A chapter of the digital monograph: Site conservation
NOTE: on this topic, cf. also the dedicated topical book on “CONSERVATION”.
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Backfill
I have protected all mud floors with total backfill. I first placed strips of plastic sheeting to mark the boundary between the ancient surface and the recent dirt, and then placed a stratum of about 20 cm of dirt, derived from the excavations, on top of the entire surface of the mud floor. At the edges, along the base of the walls, I have placed a small berm, about 25 cm in height, in order to protect the base of the wall from infiltration of the water when it settles and forms a puddle across the entire surface of the space contained by the walls.
Back to top: Site conservation techniques: floors
Pavers
On top of the backfill I have placed pavers, which provide a firm and well delimited base for walking and help reduce the incidence of unwanted vegetation.
The pavers are square, half a meter on the side, and are made of cement with a couple of iron rebars inside, and body sherds on the surface.
Back to top: Site conservation techniques: floors