CHARACTERIZATION AND RESTORATION RECOMMENDATIONS OF SOME ADOBE SHRINES AT EL-BAGAWAT CEMETERY, KHARGA OASIS, WESTERN DESERT - EGYPT.

Abstract

The existing research focuses on an important type of early Christianarchitecture, which was common in Kharga oasis, western desert, Egypt.Kharga oasis includes the largest cemetery dated back to the late third/earlyfourth to the seventh century A.D. this cemetery called .El-Bagawat cemetery..All shrines in this cemetery were built of mud brick .adobe. blocks and mudmortars. Most of walls and facades of those shrines covered with mud and/orlime plasters. This study focused on two shrines at El-Bagawat cemetery, theyare shrines numbers 66 and 90. The study showed the main factors ofdeterioration. All building materials; adobe, mortars and mud plasters werestudied, characterized by using different methods and techniques such as;optical microscopy (by USB digital microscope), scanning electron microscopy(SEM-EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Also, physical and mechanicalproperties were studied on selected samples. The results referred that themain deterioration factors affected the historic adobe shrines at El-Bagawatcemetery are the major climatic changes, biological factors and lack ofcomprehensive restoration/management plan. Using modified adobe blocksand mortars for the purpose of completion and reconstruction (mainly thisbricks contained 65 % kaolinite-rich soil + 17 % salt-free sand + 15 % slakedlime + 3 % fiberglass) and provide a sustainable development plan; is themain way to keep this heritage saved and protected.