Nemrut’s ancient statues undergo nanolime treatment for preservation
Conservation work continues at Nemrut Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southeastern Türkiye, where experts are using nanotechnology to protect its monumental ancient statues from further deterioration.
The restoration and conservation program, launched in 2022 to preserve the site’s colossal sculptures for future generations, focuses in part on sealing fine cracks in the stone with nanolime. The material is injected into cracks to prevent water from penetrating the sculptures and accelerating their deterioration.
Ayşe Ebru Çorbacı, director of the Gaziantep Regional Restoration and Conservation Laboratory, said teams are currently working on the head of Kommagene Tyche and the statue of Zeus Oromandes on the site’s western terrace.
The nanolime treatment is designed to fill microscopic cracks and strengthen vulnerable sections of the sculptures, she said, noting that earlier conservation work had produced positive results.
