Buddhist Clay Sculptures In Central Asia: Conservation And Restoration Problems

The so-called "Greco-Buddhist art", originated by the fusion of Hellenistic and Indian influences, represents one of the most significant aspects of transfer of knowledge along the Silk Road. This artistic expression is strictly related to the diffusion of Buddhism in Central Asia, which is reflected on the appearance of several Buddhist monasteries and temples along the main geographical routes. In the last century, several research teams have conducted archaeological excavations in these buildings. These excavations have revealed an amazing but extremely fragile heritage of earthen architecture and related decoration, including paintings, high reliefs and monumental sculptures in clay. In the last decade the investigation in restoration practices has increased with respect to earthen architecture and paintings, however, an improvement of the practices related to sculptures conservation is still needed. This paper focuses on this gap, discussing conservation and restoration practices of clay sculptures, and proposing future research directions.