Tracing Stone Legacies

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As part of this program, the extensive specimen collection of building and decorative stones assembled by heritage geologist Alois Kieslinger (1900–1975) is being documented and preserved. This collection comprises over 3,500 stone samples, primarily from the former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and neighboring countries. The process involves the digital inventory of the collection, including the handwritten notes and historical labels. Each sample is assigned a new inventory number and photographed from both the front and back. Following this, conservation measures like cleaning and gluing of fragmented pieces as well as of historic labels are implemented and the storage conditions improved (dust cover, separation layers etc.). The collaboration between study programs specializing in stone conservation from the Czech Republic (University Pardubice – Faculty of Restoration [UPCE-FR]), Croatia (Academy of Fine Arts in Split - Conservation-Restoration Department [UMAS], and Austria (University of Applied Arts Vienna – Institute of Conservation [IoC]) provides an excellent opportunity for knowledge transfer regarding the historic use of lithic materials partly originating from the tree different countries, all formally part of the Austro Hungarian monarchy. Additionally, this partnership fosters synergies, allowing for the joint identification of previously unclassified stones types while simultaneously transferring the acquired knowledge to students from the tree study programs.

Funding

Status

Completed