Bronze as a Restoration Object: Kabardino-Balkarian State University Students and Hermitage-Caucasus Specialists Cleaned the Lermontov Monument in Nalchik

A monument to the poet Mikhail Lermontov was cleaned in Nalchik. The work was carried out using a «gentle» technique used by archaeologists when restoring bronze artifacts.

The future restorers were given a demonstration of the principles of working with bronze. This alloy is quite fragile and requires a special approach. Harsh chemicals can irreparably damage its appearance, luster, patina, and internal structure. Beslan Makoyev, a junior researcher at the Hermitage-Caucasus Cultural and Educational Center, explained the rules for working with the material to the students.

The «gentle» technique is aimed at stabilizing the object’s condition and consists of three stages. First, the bas-relief was washed with warm water and soapy water to remove accumulated dust and dirt, after which it was thoroughly dried. The next step was treatment with citric acid. The students applied a citric acid solution to the dried surface without using harsh chemicals. The final step was rinsing off the solution and allowing it to dry. The entire process takes about two hours. The effect lasts for about a year.

In addition to working with urban monuments, the Hermitage-Caucasus Center conducts archaeological research. Beslan Makoyev supervises students from the Kabardino-Balkarian State University’s history department during an excavation in Verkhniy Kurkuzhin. They are exploring a burial ground dating back to the 7th–9th centuries BC. Numerous ancient bronze finds, including buckles, buttons, and weaponry, have been discovered in the burials. This research is helping to shed light on the life and culture of the peoples who inhabited the territory of today’s Kabardino-Balkaria in ancient times.