EwaGlos – Glossary of Conservation Terms for Wall Paintings and Architectural Surfaces

Revised second digital edition published in December 2016

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The mobility of conservation specialists in Europe and the tenders of contracts on the European level are increasing at the same speed as the public’s interest in their cultural heritage and the preservation measures shown e.g. at the European Heritage Days. But communication is still difficult because the conservation terminology is not yet standardised in Europe and the dissemination to the general population not sufficient.

For this reason, a consortium of seven institutions—supported by associated partners and external experts und with another four European languages—has developed the richly illustrated glossary in eleven languages. The concise texts and demonstrative illustrations are designed to help readers quickly grasp and understand each term. The project specialised in wall paintings and architectonic surfaces because the terminology differs between the different fields of materials.

From the end of October 2015, the glossary is available to the general public as an inexpensive, not-for-profit print publication:

EwaGlos - European Illustrated Glossary of Conservation Terms
for Wall Paintings and Architectural Surfaces

English definitions with translations into Bulgarian, Croatian, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Spanish and Turkish, ed. by Angela Weyer, Pilar Roig Picazo, Daniel Pop, JoAnn Cassar, Aysun Özköse, Jean-Marc Vallet and Ivan Srša, Petersberg 2015 (=Series of publications by the Hornemann Institute 17)

On the basis of a global survey, the consortium was able to identify the areas in which the glossary could be improved. What could be changed in the pdf, such as typing errors, hyphenations, suitable pictures etc., was published as a revised second digital edition of the glossary on the project website in December 2016. Download here.

Meanwhile, there are now five more translations available:

  • Arabic (June 2017) was developed under the direction of Professor Dr Hussein Mohamed Ali, Restoration Department of Minia University in Egypt. Download here
  • Japanese (July 2018) could be publicized in cooperation of Professor Dr Takeshi Ishizaki, Tohoku University of Art and Design (Japan) and Member of ICOMOS, together with thirteen colleagues. Download here
  • Russian (December 2018) is supplemented with the German text and was compiled by Professor Dr Yulia Griber of the Smolensk State University (Russia), together with six colleagues.Download here
  • Persian (May 2019), compiled by Dr. Mehdi Razani, Assistance Professor of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, and Fatemeh Sehati M.Sc. in Archaeometry from Department of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Property of the Tabriz Islamic Art University in Teheran (Iran). Download here
  • Russian Translation of English Definitions of 2nd Revised Digital Edition with corresponding terms in all languages (Moskow 2020, online March 2020) ed. by Professor Dr. Yulia Griber (Smolensk State University), Download here (pdf, ~ 5,82 MB)
  • Chinese (November 2022) compiled by Gesa Schwantes, Associate Professor from Institute for Cultural Heritage Preservation, Shanghai University, China. Download here

The Project:

The main activities during the 24-month duration were

  • to clarify the terminology amongst European specialists
  • to translate the terminology in up to ten languages (Bulgarian, Croatian, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Spanish, Turkish)
  • to illustrate the terminology
  • to communicate this information to the general public, the building trades and the scientific community.

Duration: October 2013 - September 2015

Coordinator:

HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen
Hornemann Institute:
Dr. Angela Weyer (project management)
Dipl.-Rest. Sophie Haake-Harig, Dipl.-Rest. Barbara Hentschel M.A., Barbara Neubauer M.A., Valeria Corradetti, Karin Schinken M.A., Nadia Thalguter M.A.

Faculty of Architecture, Engineering and Conservation
Prof. Dr. Dipl.-Rest. Ursula Schädler-Saub, Prof. Dr. Dipl.-Rest. Nicole Riedl-Siedow, Anneli Ellesat M.A.

Co-organisers:

  • ES - Universitat Politècnica de València (Dr. Pilar Roig Picazo)
  • RO - University of Art and Design, Cluj-Napoca (Prof. Dr. Daniel Pop)
  • MT - University of Malta (Prof. Dr. JoAnn Cassar)
  • TR - Karabük Üniversitesi (KBU) (Prof. Dr. Aysun Özköse)
  • FR – Centre Interdisciplinaire de Conservation et Restauration du Patrimoine, Marseille, France (Dr. Jean-Marc Vallet)
  • HR - Croatian Conservation Institute, Zagreb (Dr. Ivan Srša)
     
     

Associated Partners:

  • BG - National Academy of Arts, Department of Conservation, Sofia (Assoc. Prof. Stefan Belishki)
  • DE - Landesamt für Denkmalpflege im Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart (Dr. Dipl.-Rest. Dörthe Jakobs)
  • DE - Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart (Prof. Dipl.-Rest. Roland Lenz)
  • IT - Opificio delle Pietre Dure e Laboratori di Restauro della Fortezza da Basso di Firenze, Italy (Mariarosa Lanfranchi)

Involved experts:

  • DE - Axel Ermert, CEN (European Committee for Standardization)
  • DE - Prof. Adrian Heritage M.A. Dipl. Cons. ACR
  • P - Dr. Ewa Święcka
  • RO - Dr. Márta Guttmann

The dissemination of the project findings will be supported by:

  • ECCO (European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers' Organisations)
  • ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property), Rome
  • ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites):
    German National Scientific Committee for the Conservation and Restoration of Wall Paintings and Architectural Surface
  • IIC (International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Work), London
  • WTA (International Association for Science and Technology of Building Maintenance and the Preservation of Monuments), Munich

In the frame of CULTURE PROGRAMME 2007-2013, Strand 1.2.1: Co-operation measures