Damage and Temporary Consolidation of a Hittite Urban Wall in the Archaeological Site of Arslantepe (Turkey)

This paper illustrates the damage of a Hittite adobe urban wall in the archaeological site of Arslantepe (Eastern Turkey) and the temporary consolidation of its foundation. The seismic damage induced by the 2023 Turkish earthquake jeopardized the massive earth wall, whose external layers are currently about to collapse. The temporary consolidation activities carried out during the 2023 archaeological mission are described considering the on-site limitations and constraints. A low-impact and sustainable technique was realized reducing the aesthetic impact of the intervention, incorporating local and traditional materials and respecting archaeological conservation principles.