This past summer Global Heritage Fund (GHF) sponsored an investigation grant for an anastylosis project at Sagalassos in Turkey, which focused on the archaeological excavations, documentation and stone conservation of the Upper Agora Southeast Gate, and a subsequent architectural study based on the collected data.
This grant supported the ongoing work of, The Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project of the University of Leuven in Belgium; who has been conducting large-scale archaeological excavations and surveys at the ancient city of Sagalassos and its territory since 1990, under the direction of Jeroen Poblome.
The site of Sagalassos is located within a magnificent landscape in Southwest Turkey, and is currently on the national tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Status.
The Southeast Gate is a Roman Imperial arch dating from the 1st century CE and marks one the southern entrances of its main public square. It is an elegant and simple structure, with an arch spanning 3.16m arch carried by two robust pillars (1.17x.0.89m in plan). A heavy entablature over the arch crowns the monument. The frieze blocks are decorated with weaponry motifs on the outer side (the east façade) and an inscription on the side facing the agora (the west façade).
Orthographic plan view of the model of the Upper Agora South East trenches before the start of the excavations. Top layer- 22 July 2014.
Orthographic plan view of the model of the UASE trenches, after the start of the excavations. Layer 7 – 28 Aug 2014.
The monument built in cut limestone was found collapsed, except for its two pillar bases that were still partly in situ. During the anastylosis project the collapsed blocks from the Southeast Gate were individually documented and further captured in 3D, using photogrammetric techniques. Preliminary cleaning and some conservation interventions were carried out on each piece and the study of these blocks helped to determine a preliminary restitution of the monument. The suggested composition was checked with field mock-ups to verify the estimations.
Available blocks from the Southeast Gate sectors were brought to the Upper Agora for further documentation and treatment.
Cleaning of the architectural blocks with medium-pressure warm water.
A stone part that was re-joined.
Digital photography of individual blocks. Similar light conditions are required for all surfaces for pixel matching to work effectively. The distance between the black and white target stickers were hand measured to scale and rectify the images. A 3D point cloud of the block was achieved using the overlapping images which was then texturized.
3D models of the blocks from the Southeast Gate.
After the excavation season, all data and results collected on the field were processed during the architectural study of the monument. A digital stone catalogue was completed and a preliminary restitution/anastylosis set of the Southeast Gate was produced where the original position of each available architectural block could be identified.
One of the sheets from the stone catalogue of the South East Gate.
The mock-up of the monument from the top moulding of the pillars up.
The East and West facades of the Southeast Gate as digitally assembled using the orthophotos of each recorded block.
In addition, the anastylosis project of the Southeast Gate gave training opportunities to students of architecture and master students of conservation. Local craftsmen who have been working with the Sagalassos Project for many years were further trained for new documentation and conservation techniques.
Some images from the different team members who worked at the SEG anastylosis project in 2014.
Since 2012 short videos about different aspects of the interdisciplinary work conducted at site of Sagalassos haven been produced. These videos are intended to inform the general public about the works of different disciplines at an archaeological site.
Within the framework of the South East Gate anastylosis project, a short video was produced on anastylosis in general and the approach and techniques used at Sagalassos.
These videos are accessible via: http://vimeo.com/user17835403
-Photos courtesy of the Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project