The Report of an Experience: Restoration of a Painted Bowl Pottery Belonging to the Old Bronze Age (2500-3000 BC) by Using Papier-Mache

The Reconstruction of damaged cultural-historical artifacts is essential for facilitating communication with the audience and, in some cases, in their conservation. The methods used for reconstructing pottery artifacts vary based on their destructive characteristics, missing parts, and the requirements of the cultural-social context. These methods have been carried out using different materials and techniques throughout different periods. Naturally, as science advances in the field of conservation and restoration, these methods and materials continue to evolve. This article not only introduces some restoration methods for pottery objects but also delves into the restoration of delicate pieces using the papier-mâché technique. Reconstructing delicate objects presents challenges concerning stability and balance due to the added weight the use of numerous filling materials during the reconstruction of missing parts can create problems in maintaining the balance and stability of the artifact. Therefore, in order to assess the papier-mâché method in restoring delicate and lightweight pottery artifacts, a fine and lightweight vessel acquired from the archaeological excavations at the Silveh tepe, situated in West Azarbaijan province, was restored. The main objective of this article is to introduce and implement a fresh approach for reconstructing fragile pottery objects with papier-mâché, which is deemed a thoughtful method due to its lightness, strength, ease of modification, and ability to preserve the balance and stability of the artifacts.