ÇATALHÖYÜK 2000 ARCHIVE REPORT

Conservation / Konservasyon

Kent Severson

Abstract

Artifact conservation work began and ended with repairs to Building 5, following the damage to the tent and subsequent water ingress that occurred the previous May. Small finds treatments, as well as ongoing treatment of Building 5, were generally covered by Özdemir for the remaining weeks of July, the month of August, and into September. Highlights included preparation of an unusual unfired painted plaster bowl and several ceramic vessels for display in the Konya Museum.

Özeti

Buluntu konservasyon işleri, çeşitli dış etkenlerden çadırın tahrip olması sonucunda su sızıntısına bağlı olarak gerçekleşen tahribati gidermek amacıyla, Bina 5’te başlayıp Bina 5’te bitmiştir. Küçük buluntu çalışmaları ile birlikte Bina 5’te yapılan çalışmalar Temmuz’un son haftalarından Eylül ayının başına kadar Özdemir tarafından yapılmıştır. Önemli çalışmalar Konya Müzesi’nce sergilenmek üzere, fırınlanmamış, plasterden yapılmış boyalı bir tas ve çeşitli seramik kaplar üzerinde gerçekleştirilmiştir.

Introduction

Artifact conservation at Çatalhöyük during the 2000 season was undertaken by Kent Severson (Private Practice, Boston, Massachusetts) and Emin Murat Özdemir, (Private Practice, Ankara, Turkey). Severson visited the site from 18 July to 26 July, and again from 1 to 15 September. Özdemir worked continuously from 18 July to 14 September. The first week on site was spent executing urgent treatment on Building 5 in the North area and orienting Özdemir to typical materials found and treatments needed at Çatalhöyük. Small finds, as well as ongoing treatment of Building 5, was covered by Özdemir for the remaining weeks of July, the month of August, and into September. The first week of September was again devoted to repairs in Building 5 while the last week of conservation on the site was given over primarily to preparation of artifacts for display in the Konya Museum.

All treatments undertaken are recorded in writing in the Conservation Database. This database, established in 1999, is linked to the main Çatalhöyük database through each artifact’s unique GID number. All treatments are given a Conservation Laboratory number (for example: 00.030, etc.) and the conservation reference numbers were written on the identifying tag accompanying each object. An indexed hard copy of the records from the 2000 season was printed and left at the site in a binder with collected reports from previous seasons. In addition to the digital version, it is recommended that a hard copy also be printed for the Çatalhöyük archive at Cambridge University.

Building 5.

Two large rips in the tent covering Building 5 allowed penetration of rainwater into the excavation. The damage to the archaeological remains was described in a separate report, submitted after a brief inspection by Severson on 31 May ("Examination and Condition Report: Building 5, Çatalhöyük"). A detailed description of the damage and subsequent treatment can be found in the 2000 Conservation Treatment Database, Reference No. 00.006.

At the end of the 1999 season, Building 5 was relatively dry and stable, and presumably remained so until the spring of 2000 and the ingress of rainwater. In addition to the damage caused by water erosion along the scarps and walls, all materials in the building absorbed considerable moisture, causing softening and swelling of the clays from which the structure and its features are built. Slow drying over the summer has resulted in shrinking of walls and plasters and the subsequent appearance of many new cracks and delaminations. Treatment of these features, including reattachment of fallen pieces of the oven (F 242) and reconstruction of the bins (F 233-235), as well as the injection and filling of numerous cracks, occupied much of the conservator’s time this season. These treatments appear to be successful and most of the features damaged in the flood have been stabilized and/or restored. As the building continues to dry, further cracking can be expected; with this in mind, further repairs will likely be necessary in the 2001 season.

Artifact Conservation

Artifact conservation this season, including the recovery of movable finds from the excavations, stabilization of artifacts in the laboratory, and preparation of artifacts for depot storage or display in the Konya Museum was largely the work of Emin Murat Özdemir. The numerous finds treated this season, categorized by material, are summarized as follows:

Ceramics and clay: twenty three ceramic or clay objects were treated this season. These included the very interesting unfired clay/plaster bowl (Conservation Ref. No. 00.057, 6571.X1) and a number of ceramic pieces restored for display in the Konya Museum.

Basket/phytolithic impressions: approximately twenty three samples of basket preserved in phytoliths were treated, including lifting, cleaning and repacking.

Bone, Human and Otherwise: five bone artifacts or fragments were treated this year, either by the conservator or by staff under supervision of the conservator.

Shell, Tooth or Horn: four objects treated.

Plaster or Wall Painting: eight samples of wall painting or painted plaster were treated, mostly red paint on white plaster.

Metals: three iron fragments, six copper alloy objects and one unusual lead bead were treated.

Glass: six glass objects or fragments were treated, primarily by cleaning.

Stone: seven stone objects passed through the lab.