Publicomos

Notice (permalien)

Réf.

41706

Type

conference item

Titre

Conservation of the grottoes and earthen architectures on the Silk Road in China

Langues

English

Auteurs

Wang, Xudong / Li, Zuixiong / Zhao, Haiying

Lieu de publication

Paris

Pays de publication

France

Maison d'édition

ICOMOS

Date

2005

Pages

13 p.

Titre de conférence

15th ICOMOS General Assembly and International Symposium: ‘Monuments and sites in their setting - conserving cultural heritage in changing townscapes and landscapes’

Lieu de conférence

Xi'an, China

Date de conférence

17 – 21 oct 2005

Mots-clés

Silk Road / cultural routes / grottoes / earth architecture / conservation measures / building materials

Résumé en anglais

The grottoes and earthen architectures on the Silk Road in China are of great cultural significance. Most of the grottoes were excavated into conglomerate rock, which is soft, consisting of gravels and sands bound by clay or calcium salts. Earthen structures were built using sand and clay as raw materials. The climate of the Gobi desert—characterized by strong winds carrying wind-blown sand and occasional heavy rain—is responsible for severe damage to earthen structures. Many ancient sites are facing the threat from desertification. Moreover, site protection in the past was inadequate, and unable to combat such practices as exploitation of earthen sites for farming, inappropriate use, and unplanned excavations by foreign explorers. At present, many ancient sites on the Silk Road are in danger of disappearing.Dunhuang Academy has over the years conducted conservation research, including the assessment of significance, condition recording, analytical research, and the development of conservation materials and technologies for many sites on the Silk Road. A number of major conservation projects have been undertaken, including the Yumen Pass and Hecang site in Dunhuang, Western XiaEmperor No.3 mausoleum in Yinchuan, and the Beacon tower of Jiaohe. The results of the consolidation have assessed and judged effective.

Document joint

2-41.pdf

Licence

Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (BY-NC-ND)