Preliminary research on conservation materials applied in the “reconstructive overall relocation” of Mongol Empire-Yuan Dynasty murals at Dong’er Village, Pucheng County
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(1. Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, Xi’an 710109, China;2. Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Archaeological Conservation (Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology), Xi’an 710109, China;3. Key Scientific Research Base of On-site Conservation (Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology), National Cultural Heritage Administration, Xi’an 710109, China;4. NPU Institute of Culture and Heritage, Xi’an 710072, China;5. Key Laboratory of Archaeology Exploration and Cultural Heritage Conservation Technology (Northwestern Polytechnical University), Ministry of Education, Xi’an 710072, China)

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    Abstract:

    Reconstructive overall relocation represents an innovative conservation model for tomb murals. Its core lies in completing key procedures at the archaeological site, including penetration reinforcement of the mural body, fabrication of a transition layer, and replacement of supports for weight reduction, thereby ensuring the safe relocation and exhibition of the cultural relics. This approach maximizes the preservation of original structural and material information while achieving effective weight reduction, addressing the fundamental challenge of relocating large-scale mural tombs. Within this framework, the scientific screening of on-site conservation materials is critically important, as it directly affects the stability of the mural structure, including the pigment layer, lime plaster layer, and overall tomb integrity. Currently, research on the overall relocation of tomb murals has predominantly focused on condition surveys and indoor conservation, with limited attention to the scientific screening of on-site conservation materials. This study focuses on the Mongol Empire-Yuan Dynasty mural tomb at Dong’er Village, Pucheng County, Shaanxi Province, addressing key technical challenges encountered during the reconstructive overall relocation process, including the fragility of the lime plaster layer and the need to dismantle and replace the original supporting bricks. Using portable detection equipment, scientific material screening and effectiveness evaluation were conducted at the archaeological site. Operational indicators including permeability, chromatic aberration, hardness, adhesion-detachment rate, gluing phenomenon, and curing phenomenon were employed to systematically evaluate penetration reinforcement materials (PVB, PVAc, AC33, B72, nanolime, and their combinations) and support materials (combinations of chemical fiber cloth, carbon fiber cloth, glass fiber cloth with AC33 slurry and epoxy resin). These indicators were specifically selected for their practicality in field conditions and their ability to provide quantitative data for material comparison. Simultaneously, a sclerometer was used to quantitatively characterize the reinforcement effects of three key conservation procedures:penetration reinforcement, transition layer fabrication, and support replacement. The results demonstrate that B72 exhibits a penetration volume of 1.51-3.76 mL/cm3, a hardness increase rate of 100.68%, and an adhesion-detachment reduction rate of 91.67%, indicating optimal comprehensive performance as a penetration reinforcement material for the lime layer. In comparison, PVB showed insufficient penetration, AC33 exhibited excessive color change and slow curing, and nanolime combinations required up to 12 days for complete curing, making them impractical for on-site work schedules. Epoxy resin penetrates glass fiber cloth evenly, exhibits high strength after curing and adheres strongly to the honeycomb aluminum core, making it the optimal support material combination. Following the three key conservation procedures, the average hardness of the mural structure increased from 103 HLC in the original lime layer to 589 HLC in the epoxy glass fiber cloth layer, with gradually decreasing hardness dispersion, indicating significantly enhanced structural hardness and improved uniformity. The integrity, safety, and stability of the tomb murals were effectively guaranteed. This study establishes a rapid screening and effectiveness evaluation methodology for mural conservation materials applicable to archaeological sites. It innovatively applies the combination of epoxy resin and glass fiber cloth, a fiber-reinforced composite material, together with a honeycomb aluminum core to the mural support structure. This enhances the scientific and standardized quality of reconstructive overall relocation work and provides an important reference for the conservation of similar cultural heritage, particularly for large-scale architectural remains requiring structural reinforcement and relocation.

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History
  • Received:February 09,2025
  • Revised:March 28,2025
  • Adopted:
  • Online: May 12,2026
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