AGNAOU GATE
State of Conservation

The deterioration evident on the Bab Agnaou gate is characterised by the appearance of:

• rusts or more shiny patinas on the surface of the stone.
• secondary structures on the original rock (scales, blisters,….).

The differences in colour on the Bab Agnaou monument indicate different states of conservation of the rock. They range from clear grey (relatively healthy restored rock) to the ochre patina or rust. Deterioration however is not necessarily limited to the surface area and may have penetrated deeper into the rock.
We have tried to categorize the types of deterioration, firstly those evident from simple observation of the monument without using instruments. A more precise " block by block " mapping is currently envisaged and will be undertaken by a student in the setting of his 3°-cycle memory. It will also be based on the different descriptions already used in Europe (Spain, Italy and Germany).

Deterioration visible from direct observation

In the first phase, we distinguished 10 types.

TABLE I - TYPES OF DETERIORATION (photos)