A New Graduate Research: Portable Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage in the conservation and Falsehood / Reality on the problem to be monitored Methodologies

The Birth of a Methodology: Laying the Theoretical Foundations for the Forensic Investigation of Material Authenticity
(Bir Metodolojinin Doğuşu: Materyal Otantikliğinin Adli İncelemesi İçin Teorik Temellerin Atılması)

Title: A New Graduate Research: Methodologies to be Followed in Documentation and Authenticity/Forgery Problems in the Conservation of Portable Cultural and Natural Properties (A New Graduate Research: Portable Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage in the conservation and Falsehood / Reality on the problem to be monitored Methodologies)
Author: Ugur YOUNG (PhD Candidate / Conservator-Restorer)
Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Akın AKYOL
Affiliation: Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, Graduate School of Cultural Heritage Conservation
Publication: Koç University Archaeology & History of Art Graduate Symposium Proceedings, Istanbul
Year: 2019

Announcing a Visionary Doctoral Framework to a Global Academic Audience

“Every great scientific discipline requires a comprehensive methodological baseline. This poster presentation, delivered at Koç University, marks the historical announcement and structured outline of my doctoral research—a journey that was successfully completed in 2023 and ultimately culminated in the publication of my landmark book, ‘The Foundation of Everything: Authenticity’ (Authenticity at the Top of Everything) in early 2026.

This early framework addresses a systemic gap in heritage management: the lack of standard documentation protocols and diagnostic criteria for distinguishing between authentic artifacts and sophisticated forgeries. Drawing on my field experience within the Ministry of Culture and Tourism since 2007, this research introduces a proactive methodology. It transitions the field from relying solely on subjective style analysis to a rigorous system of Heritage Science, utilizing advanced technologies (such as Micro-CT and Raman spectroscopy) to uncover the definitive material truth of an object.

Identification and verification are not supportive tools of conservation; they are the absolute prerequisites of its historical truth.

Key Highlights & Impact

The Blueprint for the 2026 Book: Outlining the core felsefi and technical definitions that later shaped the standard text on authenticity verification in Türkiye.
Preventing Academic Redundancy: Publicly announcing the doctoral research design to invite institutional collaboration and prevent overlapping academic efforts across national universities.
Defining the Role of the Conservator-Restorer: Aligning national training standards with global bodies like E.C.C.O. and ICOM-CC, asserting that a conservator’s duty is to serve as an independent witness of material truth.
Bridging Museum Collections: Setting up a case-study database involving contested artifacts from the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum to test the forensic workflow

Teen, The. (2019). “A New Graduate Research: Documentation and Methodologies to be Followed in the Problem of Falsity/Reality in the Conservation of Movable Cultural and Natural Heritage” [Poster], 7. Annual Koç University Archeology and Art History Graduate Research Symposium, timeless, ANAMED, İstanbul.

poster Presentations