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This paper presents the current state of conservation of historic roof churches located in the Żuławy of Gdańsk (Poland). It also describes the architecture of these temples, the region itself and old carpentry techniques for constructing roof trusses. Interdisciplinary tests were carried out in six churches. The geometry of the load bearing structures, the moisture content and the carpentry technique were specified. The field survey also included visual inspections and non-destructive testing of timber structural elements of the roof constructions. The ground penetrating radar and ultrasonic testing methods were used to assess the structure and extent of the damage to the timber elements. The interdisciplinary research presented in this article is important in the planning of historic buildings conservation works and it might be applied to other timber structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a method for creating a ceramic Venus figurine replica from a mold in the Museum of Ceramic Techniques collection in Koło, Poland stored at the museum for many years. Moreover, none of the Venus figurines in this collection have been preserved to the present day. Our process starts with partially degraded mold fragments and ends with an actual copy of the Venus figurine in three forms: faience kilned to bisque, porcelain, and glazed faience. The entire process involves understanding old manufacturing technology, conservation supervision, and state-of-the-art 3D scanning, data processing, and 3D printing technologies. We began with a preservation state evaluation that included a technical analysis of the degradation state of the mold. Then, we applied 3D scanning technology using the structured light method. Later, we integrated all mold fragments into front and back 3D models. These 3D models were optimized for 3D printing technology and were used to manufacture the mold. Finally, the printed fragments were corrected using traditional techniques performed by art conservators. This process took comparatively less time and produced a more realistic result than would have been observed if only 3D software had been used. This process also enabled us to create educational materials for the Koło museum about old manufacturing technologies. From the point of view of museum visitors, the copies are made with sufficient detail that they are indistinguishable from handmade artifacts. Our estimates show that combining both techniques (traditional and digital) saved approximately 25% of the time that would have been used if the individual techniques had been used separately. We also believe that our use case could be transferred to a broader group of objects that use molding in their production processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a diagnosis of damage to heritage structures based on the case of the historic church in Kożuchów. The Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary dates back to the thirteenth century and is an important sacral building in south-west Poland. Renovation and strengthening works have been conducted in recent years with the goal of structurally stabilizing the heritage building. The paper includes a short history of the building, as well as a review of contemporary diagnostic methods used in heritage buildings with emphasis on the methods used in the diagnosis of the discussed object. Correct diagnosis of the heritage building is the key to selecting an optimal design solution for supporting and strengthening the building structure. Pre-design analysis was based on a geotechnical assessment of ground conditions, identifying cracking patterns of walls and vaults, preparing a digital model using Heritage—Building Information Modeling technology and performing structural analysis. The main cause of cracking of the walls and vaults of the church is related to uneven subsidence and localized stability loss of the building's foundations, resulting from differentiated soil and water conditions beneath the building. Based on the research and analysis, final conclusions and proposals for strengthening the structure were presented, including jet-grouting columns, tie rods and Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Matrix systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extending the life cycle of heritage buildings through their adaptive reuse can ensure their survival and is concordant with the policy of sustainable development. Selecting a new form of use for heritage building adaptive reuse projects is a multidimensional process that can be significantly aided by multi-criteria decision-making approaches. In this paper, the authors have proposed a hybrid form of structural analysis, which is a formulation of a multi-criteria approach to the analysis of complementary forms of use for a complex of historical buildings, to be used during the early planning stages of adaptive reuse projects for heritage building complexes. The approach has been demonstrated on the example of the Boyen Fortress complex in Giżycko, Poland. The outcome of the analysis indicated that the highest share of floor space to be adapted should be dedicated to exhibition spaces, which is justified concerning cultural heritage benefits. This approach can be of significant aid to decision-makers during adaptive reuse project planning phases, thereby facilitating the continued survival of heritage sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open-air Archaeological Museum in Biskupin (Poland) preserves and shows to the public a prehistoric settlement of Lusatian culture dating back to Early Iron Age (eighth century BC). The monitoring of the environment and dynamics of the wood degradation in the burial conditions at the site is fundamental for the in situ preservation of archaeological wooden materials. A monitoring program thus started in 2003 at the Biskupin site, using contemporary sound oak wood that was placed in two wet burial environments, characterised by different conditions. A multi-analytical protocol was exploited to obtain information on the structural, physical and chemical conditions of the buried wood. The study involved the application of gravimetric and wet chemical analysis, and instrumental techniques, including infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and analytical pyrolysis (Py–GC/MS) to evaluate alterations in the buried oak wood over a 10-year period. The results showed that, during the burial period in both monitoring stations, there was only limited chemical transformation of the polysaccharide component, mostly involving hemicelluloses. The differences observed might be due to the natural compositional variability and inhomogeneity of oak wood. The final condition of the wood was very similar in the two burial environments. It is therefore suggested that the wet burial conditions in the Biskupin site represent a safe conservation environment for the in situ preservation of the wood remains, at least those presenting a good initial preservation state. This supports the conservation strategy adopted in the Biskupin Museum site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object discoveries from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum (PMA-B) in Poland challenge the efforts to preserve paint on corroded steel supports. The objects have been exposed to outdoor weathering conditions and then buried for about 65 years. This caused severe damage, such as corrosion and paint delamination. The fragile condition of such cultural heritage objects makes their preservation difficult and comprehensive studies for paint conservation are lacking. Additionally, a thorough investigation of used materials is needed to put objects produced by forced labour in historical context. In this study, we analysed signposts from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum (Poland) collection to gain information about used materials, the object's genesis as well as damage phenomenology. Literature research suggests that the signposts may be produced within the former German NAZI concentration and extermination camp. Inorganic constituents were identified using elemental analysis, such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy coupled to an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM–EDS). Organic matter was analysed utilizing vibrational spectroscopic instrumentation Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Our results include the use of synthetic organic pigments (SOPs) and binders, which were newly emerged paint materials at that time. The study highlights the need for conservators to have detailed understanding of composite materials and demonstrates the need for further investigation concerning painted steel objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]