2. General principles: overview

A chapter of the digital monograph: Site conservation

NOTE: on this topic, cf. also the dedicated topical book on “CONSERVATION”.

There are general criteria that need to be spelled out as one approaches site conservation. They deal with the procedures through which one must oversee the overall process, from a definition of the goals and the specific planning that ensues to the nature of the recording, the follow-up monitoring and the final evaluation.

There are then two major mechanisms from which one must choose. The remains may be either affected by interventions aimed at altering the status of the document as originally found, or by the addition of elements aimed at protecting it without changing it.

In all of this, the figure of the conservator is crucial, as is their interaction with the excavators. Issues relating to their specific role and sensibilities are addressed.

For each of the points discussed, there is a link to the portion of the Urkesh Global Record where the data are given in accordance with the principles stated here.