Conservation without conservators: conservation concepts and techniques in historic Maymand

Abstract

Conservation specialists have used different techniques to conserve historic monuments according to relevant theoretical principles. This paper, however, investigates approaches used by local people in a semi-nomadic society: vernacular conservation. Maymand village in Iran is examined here: its inhabitants have produced architectural forms in harmony with nature in their three residential quarters (troglodytic village, ābādis and āghols). First, the local inhabitants' beliefs and views about the site have been approached qualitatively. Then conservation concepts and techniques of the local population are introduced through field examinations in troglodytic houses and āghols. These two aspects of the subject combine to show that the local people have a deep knowledge of their site, and their attitude towards conservation is interestingly similar to scholarly conservation theory.