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A space in the Hadrianic Baths
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A room in the Hadrianic Baths
At the request of Professor Robert Smith of the University of Oxford, a detailed inspection and survey was made of the Hadrianic Baths at Aphrodisias, Anatolia, during the months of August and September 2010, to assess the physical condition and possible conservation requirements of the extant ruins.
The ruins are in the preliminary stages of evaluation, and there are a number of areas that are structurally unstable. Timber shoring has been inserted in places to provide extra support but ideally these would be replaced with more permanent measures in the near future.
Excavation and exposure of the Baths complex to the environment in the 1960s has resulted in the erosion of weak materials such as soft mortars and cracked stone. In contrast to this, many areas are obscured or covered by accumulations of vegetation and dirt, and the condition of some floor and features cannot be assessed until they are further excavated or cleared.
Our report provided a detailed fabric survey supported by photographs which identified types and causes of decay. Conservation recommendations were then made in accordance with a list of specified methods that are accepted and practised at the site of Aphrodisias.
Recommended works can be divided into the following categories:
- Structural repair
- Excavation and architectural research
- Walls: Non-structural repair
- Walls: Preventative conservation/Maintenance
- Finishes: conservation/restoration
- Floor repairs and conservation