The Future of Archaeological Site Conservation
Tensioned fabric covers are the future of archaeological site conservation. Modern textile architecture provides flexible solutions that are easy to install and maintain with a minimal footprint.
Offering effective protection from rain and shade from the sun, a tensioned fabric membrane canopy can be a temporary or permanent shelter for archaeological sites. The roofing systems can be combined with lights to illuminate a site at night and fences to prevent intruders, providing a complete site maintenance solution.
The tensioned fabric membrane is supported by a lightweight metal frame that is adaptable to almost any landscape, providing the flexibility to create unique designs. The covers are a fully reversible solution that involves the least damage to a site and its structures. They are sustainable, recyclable and repurposable with a life expectancy of up to 40 years.
The state of the Puente de Noy necropolis in Almunecar (pictured above) is a case in point. The canvas roofing has almost entirely disintegrated, leaving rusting metal poles and almost no site protection. This burial ground is home to some of the most important Phoenician and Punic tombs in the Western Mediterranean, making the current situation deeply unsatisfactory.
A tensioned fabric canopy can prevent an archaeological site from being covered in litter and descending into neglect, to be gradually forgotten and erased from memory. We owe a duty to our ancestors and future generations to preserve these sites, but inadequate public funding often means they are left in a dilapidated state and open to the elements.