- FINAL REPORT “Red Monastery Nave Conservation Project: Red Monastery Nave Conservation and Training” Dina Bakhoum 2015-2018 Cultural Heritage Tourism Project in Egypt (APS) USAID Agreement No. 263-A-15-00007 Awarded to THE AMERICAN RESEARCH CENTER IN EGYPT (ARCE) Address: 909 N. Washington Street, Suite 320, Alexandria, VA 22 314, Tel: (703) 721 3479 By the USAID Program Office of Productive Sector Development / Office of the Environment / USAID / Egypt In collaboration with the United States Agency for International development and the Egyptian Ministry of State for Antiquities. The American Research Center in Egypt The Red Monastery Conservation Project, Sohag, Upper Egypt Training on cultural heritage conservation and management A vision for the future protection of the Red Monastery 2015-2018 Report by: Dina Bakhoum Engineer and art historian, specialized in cultural heritage conservation and management [This report is produced by Dina Bakhoum in her capacity as ARCE’s consultant and Heritage Management Specialist for the Red Monastery Conservation Project under the USAID-funded cooperative agreement number AID-263-A-15-00007.] This report covers part of program 4: “Red Monastery Nave Conservation and Training” Introduction: The Red Monastery (Deir al-Anba Bigol & Anba Bishay) and the White Monastery (Deir al- Anba Shenouda) are among the most important monasteries in Sohag, Upper Egypt. Their significance lies in their historic, artistic and religious values associated to them; both monasteries are hence of great interest to various groups of people from different backgrounds. For several years starting in 2002, the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been carrying out conservation works at the Red Monastery’s historic church. The work focused initially on the painted surfaces of the tri-conch area of the historic church and in 2015 work on the nave and the tower started. The work included fine and architectural conservation activities. The experience of ARCE as well as other institutions working in the field of cultural heritage conservation in Egypt has demonstrated that while the implementation phase of the project is essential in safeguarding the Egyptian heritage sites, what happens by those in charge of the sites after the project is completed is vital in ensuring (or not) the sites’ long-term conservation, management and maintenance. Accordingly, there is a crucial need to build the capacities of the local interest groups in charge of the heritage sites, in order to ensure their protection; this also guarantees that the efforts carried out and the finances spent were worth the investment. Therefore, during the second phase of the conservation project at the Red Monastery, ARCE has started a multi-facet capacity building and outreach program targeting different interest groups such as: 1- members from the local community (women who could do guide local tours) 2- monks from the Red and White Monasteries (starting initially with meetings and moving into an organized course); the work also includes work with men working at the monastery 3- employees from the Ministry of Antiquities (trainings and courses for specialized conservators) 4- tour guides This report covers the work carried out by the consultant on program 4 entitled: “Red Monastery Nave Conservation and Training”. The report focuses on the consultant’s role in the program conducted in collaboration with ARCE, the Ministry of Antiquities, the Monastery and and De Cesaris Srl./Italian conservators. The report discusses the selection of conservators from the Ministry of Antiquities for this program and the theoretical part of the capacity building course on heritage conservation offered to the conservators and conducted during the Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017 and Spring 2018. The practical aspects of program 4 are covered in other reports by other specialists and consultants. Two other reports are also submitted by the consultant (Dina Bakhoum). One deals with work carried out with the women from the local community, monks from the monastery and men working at the monastery. The other discusses work carried out with tour guides as well as a number of interest groups with the aim of promoting visitation to the Red Monastery as well as the overall preservation of the monastery. Report by Dina Bakhoum, June 2018 1/23 Capacity building course for conservators from the Ministry of Antiquities Group photo of the trainees and conservators from the Ministry of Antiquities with Abuna Antonious and Mr. Essam Rushdy (the Head of Conservation for the Islamic Section in Sohag) and ARCE’s consultant (Dina Bakhoum) during the Fall 2016 session. Photo by: Matjaž Kačičnik © ARCE, December 2016 Group photo of the trainees and conservators from the Ministry of Antiquities during the Fall 2017 session along with representatives from the Ministry of Antiquities, the Italian conservators and the clergy Photo by: Matjaž Kačičnik © ARCE, December 2017 Report by Dina Bakhoum, June 2018 2/23 Introduction The American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) has been managing the Red Monastery Conservation Project since December 2002. In 2012, the team of Italian conservators (De Cesaris Srl.) working with ARCE in collaboration with the Supreme Council of Antiquities completed the conservation of historic paintings in the sanctuary of the Red Monastery Church. In 2015 work on the nave started. The upper sections of the walls are treated with non- painted plaster surfaces. Cleaning tests carried out by the Italian conservators (De Cesaris, Srl.) revealed that the surfaces on the lower level are painted; the most lower parts of the wall have lost the plaster layer. Cleaning tests on the two stone portals also revealed traces of paint. The state of conservation of the nave and its nature (1-having diverse materials in need of conservation, 2- having large areas of non-painted surfaces, 3-having different conservation issues) allows for a training that will provides an opportunity for conservators to be exposed to different conservation issues and their treatments. It also allows them to start to work gradually from non-painted surfaces moving into painted ones in a follow up training for those who demonstrate seriousness, dedication and advanced conservation skills. Accordingly, a course for Egyptian conservators working at the Ministry of Antiquities (MoA) was designed. It was composed of a theoretical part conducted by Dina Bakhoum and the practical training conducted by the Italian conservators. The methodology of the practical training was to have each Italian conservator work closely with one or two Egyptian conservators. Four training sessions took place in the Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2018 and Spring 2018. The consultant was responsible for - Setting up the training in collaboration with ARCE, De Cesaris and the Ministry of Antiquities. - Setting up the interview and selection process with ARCE and the MoA - Following up and assisting in logistical and technical matters regarding the training, in collaboration with ARCE, De Cesaris, the MoA and the monastery’s clergy. - Assisting De Cesaris in evaluating the participants and selecting the ones for the advanced training; in addition the consultant facilitated discussions between De Cesaris and the Egyptian conservators when complicated conservation concepts and theories were explained. - Conducting the theoretical training of the course Report by Dina Bakhoum, June 2018 3/23 Initiation of the course: In order to consider the needs of the conservation department in Sohag as well as the monastery, meetings took place with representatives from both institutions to discuss the course and also its logistics. Mr. Essam Rushdy, head of the conservation department, Islamic Section in Sohag, put ARCE in contact with Dr. Gharib Sonbol, director of the conservation department under the Projects sector. Abuna Antonious offered accommodation to selected conservators who do not live in Sohag. As a follow up, a meeting with Dr. Gharib Sonbol took place in July 2016 in order to plan for the course. During the meeting ARCE discussed with Dr. Sonbol the requirements that the applicants should meet, the course logistics and how will the Ministry of Antiquities announce for it. As the MoA have created a new department specifically for training and capacity building, the course was announced through it. In addition, the Minister, Dr. Khaled El-Enany, set a committee that would interview and select the applicants. The committee was composed of three officials from the Ministry of Antiquities, headed by Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz (Head of Upper Egypt Inspectorate), and included also Michael Jones and Dina Bakhoum to represent ARCE. As the three MoA members of the committee were from Luxor, it was agreed that the interviews take place there. For the first and second sessions (Fall 2016 and Spring 2017), the applicants sent their CVs to an e-mail address set by the MoA and to whom access was given to the members of the committee; the CVs were downloaded and meetings for the interviews were set. For the third session (Fall 2017), there were changes in the administration of the training and capacity building department, so it was agreed that the department will download the CVs and send it to ARCE’s consultant. Interviews took place for the Fall 2016, Spring 2017 and Fall 2017 sessions. For the Spring 2018 no new trainees were selected as an advanced training took place for a selected number of conservators from the ones who participated in the first sessions. Application, Interviews and Selection: As noted, the applicants sent their CVs on the designated e-mail address and were notified with the time and place of the interviews. The number of applicants for the first round of interviews was the highest because of several reasons: 1- the announcement for the course was open to conservators from all over Egypt, 2- it was the first time the course was offered and hence many wanted to apply, 3-some of those who applied were not conservators but inspectors (although it was specified that in the requirements that applicants should have a degree in conservation).