Diversity of Terrestrial Cyanobacteria Colonizing Selected Stone Monuments in Serbia

The presence of biofilms on stone monuments can lead to biodeterioration processes that significantly lower not only the aesthetic value of cultural heritage sites but also cause considerable physical and chemical damage to stone surfaces. In terrestrial environments, cyanobacteria have a significant role in biofilm formation on a variety of natural and artificial stone substrata, including granite, sandstone, limestone, lime mortar, etc. Studies on cyanobacterial diversity and estimation of biodeteriorative activity on stone cultural heritage objects can be very important for conservators and restorers, and cyanobacteria removal from stone monuments is currently a great challenge for conservation science. In that sense, the diversity of terrestrial cyanobacteria was investigated at six localities in Serbia. Samples for cyanobacterial analyses were taken from surface biofilms covering different substrata: granite and lime mortar (The Monument to the Unknown Hero), sandstone (Branko's Bridge, Eiffel’s Lock) and carbonate rock (Medieval tombstones from Mramorje and Rasti?te, Gradac Monastery). A total of 18 cyanobacterial taxa were identified. The highest diversity was found on carbonate rock, followed by sandstone. Cyanobacteria were also recorded on an artificial substratum – lime mortar, while cyanobacteria were not found on granite. All detected cyanobacteria seriously impaired the structural and aesthetic integrity of the studied monuments via mechanical and chemical actions, so their presence must not be overlooked.     

THE CONSERVATION AND TECHNIQUE OF THE HERLIN ALTARPIECE (1466)

Abstract

The restoration of the Hedin altar in Rothenburg o.d.T., dated 1466, is described. The polychromed sculptures were cleaned and loose paint was fixed. Methods and materials used in the restoration of the paintings, the areas polychromed in various techniques and the brocade reliefs are mentioned. The altar was protected from direct sunlight. The construction of the shrine and the technique of carving are extensively discussed. Sculptures made from one piece of lime wood were hollowed out and closed with a plank. Traces of rough finishing are visible. Shrine and predella were polychromed after a preliminary assembly of the sculptures. The various techniques used in the undisfigured polychromy are described as they are observed with the unaided eye. It can be shown that the working methods were rational. The fabrication of relief brocades and the various patterns used are discussed in detail. The treatment of the various paintings on the wings, the predella and the reverse of the shrine is reported. The question is raised to what extent the painter Herlin can also have been responsible for the polychromy.     

Re-evaluation of Environmental Modifications to an Island Cemetery after 28 Years

ABSTRACT

The Isle of the Dead served as the burial ground for the convict settlement at Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia, from 1832 until the settlement closed in 1877. Ninety-one grave markers survive. The author first surveyed the cemetery in 1990 and immediately established environmental monitoring that continued over the following 28 years. This paper discusses the hand-in-hand role of preventive conservation in the overall preservation program, including physical interventions. Delamination of stone is not stopped by re-attachment, only by reducing the environmental causes, once these have been accurately identified. This project has exemplified the need for precise understanding of degradation to ensure that the intervention programme is not, in the long term, a futile exercise. Communicating this understanding to the management authority is essential. It is a popular misconception with outdoor objects and monuments, that to repair an object is to prevent the damage re-occurring. It is essential to convey that this simplistic concept can be very damaging for the object and is one the conservation profession needs to emphasize.     

Measuring Weathering and Nanoparticle Coating Impact on Surface Roughness of Natural Stones

ABSTRACT

The surface texture of a stone represents a sensitive parameter in evaluating its conservation state. In monuments and sculptures, in fact, external agents continuously alter the appearance of stones, determining peculiar weathering patterns and modifying properties such as retention of water and particles, interaction with light, color, and finishing. The application of protective coatings also determines changes in surface appearance of a stone, usually evaluated and monitored by color change tests. Surface metrology methods offer the possibility to quantify these changes, evaluating the impact of external agents (natural, i.e. weathering, and artificially, i.e. protective coatings) on natural stones. In this research, we demonstrate the potential of surface areal measurements in describing the evolution of weathering processes and the effects of protective treatments on porous stone materials. The obtained results suggest that the extent of the modifications is related to the scale of observation (small- vs. large-scale undulations, i.e. roughness and waviness, respectively), with an overall increase of surface roughness as the weathering proceeds. Unexpectedly, coatings based on nanoparticle dispersions increase the topographic height parameters, due to the absence of a homogeneous film.     

古籍书库灾害的防治

由于产生的年代较为久远而面临着自然的或人为的损毁,又由于其所具备的特殊性,古籍文献已不可再生。文章阐述了虫、水、火这几种灾害对古籍的危害,以及怎样防护和救治古籍。     

Stone reinforcement by calcite crystal precipitation induced by organic matrix macromolecules

Abstract

The weathering of stone monuments results in the leaching of calcite, with a consequent increase in porosity and decrease in integrity. A new method of consolidation uses organic matrix macromolecules extracted from Mytilus californianus shells to induce the precipitation of calcium carbonate within the pores of the stone. The procedure has been tested in the laboratory on samples of bioclastic limestone and dolostone, by measuring changes in total porosity, amount of water absorbed and superficial cohesion. The results appear to confirm the success of the treatment.     

Microbial calcification of gypsum-rock and sulfated marble

Abstract

A broth containing the sulfate reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was used to treat samples of reagent calcium sulfate, gypsum-rock specimens, fragments from a marble monument with a black weathering crust rich in gypsum, and a marble monument with similar crust. Calcite was found to have formed on all treated surfaces suggesting that this microbe has the potential to clean crusted marble monuments whilst also regenerating calcite, the parent mineral of the marble.     

An Inorganic Magnesium-based Consolidant for the Consolidation of Silica Sand (A Substitute for Weathered Sandstone): A Preliminary Exploration

ABSTRACT

Sandstone is a common sedimentary rock that is easily carved due to its weakly cemented fine grains and relatively low strength. Therefore, numerous large-scale grottoes in China are made of sandstone. However, these sandstone cultural heritage structures are often seriously damaged due to temperature and humidity changes, air pollution, biodeterioration, and repeated dissolution and crystallization of soluble salts. In general, it is imperative that a consolidant capable of providing cohesion by infilling pores between the stone grains is synthesized. In recent years, it has been reported that using organic consolidation materials for sandstone protection comes with various negative effects, such as a short lifetime, poor compatibility, and preservation damage. Using inorganic consolidation materials to protect sandstone seems to be one of the research trends for the future. Herein, this paper introduces a permeable, inorganic magnesium-based material (MMH solution) for silica sand consolidation. To assess this consolidant, the paper investigates the influence of varying molar ratios of MgO:MgCl₂·6H₂O:H₂O on properties such as penetration depth, consolidation weight, colour variation, and compressive strength. The results demonstrate that the molar ratios of MgO:MgCl₂·6H₂O:H₂O can significantly affect the consolidation performance. Additionally, it is believed that the MMH solution of MgO:MgCl₂·6H₂O:H₂O?=?5:1:16 can be successfully used for the consolidation of silica sand, as the cubic specimens’ surface micrographs show good compatibility between the consolidation product and sand grains. Experiments (i.e. weight loss rate and mineralogical compositions analysis) are performed to evaluate the cubic specimens’ water resistance properties after being immersed in water. Furthermore, the consolidation material’s failure mechanism as a self-sacrificing material is preliminarily analyzed. Results indicate that MMH solution is a promising conservation material that shows great potential for consolidating severely weathered sandstone.     

浅谈古籍的防霉与除霉——以武汉大学图书馆为例

本文结合武汉大学图书馆的古籍保护和修复工作之实践,总结并分析现代图书馆馆藏古籍的防霉、除霉措施,寻找最切合本馆实际的古籍霉菌防治方案。     

清末民初戏曲抄本修复案例分析

甘肃省文化艺术研究所从民间收集的清末民初戏曲抄本,经过上百年的流传存在不同程度的老化、絮化、污染、破损等现象,已经无法翻阅。针对每本剧本不同的受损情况,通过认真地分析研讨,制订出不同的修复方案,分别采用水洗去污、挖镶、金镶玉等不同的修复方法,对其中部分抄本进行整理、修复,使其得到了治理性保护。     

The polychromed plasterwork of the Corral de Villalpando brothers. Historical study,scientific examination,conservation problems and possibilities of treatment

Abstract

Juan and Jerónimo del Corral, the former an architect and the latter a sculptor, developed their artistic activities in Castile during the second third of the sixteenth century. The originality of their work lies not only in their technique but also in their iconography: they combine the Spanish tradition of plaster work with the influence of the Italian Renaissance. This paper is a documentary and stylistic study of their work and discusses the problems of technique and conservation of the cupolas and walls of polychromed and gilded plaster relief. Due to its characteristics and its sensitivity to moisture, gypsum is a material which poses specific problems of behaviour and treatment. The various deteriorations it undergoes are shown as well as their causes and possible treatment. Scientific examination has been mainly directed towards the investigation of the support by IR and EDX spectrometry, the analysis of the polychromy by microscopy and the identification of the media by gas chromatography. The results show that the Corral brothers used a homogeneous technique for the plaster support, following the Hispano-Moresque tradition, whereas the polychromy shows various influences. As regards biological deterioration, two different groups of microorganisms were surveyed: bacteria and fungi. The results obtained in areas with and without polychromy and with various levels of moisture have been compared by different sampling techniques. Nitrifying and sulphate-reducing bacteria have been identified, which are responsible for the deterioration of stone monuments.     

河南省档案馆藏黄氏画像的抢救与修复

黄氏画像是河南省档案馆馆藏谱牒档案的重要组成,具有较高的研究价值,画像破损严重亟待抢救.本文在分析黄氏画像破损程度及原因基础上,提出了与专业团队合作、确定修复原则、制定修复方案、关注风险防范等抢救修复策略,并介绍了画像的修复程序、技术与方法.     

深部开采冲击地压防治技术与实践

为了解决某矿井-1030m水平首采面深部开采带来的冲击地压问题,运用综合指数法、钻屑法和电磁辐射法对冲击地压进行预测预报,结果显示,首采面的冲击危险指数达到0.73,钻屑量高达5.1 kg/m,电磁辐射值最大值接近50mV,具有中等强度冲击地压危险性。在早期预测的基础上,对具有冲击地压危险的区域采取爆破卸压、煤层注水和钻孔卸压等卸压解危措施。通过上述方法,首采面的钻屑量和电磁辐射幅值都大幅度降低,有效降低了综放工作面冲击地压发生的可能性。     

The records of memory, the archives of identity: celebrations, texts and archival sensibilities

Using a variety of examples of non-traditional archives, the article explores the concept of cultural archives that embraces dynamic events such as commemorations, monuments, and other community-based representations. The paradigm of the postcolonial archive is considered and analyzed as a potential model for such a living cultural archive.     

Decay and treatment of Macael white marble

Abstract

This paper reports the process of deterioration of the white marble used in the Alhambra of Granada, and its consequences. Variations in mineralogical composition, microscopic topology, hardness, compressive strength, propagation of ultrasonic waves, absorptIon and diffusion of water and properties related to the pore structure were studied. The relationships between these factors, the visible deterioration and possible mechanisms are discussed. A preliminary evaluation of some protective treatments was carried out. The results can also be applied to white Macael marble used in other monuments in an environment with wide fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity.     

“要素说”与“动静说”之比较

"要素说"已广为人们所熟知,"动静说"则长期被人们所忽视。要素说和动静说都是中国近代图书馆学理论上的丰碑,通过对两者的提出人的学科背景分析、两种理论的历史来源、受近代社会的影响和受美国哲学家杜威等影响的比较,对比了两者的主要共同点和不同点。     

从《闯关东》看东北地域性格文化的形成

《闯关东》作为一部历史文化巨制,它为我们再现了近代中国发生在东北大地上的一段移民史。闯关东是一个内涵非常丰富的概念,它不是一个简简单单的历史移民,也不是阎关东的人们在东北重建家园的经历,它应该是一次关于东北历史的重新整合。这次整合对东北地区产生了极其深刻的影响,而最大的影响就是铸就了东北人独有的性格特征．     

Toward greater objectivity: Formal production standards for processing units in libraries

The role of evaluator is virtually universal among technical services librarians. The extent to which political elements intrude in the evaluation process is not always recognized, but any perceptions of unequal bias will erode motivation and organizational effectiveness. Various studies suggest that elective inflation to ratings is more prevalent than conscious deflation. Formal standards, when carefully maintained, can clarify management expectations; enable employees to selfmonitor production; render the evaluation event more predictable and the task of giving negative feedback more impersonal; reduce perceptions of political or personal bias; forestall frivolous litigation by employees; and increase productivity and morale. Formal standards require careful monitoring of work flow and of factors influencing production, and revisions to standards at times may be required. Consistency in the application of standards among staff is essential. The costs of maintaining standards should be weighed against the likely benefits to the organization.     

‘ONE STATE,ONE TELEVISION,ONE PUBLIC’

This article seeks to reappraise two popular yet neglected examples of variety programming, which appeared on French television during the 1960s: Discorama and Age tendre et tête de bois. While the former has been situated within a realist televisual aesthetic and regarded as a launch-pad for French singer-songwriters, the latter has been represented as a youth-oriented vehicle for rock ‘n’ roll and yé-yé pop music. Although such interpretations are to a large extent valid, this article will argue that both programmes should also be viewed as symptomatic of Charles de Gaulle's statist broadcasting strategy, which placed great emphasis on creating social cohesion via programmes designed to appeal to the widest possible audience.