Academic thesis
| Eva Elisabeth Herschberger: | Back | |
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| Abstract: | Hattusa, the old capitol of the Hittitis was left by its habitants 3000 years ago and devastated by a huge fire. At the end of the 18th century, the city was rediscovered. For many decades now, excavations of the German Archaeological Institute take place here. The cooperation between the University of Applied Sciences and the German Archaeological Institute facilitated a compilation of material for my Bachelor-Thesis. Today there is still some archaeology of the old town visible, which is severely damaged and almost completely covered by various species of lichens and higher plants. The surface of the foundations of the Great Temple is covered by a large variety of lichen species of which only 35 species are identified. Previous observations led to the assumption that lichens contribute to the deterioration of the stone surface. For some lichen species this assumption could be confirmed. Lichen-induced deterioration develops very slowly so that a geological time-scale has to be applied. Compared with other damaging processes, deterioration caused by lichens therefore can be neglected. Furthermore, lichen can constitute a possible protective barrier against external weathering agents, reducing the rate of disintegration of the stone. Tourists climbing on the foundations pose in that respect a higher damaging potential than the lichens. Lichens therefore should only be removed in areas where conservation measures must be undertaken. But even in those cases it must be considered whether their removal is more detrimental than their retention. Previous cleaning measures only led to an unsatisfactory result. The protection of the foundations against the damaging effects caused by tourists is absolutely necessary. It would be very sensible to put-up warning signs and, if necessary, erect barriers around the heavier-damaged stones. Broken-off parts of the foundations are hard to put back in their correct position and thus cannot be used anymore. To find out whether lichens constitute a protective barrier to the stone surface or whether they have a detrimental effect, it is recommended to undertake observations in special areas every year. In areas of disintegration into particles, monitoring can help to find out whether conservation or the lichens constitute the better protection. |
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