Problemy i kierunki archeologicznych badań konserwatorskich na przykładzie działalności PKZ PROBLEMS AND TRENDS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION STUDIES AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE ACTIVITIES OF MONUMENTS’ CONSERVATION WORKSHOPS (THE MCWS)*
The literature on problems concerning archaeological conservation
studies is scarce from a theoretical and methodical point of view;
it is limited in principle to speeches and papers delivered at archaeological
sessions and conferences arranged, inter alia, by the MCWs, to mention only more important ones such as papers by
W. Hensel, Z. Rajewski and some other Polish archaeologists.
A slightly different aspect, i.e. the protection o f archaeological
monuments in towns and green lands, was raised at the conference
at Białystok—Białowieża held in 1977. The problem o f general
recording o f archaeological posts was brought up by W. Chmielewski.
Trying to make a survey o f achievements in archaeological conservation
studies, the author has encountered difficulties in the field of terminology and criterions o f qualifying archaeological
research works as conservation ones. The attempt to establish
these criterions necessitates assuming that all archaeological studies
are scientific, because they employ scientific methods. Conservation
studies differ only in slightly different purposes and conditions
in which they will be carried out, depending in practical
conservation needs, e.g. on the level o f endangering. This will
result in time and space limitations affecting the outcome, i.e.
resources o f information acquired during the studies. Limitations
should be effected in a possibly cognizant way, based on competent
decisions. In face o f a devastating method of studies and the
above limitations, o f particular importance is thus the documentation
and integration o f research disciplines, selected in conformity
with the nature o f an object and relevant research problems. Of
substantial significance will also be the quality of research methods
as well as a structure o f the workshop including its technical
facilities.
A due attention is also attached to creating and observing a programme
o f research works, which, next to research problems
involved, should include a schedule o f works as well as conclusions
and postulates on conservation that can be formulated at that
stage. The process o f archaeological studies can be divided into
two stages. The first stage comprises cataloguing o f the site (sites),
a sounding reconnaissance study, test drilling by geophysical and
other methods. This would provide grounds for preparing a programme
o f proper studies, i.e. their second stage, and would also
give the answer to problems set as a result o f scientific works,
usually commenced in the course o f field studies. Basic trends of
archaeological conservation studies in Poland were given form in the
fifties’ and early sixties’, on the occasion o f archaeological studies
carried out prior to investment works (to mention only the site
o f constructing the Nowa Huta Steelworks near Krakow) and
also in connection with studies on the beginnings of the Polish
state. The latter studies gave rise to group research works involving
foundations and monuments’ complexes with medieval architectural
relics, continued by the Institute o f Material Culture
History at the Polish Academy of Sciences, Archaeological Department
as well as by a number of museums and the MCWs. They
also brought about a development and improvement of research
and documentation methods, broader integration of disciplines
involved and also extended a scope o f studies with contemporary
objects. Studies on sites o f prospect investment works and linked
with the expansion o f towns and settlements resulted in forming
the so-called broad-planed method o f research by means o f big
mechanical equipment. The method, enabling to view a complete
picture o f the settlement and its interdependencies, is employed by
archaeologists from the MCWs during studies on sites o f future
mines, water reservoirs, etc. A slightly different trend is displayed by
cataloguing investigations aimed at a country-wide scale and
based on a uniform system o f documentation. This long-term
research project, already under execution in some parts o f Poland,
provides for a cooperation between all archaeological circles.
In future, it should also include a campaign o f cataloguing such
field forms as medieval strongholds and grave mounds, basing
on uniform methods o f documentation.
*
* Monuments’ Conservation Workshops, state-owned enterprises, comprise at present nine Archaeological Conservation Workshops, in operation since 1957 and employing about fifty archaeologists.
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