Conservation Research of Ste？ci from the Crljivica Site near Cista Velika

Sa？etak From 2013 to 2016, Croatian Conservation Institute has done research on medieval tomb monuments – ste？ci – at the Crljivica site in Dalmatinska Zagora and conducted conservation trials. This was done in order to assess the general state of preservation of ste？ci and the entire site, select the most appropriate conservation materials and methods and draw up a plan for the systematic and longterm protection of ste？ci. Owing to the specific nature of the site and the problem of deterioration, different kinds of specialists were included in the project. Research took place concurrently in the field (in situ) and in the lab. Biological investigations were carried out aiming to identify microorganisms on the stone, in addition to the efficiency testing of commercial biocide substances. At the same time, mineralogical and petrographic analyses were performed of the stone of ste？ci, as well as a geological study of their surroundings. Based on the results of research, samples were taken from the site and marked as standards of the stone, closely resembling the original in which the ste？ci were made. In the lab, the samples were used to examine the way in which to apply mmoniumoxalate as surface protection. The research provided new insights into the origin of ste？ci and guidelines on how to protect the site, but also new information on the efficiency of the prevailing (conventional) methods and materials for stone conservation