Abstract
Corvin Castle, located in Hunedoara County (Transylvania), is an important Romanian cultural site. Originally, a fort constructed in the 14th century, it was first converted into a castle by Ioan de Hunedoara in the 15th century, frequently changing owners (with significant construction in the 15th and 17th centuries) until it was abandoned in the mid-19th century. After undergoing various ill-fated reconstruction efforts in the late 19th century, the castle reopened in the 1950s when the Romanian government renewed its interest in cultural sites and undertook a series of sparsely-documented archaeological investigations and conservation projects. Presently, restoration efforts require renewed investigation of Corvin Castle’s construction and history. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a promising tool for investigating the construction phases of heritage structures like Corvin Castle, where invasive methods are inappropriate and extensive historical modification has left incomplete records. In 2017, a comprehensive GPR survey of the castle was conducted. The survey recognizes features mentioned in texts, discovers previously unknown constructions, locates areas of moisture ingress around the courtyard, and identifies the extent and composition of the building foundations. Information gained from these scans, especially combined with printed sources, is an asset in planning restoration efforts and understanding the effects of past modifications.
Highlights
The field of heritage preservation and conservation is diverse, bringing together an impressive array of disciplines, sites, and objectives
Asterisks (*) indicate that Ground penetrating radar (GPR) scans of the area include a material change in the foundation of the indicated room; the foundations are discussed separately
Even though historical accounts of Corvin Castle are sparse and can be inconsistent or difficult to obtain, GPR scans were able to confirm features reported in both plans and textual sources, especially the foundation of the 14th century fortress walls (e.g., Figures 15, 22, and 24)
Summary
The field of heritage preservation and conservation is diverse, bringing together an impressive array of disciplines, sites, and objectives. Unified by the notion that historical sites are a singular resource that hold value beyond their physical nature, conservators attempt to ensure that heritage sites remain accessible and retain their historical agency for the future. These sites are irreplaceable and valuable in terms of cultural significance, as repositories of historical knowledge, and for the tourism revenue they provide. They often face an onslaught of challenges—from limited work time, funding, and personnel, to the complicated relationships between stakeholders, funding sources, and legislative bodies. Successful conservation projects must take all of these challenges in stride and leverage each piece of information and expertise available, ensuring that the sites they seek to preserve are not mismanaged and subjected to unnecessary, harmful, or irreversible changes
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