Investigation of Deterioratıon Development in Cultural Buildıngs due to Atmospheric And Human Influences, The Example of Young Jesus Church

Abstract

Among cultural stone heritage, rock-carved monuments exhibit more permanent features than structures built with building stone. The widespread availability of easy-to-carve pyroclastic units, especially in Anatolia, has led to a rich rock-carved heritage in the region. The main threats to these monuments are the sensitivity of the rock unit from which the monument is built to atmospheric processes and the anthropogenic impacts to which the monument is exposed. While atmospheric processes evolve over time depending on the climate and geographical location of the region, human activities such as treasure hunting and vandalism can cause rapid destruction of monuments. In this study, Young Jesus Church carved into the pyroclastic rock in the Phrygian valley was investigated. It has been determined that both atmospheric deterioration processes and human influences have had an impact on the deterioration observed in this monument, from which the unique figures have partially survived to the present day. Within the scope of the study, visual deterioration analyses were carried out in-situ, and a basis was created for the restoration applications that need to be planned urgently.