The ‘Triple R’ Approach on the Restoration of Archaeological Dry Stone City Walls: Procedures and Application to a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Oman

A novel restoration approach, termed the 'Triple R' method—recognizable, reversible, and respectful—was successfully applied to preserve the archaeological dry stone city walls of Al-Baleed, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Oman's Land of Frankincense. This innovative technique, adapted to the monsoon-affected climate of the Indian Ocean region, ensured the conservation of the site's original architectural features using locally sourced stones and materials. The method included procedures for consolidating walls, gates, foundations, and sloping surfaces while incorporating simple on-site mechanical tests to assess the safety of restored structures. These efforts facilitated further archaeological excavations, leading to new findings that shed light on the city's evolution from its 9th-century origins over five centuries.

Sassu, M., Zarins, J., Giresini, L., & Newton, L. (2017). The ‘Triple R’ Approach on the Restoration of Archaeological Dry Stone City Walls: Procedures and Application to a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Oman. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 19(2), 106–125. https://doi.org/10.1080/13505033.2017.1321358