Peter
The original poster asked for advice on consolidating damp bones. PVA
emulsion works on damp bones.
Can Paraloid B-72 be used on damp bones? If so, which solvent should be
used?
Richard
On 10/10/2013 23:01, Burns, Peter wrote:
> You might use B-72 in either alcohol base or acetone base....it is removable later...PVA is not.
> Cheers
> Peter
>
>
> Peter Burns
> Zooarchaeology Laboratory
> Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
> Harvard University
> 11 Divinity Avenue
> Cambridge,MA 02138 USA
> Phone: 617-495-8317
> ________________________________________
> From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Richard Wright [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 11:48 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Bone preservation question
>
> Sarah
>
> You have had sound advice on using plaster bandages.
>
> If you have relatively small, and irregularly shaped bones then you
> could use a PVA based glue. I have used it successfully to stabilize
> bones from a swampy deposit that became 'brittle to the touch' on drying
> out.
>
> PVA glue is a safe, household item used as a paper or wood glue. No
> nasty chemicals or solvents.
>
> It helps to dilute the PVA glue with water before painting it on to the
> damp bone. I can't remember the proportions we used, but have 60% glue
> to 40% water in the back of my mind.
>
> To assist absorption, it is good to let the bones dry out a bit first.
> Keep an eye on the bones as they dry out on their pedestals, and apply
> the PVA glue when they have dried out a bit but have not started to
> crack. You may need to make more than one application.
>
> You end up with a glossy appearance to the bone.
>
> You also end up with a bone that has carbon added, via the hydrocarbon
> in the PVA. So keep some untreated bone if you want a radiocarbon date.
>
> Richard
>
> On 9/10/2013 14:09, Sarah Jenkins wrote:
>> Dear fellow zooarchaeologists,
>>
>> I am currently excavating a site with complete faunal elements that are
>> very fragile. The soil is very moist and has caused the bones to become
>> brittle to the touch. We are pedestaling each element as it is exposed and
>> plan to transport each element on a section of plywood, but there is some
>> concern that the bones with shift and crack during transportation. Has
>> anyone dealt with this kind of issue before, and if so found a solution to
>> prevent the bones from breaking during transport?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Sarah
>>
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