Stratigraphy and conservation of cultural heritage: the example of rupestrian churches of Cappadocia (Turkey)

The conservation of cultural heritage needs a multidisciplinaryapproach to identify the most suitable and durable methods of interventionregarding phisical and chemical decay of materials. In particular this approach isessential to preserve outdoor heritage affected by climatic and environmentalchanges; in regard to it, Cappadocian region is a unique ignimbrite landscapecreated by neogenic volcanic activity shaped by phenomena as erosion and freeze–thaw cycles. The tabular stratigraphic trend of the ignimbritic sequence influencedthe geomorphological evolution, promoting typical earth pyramids called ‘‘fairychimneys’’. These structures were carved and transformed during the centuries,especially by Byzantine population, into urban centres and churches with preciousfrescoes; for this reason some Cappadocia sites have been in World Heritage Listsince 1985. The present work belongs to a greater research project about cavechurches conservation coordinated by Prof.ssa Andaloro from Tuscia University(Italy). The aim is to focus the relationships between geological features and theconservation in Sßahinefendi village, already known for the site of Sobesos, a citydating to the late Roman and early Christian period (mid-4th century to 5th centuryA.D.).