Training course and maintenance plan
Future sustainability of the treatment results achieved on the painted surfaces depends on the implementation of a periodical maintenance plan and continuous monitoring of the monument.
For this reason, an integral part of the project was drafting a maintenance schedule and holding a training course on the worksite for six Yemeni technicians already employed by the Department of Antiquities (GOAMM). They will be responsible for future maintenance of the building and its paintings.
Topics covered during the course focused on the theoretical principles of conservation and maintenance of wall paintings, together with more technical aspects of painting restoration.
Course participants were able to practice techniques of consolidation, cleaning and integration. Particular emphasis was placed on recognition and documentation of forms of alteration, so as to give the technicians the tools for checking surfaces in the future, as well as the basics for applying conservation first aid.
The maintenance plan for the future involves annually dusting the surfaces, checking the efficiency of external rendering and rainwater drainage, and monitoring the surfaces to verify their condition.
Maintenance of the surfaces should be accompanied by ordinary maintenance of the building itself. Important features will be regularly cleaning the hall, using vacuum cleaners to avoid further dust deposit on the painted surfaces, checking that windows close properly, and immediately repairing any damage to the rendering of the domes. In particular, checking the roofing and any necessary repairs should be done twice a year, before the rainy seasons. For lighting the hall (instead of oil lamps), a special electrical system with cool lamps was installed.
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