Conservation Of Ruins

Despite growing international awareness of the presence and significance of ruined buildings and archaeological sites, and the increasingly sophisticated technology available for the collection of data about them, these sites continue to be at risk across the globe. Conservation of Ruins defines and describes these risks, which range from neglect, to destructive archaeology, and even well-meaning intervention in the name of tourism. The book provides detailed, practical instruction on the conservation and stabilisation of ruins by structural and non-structural means, as well as describing the procedures and conditions that need to be in place to ensure the protection of our important historic sites. In considering aspects of architectural conservation, archaeology and ecology together for the first time, this book provides an integrated, holistic view of this international topic that will be essential reading for those working in this field

Despite growing international awareness of the presence and significance of ruined buildings and archaeological sites, and the increasingly sophisticated technology available for the collection of data about them, these sites continue to be at risk across the globe. Conservation of Ruins defines and describes these risks, which range from neglect, to destructive archaeology, and even well-meaning intervention in the name of tourism. The book provides detailed, practical instruction on the conservation and stabilisation of ruins by structural and non-structural means, as well as describing the procedures and conditions that need to be in place to ensure the protection of our important historic sites. In considering aspects of architectural conservation, archaeology and ecology together for the first time, this book provides an integrated, holistic view of this international topic that will be essential reading for those working in this field

Utopia -- Internationalism -- Technocracy -- Conservation -- Inscription -- Conflict -- Danger -- Dystopia

The ancient ruins of Southeast Asia have long sparked curiosity and romance in the world’s imagination. They appear in accounts of nineteenth-century French explorers, as props for Indiana Jones’ adventures, and more recently as the scene of Lady Lara Croft’s fantastical battle with the forces of evil. They have been featured in National Geographic magazine and serve as backdrops for popular television travel and reality shows. Now William Chapman’s expansive new study explores the varied roles these monumental remains have played in the histories of Southeast Asia’s modern nations. Based on more than fifteen years of travel, research, and visits to hundreds of ancient sites, A Heritage of Ruins shows the close connection between “ruins conservation” and both colonialism and nation building. It also demonstrates the profound impact of European-derived ideas of historic and aesthetic significance on ancient ruins and how these continue to color the management and presentation of sites in Southeast Asia today. Angkor, Pagan (Bagan), Borobudur, and Ayutthaya lie at the center of this cultural and architectural tour, but less visited sites, including Laos’s stunning Vat Phu, the small temple platforms of Malaysia’s Lembah Bujang Valley, the candi of the Dieng Plateau in Java, and the ruins of Mingun in Burma and Wiang Kum Kam near Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, are also discussed. All share a relative isolation from modern urban centers of population, sitting in park-like settings, serving as objects of tourism and as lynchpins for local and even national economies. Chapman argues that these sites also remain important to surrounding residents, both as a means of income and as continuing sources of spiritual meaning. He examines the complexities of heritage efforts in the context of present-day expectations by focusing on the roles of both outside and indigenous experts in conservation and management and on attempts by local populations to reclaim their patrimony and play a larger role in protection and interpretation. Tracing the history of interventions aimed at halting time’s decay, Chapman provides a chronicle of conservation efforts over a century and a half, highlighting the significant part foreign expertise has played in the region and the ways that national programs have, in recent years, begun to break from earlier models. The book ends with suggestions for how Southeast Asian managers and officials might best protect their incomparable heritage of art and architecture and how this legacy might be preserved for future generations.

This collection of newly published essays examines our relationship to physical objects that invoke, commemorate, and honor the past. The recent destruction of cultural heritage in war and controversies over Civil War monuments in the US have foregrounded the importance of artifacts that embody history. The book invites us to ask: How do memorials convey their meanings? What is our responsibility for the preservation or reconstruction of historically significant structures? How should we respond when the public display of a monument divides a community? This anthology includes coverage of the destruction of Palmyra and the Bamiyan Buddhas, the loss of cultural heritage through war and natural disasters, the explosive controversies surrounding Confederate-era monuments, and the decay of industry in the U.S. Rust Belt. The authors consider issues of preservation and reconstruction, the nature of ruins, the aesthetic and ethical values of memorials, and the relationship of cultural memory to material artifacts that remain from the past. Written by a leading group of philosophers, art historians, and archeologists, the 23 chapters cover monuments and memorials from Dubai to Detroit, from the instant destruction of Hiroshima to the gradual sinking of Venice.

Bringing together theory with current conservation technology, this book explores possibilities in architectural expression alongside the technical requirements of structures. International case studies are used throughout to provide the reader with examples of how real structural conservation design solutions were arrived at. The inclusion of full technical details of these projects, and over 150 illustrations, make this a valuable resource for architects, structural engineers, conservation officers, as well as students of these disciplines.

Amongst the Ruins explores the loss of ancient civilizations, the collapse of ruling elites, and the disappearance of more recent communities and their local traditions. Some of these are now sealed under 3,000-year-old peat, others lost to rising seas or sands, and the carcasses of twentieth-century buildings which serve as reminders of the destructive power of war. These compelling stories of fallen or lost places are brought together through themes of war, climate change, natural hazards, human self-destruction, and simple economics. From the ice of the Arctic fringe, through to the desert landscapes of North Africa, by way of South America’s high mountains and Southeast Asia’s urban sprawl, Amongst the Ruins charts the rise and fall of places and communities around the world, the fascinating characters associated with them, and the important events that punctuate their history. Exploring wide-ranging examples from prehistory to the present day, John Darlington challenges us to recognize past failures and identify what we need to do to protect the cultures of our current world.