Reburial is a protective intervention measure to preserve excavated site remains for the future and an important component of the archaeological site conservation work carried out by the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI). The Reburial of Mosaics: Literature Review and Training and Planning Documents provides information and methodologies to expand and improve the practice of reburial of mosaic pavements for their protection.
Part I is a literature review covering advances and trends in mosaic reburial theory and practice since 1973. It is a thorough guide to the foundational literature on this indispensable and sustainable protection measure.
Part II is a selection of the mosaic conservation and reburial planning, monitoring, and maintenance documents produced during GCI training courses and field projects since 2010. The training and planning documents, mostly published here for the first time, cover the entire process of reburial, from a framework for deciding to rebury to designing and planning reburial to guidelines on the rapid inspection and assessment of the condition and performance of a mosaic reburial. The documents include forms to support the work of archaeologists, site managers, conservators, and conservation technicians when planning and implementing a reburial.
Together, the two parts of this publication provide practitioners with the theory and practical tools necessary to conserve our mosaic heritage on archaeological sites for generations to come.