The Importance of Classifying the Traditional Mosulian Ornaments in Enhancing the Conservation Process

Abstract

Ornaments are effective interior design elements, which enhance the identity and heritage value of heritage buildings. The Mosulian ornaments represent the mixture of the culture and architectural, which are produced by Mosulian marble ‘Farish’. After the war in 2017, there was a dramatic disappearance of the original types of Mosulian ornament because of the non-oriented restoration and conservation process. UNESCO and the government sector suffered from the availability of information to find a guideline to be used in the restoration and conservation process. However, the shortage of documentations led to the disappearance of valuable ornaments, especially after investing the new technology in producing the ornaments in the conservation processes. The study aims to classify the Mosulian ornaments in terms of shape, material, and position, to construct a platform and data set of the Mosulian ornaments. The study applied a qualitative approach using observation and visual analysis methods to observe the results of the analysis with a checklist form. The results indicated that Mosulian architecture is rich in ornamental elements, floral ornaments are used in the greatest ratio than geometric, while animal shapes are rarely used. The principle of repetition in two and four steps is the main principle used in generating process. The classification of ornament can enhance the heritage value of the buildings, designers and developers can rely on this classification to design and reuse the ornament.