Hamadani. The ornaments used in the Entrance gate of this building are a combination of tiles and bricks, which have special and important place in the north of the country not only from the archeological point but also because of their position in the evolution process of making tile arrays. This shows the importance of recognition, conservation, and restoration of Alaki caravanserai. Due to the full destruction of this caravanserai building over time, some ornaments and part of the architectural plan of this caravanserai have been discovered during archaeological excavations. In Current research, the process of recognizing and classifying these ornaments has been done based on historical and decorations remain studies that lead to the protection, restoration, and revival of the caravanserai building regarding the health of the plan and the foundations of its structures. First, the separated and broken decorations were classified according to historical studies and their location was identified in the old pictures of the caravanserai. This matter was done in the feasibility of revitalizing entrance gate Then, according to the available images and parts, the geometric nodes related to the two types of designs are drawn, then according to the available parts, it is possible to check the geometric frame of a tile and brick combination frame as an example of the works of this renovation.

the issue of forgery is of great importance in studying the authenticity of artistic and historical objects in the field of cultural artifacts. Ceramic, has been one of the most important human achievements that has subjected to various forms of forgery throughout history. Determining the authenticity of ceramic works requires understanding the multi-faceted nature of the material composition, construction methods, and decoration of the objects, as well as recognizing different types of forgery. Evaluating forgery in ceramic objects requires an assessment of the artistic-historical and aesthetic aspects of the crafted object, the authenticity of the manufacturing technology and production component, and the authenticity of subsequent interventions and additions. Therefore, determining authenticity in the face of forgery requires a specialized perspective and approach towards suspicious objects. This article aims to explore the various types of forgery in ceramics and examine the typology and methods of forgery in historical and cultural ceramics of Iran. The results, regardless of the historical context of forgery, indicate the development of forgery in ceramic objects during recent centuries and its presence in the antique market and the conservation of historical artifacts.

Identity is one of the concepts with a broad range of meaning within the humanities. Its importance lies in the fact that it is impossible to find an individual, person, or object that has no identity. For this reason, it has been a subject of study across most of the different branches of humanities. It is also important in the field of cultural heritage, which is directly linked to the cultural identity of communities, and for this reason many documents have been prepared in this regard. Due to the importance of the issue, this article conducts a content analysis of international documents related to cultural heritage. For this purpose, the concept of identity was selected from several international documents related to cultural heritage. Based on the content analysis, the concept of identity in these documents can be examined under two main categories: the definition of identity and the domains of identity. Each of these categories has subcategories, that are classified in this article under the title of category and subcategory. However, how each of these categories and subcategories is prioritized within these documents, along with recommendations for improving the handling of the issue of identity in future documents, is addressed in this article. The importance of using the hierarchical analysis of subcategories in these documents is that, in addition to being effective in decision-making, it will also be helpful in compiling newer documents about identity. After identifying the categories and subcategories related to the concept of identity, they were prioritized. This means that after analyzing the content of the documents, their rank analysis was conducted, to determine the ranking of each category.

Identifying the material and the main substrate of a cultural artifact, as well as the surface sediments in the process of conservation and restoration plays a significant role in determining the appropriate methods and ensuring the longevity of the artifact. To achieve this, the use of laboratory-based, instrumental, and microscopic techniques is indispensable. While some experts might be able to recognize the nature of the coin at a glance, this is not always possible, especially when it covered with substantial deposits or when its authenticity is in question.  Therefore, in addition to experimental knowledge and comparative studies, precise laboratory methods are necessary. In the research has been carried out in the workshop of conservation and restoration of metal works of the Research Center for Conservation of Cultural Relies, we encountered instances familiar to many dealing with coin collections. For example, coins with a silver appearance that have become darkened and tarnished due to deposits caused by the surrounding environment and wear and tear, might initially seem to be silver.  However, further investigation often reveals that they are of different alloy or have a Silver coating, or they have been silver-copper coins buried in soil, where deposits and extensive copper corrosion products sometimes make the identification more challenging. Various methods are employed in the study of coins to clarify the economic, social, and political conditions at the time of their minting. Techniques such as PIXE (Particle-Induced X-ray Emission) and XRF (X-ray fluorescence) have attracted more attention from researchers for reasons such as accuracy and non-destructiveness nature. However, it should be considered that in order to obtain a clear and accurate results, the surface of the coin needs to be clean and free of any kind of contamination before conducting these analyses. This underscores the importance of adhering to proper restoration processes for these historical artifacts. Before commencing cleaning, the conservator must consider factors such as the identification of the coin, its surrounding environment or burial and storage conditions, structural aspects, precision in coin minting, and its pathology. Assessment of these factors, not only helps numismatic studies and determining the authenticity of coin, but also assists in selecting the optimal method of cleaning. It should be kept in mind that the inappropriate selection of chemicals or the use of unsuitable mechanical tools can cause serious damage to the artifact's surface and disturb subsequent studies. this research introduces various methods used in the field of study of coins, both hammered and machine-struck, tend highlights the role and importance of laboratory studies in this context.

Historical monuments have always had a special place in historical-cultural studies as one of the indicators of identifying the cultural heritage of nations. The following paper aims to present a report on the restoration andconservation of metal objects of the cultural heritage treasure of Yazd city. Protection of this treasure which is one of the richest collections in terms of the variety of historical works, which put the restoration and conservation of the present objects on the agenda in the past years, and restoration and conservation operations were carried out on these valuable works. For this purpose, an effort was performed in this research during 7 years at different times to select metal objects with special features from this rich collection, and its report is presented in this article. Various types of objects such as silver, iron, and bronze objects were restored and protected. Improper maintenance conditions in the past have caused these works to be covered by environmental sediments or corrosion products, which sediments and corrosion products cause the illegibility of designs and patterns and sometimes the complete destruction of objects. So, in the operation procedure of restoration and conservation observing theoretical principles, cleaning operation was done as far as possible mechanically and chemically if needed. Low percentages of consumable materials were used and materials were selected that do not harm the environment as much as possible. The most important step after the restoration operation is the conservation of objects in desirable conditions and periodic reviews, so that if any damage is observed, it should be repaired immediately. The following paper describes the steps of restoration and conservation of metal objects of different types and protects them to keep them in standard conditions to be shown in the museum.

Pottery is one of the most important man-made artifacts, and with time, its manufacturing and application technology has also changed. Therefore, in most archaeological excavations, pottery artifacts occupy a major part of the discoveries, and most of these artifacts have special damages. Some of these damages are common, such as fractures and cracks, and some are special due to the burial conditions and low quality in the construction technique; Such as body layering damage that requires special protection and restoration studies. In this study, a sample of terracotta cauldron hanging on the Segzabad hill of Qazvin Plain belonging to the Iron Age period was studied. This study aimed to understand the construction technique, investigate the damages on the pottery body and the cause of these damages. To answer these questions, instrumental tests, such as XRF, and comparative historical studies have been used. All these studies will ultimately help in the way of conservation and restoration that should be done. After all the protective steps to prevent secondary damage that may occur after its restoration, a box is designed to store the pottery and, in some cases, even display it. The result obtained from all the steps was the recognition of the construction technique and the documentation of the damage in the body, which ultimately led to the protection and restoration of this historical and cultural work.