Conservation of Waterlogged Wooden Structures from the Late Bronze Age at İnönü Cave (Türkiye)

Abstract

During the excavations carried out in the & Idot;n & ouml;n & uuml; Cave, located within the Western Black Sea region of T & uuml;rkiye, four separate floor structures made of wood, dating back to the Late Bronze Age (1436-1123 Cal BCE), were unearthed. The way the corners of the structures are connected shows that the structures were built with the & ccedil;ant & imath; or bell technique, a traditional nail-less wooden architectural form of the Black Sea region. Thanks to the wet and stable environmental conditions within the cave, the wooden floors have survived and are well preserved from the Late Bronze Age to the present day. This study presents the details of the conservation practices developed and deployed in order to ensure that the wooden floors are well protected and remain available for study in the short and medium term.