A Study of Restoration with Wall Painting Tomb in Lebanon

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The goal of this project is conservation and restoration of a Roman underground tomb TJ04 at Ramali area. TJ04 has 21 loculus (19 on the walls and 2 on the floor) in its chamber, although TJ04 has been already opened and damaged. Investigations by NISHIYAMA Yoichi (Professor, Nara University) and other researchers in 2002, revealed paintings on the walls and on the ceiling.On further investigations in 2004, we also found many parts of the wall paintings and building stones of loculus in earth and sand. They concluded that 80% of the chamber, wall paintings, and loculus will be restored with the parts they had found. Other investigations were conducted simultaneously ; (material analyses of the bedrock and the building stones ; a chemical analyses of the pigments ; a cleaning of the wall paintings ; strength test of the walls ; and measurements of temperature, humidity, illumination, intensity of ultra-violet light, CO_2 concentration, and air pollution ).Similarly in 2009, we tried to … More restore the T.01 tomb in Bruj el Shamali.In this project, condition of bedrock digging, structure of the tomb (loculus on the floor and walls, the door and a flight of stairs at the entrance), and the techniques for cov ering the walls and the ceilings with mortar including potsherds are studied archaeologically, architecturally, and civil engineering on the basis of the investigations. Relics (e.g., lamps, glass bottles and ceramic and lead coffins) are also studied archaeologically, art historically, and scientifically, and thus material, making and technique are clarified. Painting technique is examined with the studies of a pattern and pigments of the wall paintings art historically and scientifically, therefore not only the actual situation and characteristic of Roman tombs in the region of the eastern Mediterranean littoral and Lebanon, but the structure of the society of those days are clarified. The studies of scientific conservation to prevent exfoliations of the wall paintings, and the measurements of the environment will tell us the reasons why the wall paintings have kept their bright colors without fading for such a long time (1900 years, since it was painted in the A.D. 2 cent.).The studies also give us the useful data to control the environment for conservation of the wall paintings in the future. What we are aiming at is the investigation of architectural and civil engineering techniques, reconstruction of the tomb, and an opening to the public as a precious underground tomb with wall paintings. Young Lebanese got good education in Lebanon and also in Japan with these wall paintings, the relics, and the whole ruin. Therefore, Japanese outstanding theory and techniques of scientific conservation and restoration of cultural assets will be passed on to them.In this project, we perform scientific investigation based on conservation science, architecture, art history, restoration of ruins, and so on. We also make an academic study, e.g., passing on our techniques of scientific conservation and restoration. With these studies, we clarify and reconstruct the Lebanese culture and society in Roman period, and we will hand these heritage down to our posterity. Therefore this project is dissimilar from the past ones in the Middle East in which archaeological research and restoration have been done separately. Less