Marble Monument Conservation in the Emanu-el Cemetery

Summary

The Emanu-el Jewish Cemetery in Victoria, BC, Canada contains a wide array of plot sizes and monument styles. This project focuses on the marble monuments dating from 1860 to 1910, many of which are now lying flat and cemented in place because they are too fragile to stand on their own. Marble monuments were popular because of their beauty and the malleability of this type of stone. The elliptical shaped pores allows for more water and acids to enter and move into the stone, and the calcium carbonate within marble is very susceptible to acids, making marble a delicate choice. This poster discusses a selection of monuments and the environmental threats they face. The intention of this research is to offer suggestions on how to protect these delicate monuments, as well as bring attention to the design styles that have been the most durable. Included in this project are examples of marble monuments that have undergone attempted preservation through laying them flat and gluing them in place, further exposing the inscription to rain, acids, and debris. We conclude that current restoration attempts in the Emanu-El Cemetery need to be revisited and further effort in preserving the monuments should be considered.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Student Research in Coastal and Community Archaeology at the University of Victoria

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16596