Preservation of clay carving from the citadel of the Kulan settlement

The full cycle of works on the preservation of the carved decoration revealed during the excavations of the Kulan settlement in 2015 is being considered. An attempt was made to preserve the panels of carved clay in place by methods of preventive conservation (canopy arrangement, fabric covering), but due to the contact of the walls with the soil mass and the accumulation of water-soluble salts on the surface of the carving further destruction of the carved plaster. In 2017, fragments of carved clay panels were removed from the walls of the citadel premises for laboratory maintenance and restoration. The removal was carried out mainly in conditions of high humidity of the room, therefore, methods were previously developed that exclude the fixing of clay by deep impregnation. In laboratory conditions, in order to safely carry out restoration measures, the clay was reinforced to the entire thickness of the plaster by impregnation with a solution of consolidant, after which the removal of water-soluble salts and later layers, the connection of scattered fragments, assembly on a new base, preparation of exposition panels in accordance with the location of the preserved carvings on the walls of the excavated room was performed. In the course of the work, both the generally accepted methods of restoration of monumental paintings from archaeological excavations and the own developments of the scientific and restoration laboratory "Island of Crimea" were used. In 2021, the restored panels were transferred to the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The Kulan settlement, dating from the VI – beginning of the XIII century, is located 1.5 km from the village of the same name (Ryskulovsky district, Zhambyl region) is a complex of monuments of different times identified with the city of Kulan. It was first mentioned in sources dating back to the first half of the VII century. Archaeological research of the settlement was started at the end of the XIX century by V.V. Barthold. The first archaeological excavations on the territory of Kulan were carried out in 1936 by A.N. Bernshtam. In the following years, several mounds with buildings of the rural district were excavated – Lugovoye A, B, C, D, the citadel of the settlement was explored by pits. The archaeological study of the citadel was carried out in 2015-2017 within the framework of the Project 0005/PCF-00-ISS/0-15-FROM the Kulan Settlement. The excavations were carried out by an archaeological expedition of the Kazakh Research Institute of Culture of the ISS RK under the leadership of S.Sh. Akylbek.