Reconstruction of archaeological sites: Principles practice and evaluation

Abstract

The reconstruction works at archaeological sites need to be approached with caution to prevent disturbing any surviving evidence. This study aims to develop criteria for the evaluation of reconstructions at archaeological sites. The criteria have been developed through review of current international and national conservation charters to help improve reconstruction proposals. These criteria are determined considering the remain scale and the site scale. Accuracy of the reconstruction, avoidance of physical damage, compatibility of materials, distinguishability of the interventions, availability of the interventions for future applications, and reversibility are the criteria concerning the remain scale; limits of the intervention, retainability of the original characteristics of the site, and perception of the reconstruction are the criteria concerning the site scale. These criteria are applied to the reconstruction works realized at the West Stoa of Agora, zmir, Turkey during 1930s, which had to be dismissed and reimplemented in 2000s. The recent reconstruction was applied with compatible materials; the interventions did not damage the original materials and they are distinguishable. This study of the reconstruction presents the latest architectural information, provides a basis for future studies, and is reversible. The reconstructed structure does not falsify the original characteristics, but enables increased perception of the site.