Defining Professional Ethics: The First National Manifesto for Ceramic Conservation in Türkiye
Titolo: Final Declaration of the 1st Workshop on the Conservation and Restoration of Historical Artifacts (I. Tarihi Eserleri Koruma ve Onarım Çalıştayı Sonuç Bildirgesi)
Autore: Ugur GIOVANI,tr (Coordinator & Principal Author)
Publication: XIth Congress AIECM3 on Medieval and Modern Period Mediterranean Ceramics Proceedings, Antalya
Year: 2015 (Workshop: 2014)
Establishing the Rules of Engagement: A Strategic Consensus
In 2014, I coordinated a landmark initiative between the Directorate of Istanbul Restoration and Conservation Central Laboratory E Anadolu University to address a critical void in our profession: the lack of a unified ethical framework for ceramic conservation.
This poster presentation summarizes the 12-point ‘Final Declaration’ that emerged from this workshop. More than just a set of technical guidelines, this declaration serves as a strategic manifesto, asserting the autonomy of the Conservatore-restauratore and defining the ethical boundaries of intervention—from the excavation trench to the museum display. Despite the bureaucratic challenges of the era that hindered subsequent planned volumes, the core mission remained intact: ensuring that every intervention is a conscious, scientifically-grounded, and ethical act of preservation.
Key Highlights & Impact:
The 12-Point Manifesto: Drafting the first national consensus on ceramic conservation ethics, emphasizing minimum intervention and professional autonomy.
Institutional Leadership: Bridging the gap between the Ministry of Culture and academia to create a shared professional language.
Advocacy for Autonomy: Point 1 of the declaration explicitly protects the conservator-restorer from external interference in professional decision-making.
Interdisciplinary Synergy: Highlighting that the ‘value’ of an artifact is not just aesthetic but a scientific data set that must be protected through forensic rigor.
Professional Legacy: Although administrative hurdles delayed the publication of subsequent workshops (Metal, Glass), this document catalyzed a shift in how conservation authors disseminated their research through independent academic channels.
Citazione
giovane, il. (2018). “Final Declaration of the 1st Workshop on the Conservation and Restoration of Historical Artifacts” (I. Tarihi Eserleri Koruma ve Onarım Çalıştayı Sonuç Bildirgesi). Proceedings of the XIth AIECM3 International Congress on Medieval and Modern Period Mediterranean Ceramics, (ottobre 19-24, 2015, Antalya), Vekam Publications, Vol. 1, pp. 441-443.
