Vésztő-Mágor: Building the brick wall to protect the crumbling profiles
01
Removed the failed render
The Vésztő-Mágor tell in southeastern Hungary is a prehistorical tell dating to the Neolithic, Copper Age and Bronze Age located in the Vésztő-Mágor National Historical Park. It is an in situ exhibition of the excavation trench.
The first excavations took place in the 1980s. The trench was left open and archaeologists at that time attempted to use plaster and mud render with mesh and nails to preserve the excavation profiles but it has became increasingly unstable and collapsed in places. Conservators and archaeologist for this project worked together to remove the render
02
Making mud bricks
To protect the crumbling excavation profiles, we had to make mud bricks to build a wall to protect it. To make the mud bricks we used the sieved soil from excavating the site mixed with water, then add sieved hay and perlite into the mixture. We did a few attempts until we got the right consistency (2 :1.5 :1 mud: hay: perlite). The mixtures were put into takeaway boxes and dried under the sun.
03
Building the mud brick wall
To protect the profiles, we had to build a brick wall . Archaeologist and conservators were working together to make hundreds of mud bricks whilst others are building the wall. Geotextile was placed between the bricks and the profile. Mortar was made using soil with water, hay and perlite (2: 1.5: 0.5) to make the brick wall.
04
Mud brick wall
The picture on the right shows the mud brick wall our team built together, it was difficult to keep the same level for each layer, we made sure to use the level tool and cut the mud bricks to match the level. It successfully protects the crumbling profile and this project continues for every summer in the next 4 years.
