Dear Mike,
I think reburial of finds has a 'back to nature' appeal that promises more
than it delivers. Recreating an subterranean equilibrium state between an
artifact and its surroundings is like adjusting the air conditioning in a
building. You're liable to need to go back and re-adjust the settings before
you get it right. But in the case of reburials that's awkward at best.

If I had this problem I would think less in terms of returning it to a
pre-existing state and more in terms of creating a new artificial state
within the parameters of soil conditions that I felt offered the best chance
of success.

For me that would lead me away from an intertidal zone where wet/dry cycling
is possible and may cause variable preservation along the timbers. It would
lead me away from marine waters because compared with fresh waters they do
not offer special preservative benefits.  I would wrap the timbers in a
geo-textile or at least Tyvek to minimize future re-cleaning. I'd consider
clays as my packing soils to restrict oxygen and to cap the burial at or
below the low tide level. I'd discount the risk of anaerobic bacteria
because bacteria of some kind are always going to be a problem since we are
by definition burying a large organic food supply. I'd bury some small
sacrificial fragments adjacent to the main burial for periodical
re-excavation and examination. Then I'd at least know how far off my
'settings' were.
I think you have an interesting problem and would like to hear how you make
out.

Sincerely,

Dennis Piechota
Conservator
Fiske Center for Archaeological Research
University of Massachusetts at Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125-3393
TEL: 617-287-6829
FAX: 617-287-6857

> From: Mike Corfield <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Investigating the environment of marine archaeological sites
> <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 12:08:34 +0000
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: REBURIAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL WOOD
>
> It is planned that a large prehistoric wooden structure that was excavated
> last year from the inter tidal zone should be reburied in a similar
> environment. Since it was excavated the structure has been kept in fresh water
> tanks while it has been examined and recorded.
>
> The proposed reburial would incorporate pre and post burial monitoring, and
> the structure would be buried deeper than it was oroginally to protect it from
> re-exposure by erosion. There would be no "protective" materials used in the
> reburial and the aim would be to recreate the natural protective environment
> by carefully repacking the beach silts around the wood in the same sequence as
> they were excavated.
>
> Our study of the wood indicates that it is ver degraded. Much of the cell
> substance has been lost (ca 60 - 90%), water contents of between 300 and 700%,
> and there is a high iron content.
>
> My opinion is that the wood will be best preserved by reburial, given that
> there is no museum willing to accept it, and that by following a sensible
> strategy the degradation should be no greater than it was before the timbers
> were exposed on the beach.
>
> One of our scientific advisers has raised concern. He is of the opinion that
> the reburied wood would react severely to diffierential osmotic pressures
> caused by the now fresh water content of the wood interacting with the saline
> water on the beach. He suggests that the wood would be destroyed very rapidly.
>
> This is new to me. Has anyone had any experience of this, or have they any
> views about any other risks of reburying wood in a saline environment? I'd be
> very grateful for your thoughts.
>
>
>
> Mike Corfield
> Chief Scientist
> English Heritage
> 23 Savile Row
> London W1X 1AB
> email [log in to unmask]
> phone: 0207-973-3321
> fax: 0207-973-3330
>
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