Dear Nicole and Niels,

     How wonderful that you've done first hand work with the botanics in 
these salt mines and I'm most appreciative of the results of your work.  
Not wishing to change the subject (I'd still like to know if fuel was 
used with Abies Alba) but your note raised another question about the 
hygroscopic properties of salt.  I am battling with a problem at the 
moment regarding the function of ceramics associated with salt resources 
- briquetage - that you may know of.  I've been told that a salt crystal 
can remain after four thousand years in the interstices of the clay 
fabric.  By salt crystal I am talking of NaCl specifically.  I've seen 
calcium carbonate residues but am somewhat sceptical about NaCl given its 
hygroscopic properties.  Do you think I am wrong about that - and even if 
its possible what would be the best test to determine its encapsulation 
within a ceramic vessel?

     Forgive me for asking a question that is not specifically within 
your expertise - but I am a great believer in multi-disciplinary 
approaches to problems that perhaps one discipline doesn't focus on, but 
is found by chance in others.

Thank you both again,

Bea

>Dear Bea , Dear Niels
>
>We also can confirm your observation on salt preserved Material. Cheapest
>and best preservation for organic materials from salt mines is no
>conservation. At Dürrnberg/Hallein, Austria I examined some thousands of
>wooden objects and even small seeds and fruit remains from faeces, which
>stay well preserved only because of the high content of salt. Even after
>short a time of washing or watering the objects they still contain salt. It
>needs a longer time in the rain/under the shower to remove it completely. So
>a moderate humidity shouldn’t be a problem.
>At the moment it is tried to store some timbers from a wet preservation site
>in not used mine shafts of the modern salt mine to avert the decay of the
>wood. But of course there are no long term observations until know. And for
>sure not everywhere a salt mine is available : )  
>
>One small comment concerning the so called  “Kienspäne”. I was very
>surprised when I started the wood analysis on the Dürrnberg material several
>years ago. In opposite to the etymological origin of the word Kienspäne
>which Niels already described (Kienspäne = lightning tapers from Pinus),
>none of the ancient lightning tapers had been made from Pinus. The Iron age
>people used Abies alba and Picea abies/Larix decidua over there. Pinus is
>not very common in the local vegetation.
>
>
>Best wishes
>Nicole
>
>
>
>
>
>
>_____________________________________________________________
>Nicole Boenke M.A.
>Archäologische&Archäobotanische Untersuchungen
>Herawies 42
>A-6723 Blons
>
>0043 (0)5553 21426
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>
>-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
>Von: The archaeobotany mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im
>Auftrag von Beatrice Hopkinson
>Gesendet: Samstag, 21. Juli 2007 20:57
>An: [log in to unmask]
>Betreff: Re: TBA Hallstatt
>
>Niels,
>
>     Thank you for refreshing my memory about 'pinus' wood.  It does have 
>a
>splintery look to it too.  Of course I figured it was the salt that is 
>preserving it
>but wanted an experts thoughts.  I'm a little biased about salt as you 
>may have
>guessed :)
>
>     Yes I recall the rucksack and the hat!  And a colleague of mine used 
>the
>records at Hallstatt to dye and weave some fabric to duplicate remains of 
>fabric
> found on the handle of a pick (?).  It turned out to be a green and 
>black tartan, a
>sample of which she gave me.  I was somewhat startled to find someone 
>else had 
>done this - but the tartan is red!  Do you know anything of that?  The 
>tourist aspect at Hallstatt has changed much since I was there in 1979!
>
>Bea
>
>>This is an effect of the salt. All organic remains from that mine are 
>>perfectly preserved. I once examined a rucksack that was found there made 
>>of leather. You could use it without being careful. I wouldn´t hesitate to 
>>build a house from the timber there. There is no need to protect the wood 
>>>from water - the salt has prevented any decay so you can extract the salt 
>>and the item will still not change more than any modern piece of wood!
>>The wood is pinus. The german word "kiefer" comes from "kien" meaning 
>>lighting-splinter and latin "ferre". It has a high amount of natural 
>>resin. You don´t have to add extra-fuel. It was used for light until at 
>>least early modern times.
>>I am not quite sure whether every pinus-wood works equally well - a case 
>>for experimental work ...
>>Niels
>>
>>
>>> Just as a matter of interest - I was many years ago given a piece of salt
>
>>> saturated
>>> wood from the Hallstatt mine.  It was used to light the way for the 
>>> miners.  I looked
>>> at it about 2 years ago and it was unchanged - is it the salt, or perhaps
>
>>> the fuel it was
>>> dipped into to light it that has preserved it?  I can't smell any odor or
>
>>> see signs of
>>> fuel - I am wondering if it was a special kind of wood they chose that 
>>> will naturally burn and of course the salt that has prevented decay (its 
>>> just wrapped up in a paper towel) ?
>>> I'd have thought over the years it might have absorbed water from the 
>>> atmosphere - though perhaps the paper towel prevented it!
>>> 
>>> Bea 
>>>