Context: Presented at the 21st Museum Studies and Rescue Excavations Symposium (2012).
Role: Representative Speaker and Coordinator for the Metal Conservation Department of the Istanbul Central Laboratory.
This study serves as a comprehensive technical guide and a professional showcase of the sophisticated conservation-restoration workflows managed by the Istanbul Central Laboratory. Presented during the annual symposium for museum professionals, the paper outlines the strategic methodology required to preserve Türkiye’s vast metallurgical heritage—ranging from delicate numismatic collections to massive maritime artifacts.
To accurately reflect the operational scale and technical diversity of the laboratory, the presentation features a curated selection of significant projects. While highlighting the author’s primary conservation works, the study also incorporates exemplary cases conducted within the laboratory’s metal department during this period. This collective approach was specifically designed to demonstrate the institutional capacity and the high standards of standardized protocols applied by the laboratory’s expert team.
The Lifecycle of Conservation: The study details the four pillars of professional intervention: Documentation, Diagnosis, Application (cleaning, stabilization, and reintegration), and Long-term Maintenance.
Case Studies in Focus: Notable examples include the restoration of the Eros Statue from Mudanya, the gilded bronze fragments from Bodrum, and the pioneering use of Digital Flat Panel Radiography on the Yenikapı-1 shipwreck anchors.
Forensic & Analytical Integration: It emphasizes the laboratory’s transition toward “Forensic Conservation” through collaborations with TAEK for NDT (Non-Destructive Testing) and XRF elemental fingerprinting.
This presentation was instrumental in establishing a shared technical language between excavators and conservators. Following the success of this overview, a subsequent session was requested by the ministry, leading to a follow-up publication by the author specifically focused on Preventive Conservation in Archaeological Excavations, further educating the museum community on field-to-lab protocols.
Genç, U. (2014). “Arkeolojik Metallerin Konservasyonuna Genel Bakış”, 22. Müze Çalışmaları ve Kurtarma Kazıları Sempozyumu, (14-17 Kasım 2013, Adana), Kültür Varlıkları ve Müzeler Genel Müdürlüğü Yayınları, 473-493.