Study of the damage of ancient ceramic tiles in the Chinese Mosque in Gerga – Sohag

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Restoration Specialist, Department of Restoration - Faculty of Archeology - South Valley University – Qena

2 Professor and former head of the Department of Restoration - Faculty of Fine Arts - Minia University

3 Professor and Head of the Department of Restoration - Faculty of Archeology - South Valley University – Qena

4 Professor and Head of the Department of Restoration - Faculty of Archeology - Zagazig University

Abstract

The research aims to study and monitor the factors and 
manifestations of damage to the ceramic tiles that cover the Qibla 
wall and the interior walls of the Chinese Mosque in the city of 
Gerga, Sohag Governorate. Not good for tiles during the 
manufacturing process, which resulted in many manifestations of 
damage represented by micro-capillary cracks and pimples in the 
surface glaze layer, in addition to moisture and its destructive 
effect on the tiles and studying its various sources, as well as this 
rare group of ceramic tiles has been damaged and deteriorated As 
a result of the damage to the stone walls bearing them, which are 
in direct contact with the soil, due to the damage they cause 
according to its components and the ground water and salts it 
carries, 
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF
MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES IN ARCHITECTURE 
AND CULTURAL HERITAGE 
ISSN: 2735-4415 VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1, 2021, 188 – 207. www.egyptfuture.org/ojs/
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as well as the damage of the mortar linking the walls and tiles as 
a result of the crystallization of salts, which led to its weakness 
and fall in some cases, and thus some tiles fall from their place . 
Another factor of damage affecting these tiles is the temperature 
and its effect in terms of the disparity between rise and fall, and 
the occurrence of changes in the dimensions and volume of the 
material as a result of thermal expansion and contraction, as well 
as changes in the internal water content of building materials. 
This is in addition to studying and monitoring the damage caused 
by air pollutants, which include air pollution gases and their 
effect, as well as the deposition of dust and dirt on the surface 
glazing layers, which leads to distortion and obscuring their 
decorations. Suitable, including the use of stainless steel nails in 
fixing the tiles on the bearing walls. 

Keywords