BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS OF DETERIORATION IN BUILT HERITAGE: A CASE STUDY OF THE SYED ALI HAMADANI TOMB, MANSEHRA, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Islamic monuments in the region of Mansehra signify the pre-Mughal and Mughal periods and are mainly composed of mausoleums dedicated to Muslim saints and rulers, replicating the religious and political history of the region. During the recent archaeological explorations in Mansehra, we observed that most of the Islamic monuments have perished completely, while the remaining ones are in a very bad state of preservation. One of the earliest monuments related with Syed Ali Hamadan is in a poor state of preservation, suffering from structural deterioration, environmental and biological decay, which pretenses a serious threat to its enduring existence. Biological and environmental agents are the most critical threats to the built heritage, especially to those monuments which are directly exposed to sun and other chronic agents. The tomb of Syed Ali Hamadani is also facing such type of biological and environmental threats, containing frost action, lining, rain fall, snow fall, vaporization, wind action and growth of other organism like fungus and algae. These agents’ destruct the structure and make fragile the heritage. This paper is an approach and the identification of these threats and negative impacts as observed in the Syed Ali Hamadani at, Mansehra.