Hi Ginevra

Sounds very familiar…

I use the microtome only for taking microscopic photographs – either for anatomical measurements or for publication-figures.

For all other uses I use razorblades by hand and without embedding.

If you have to make thinsections for photographs – maybe try the procedure in the attachment.

Good luck

Niels

--

Dr. Niels Bleicher
Archaeologist / Dendrochronologist

Phone: +41 44 412 51 52
Fax:  +41 44 412 51 59
Mobile: +41 79 516 27 76
[log in to unmask]


City of Zürich
Office for Urbanism
Seefeldstrasse 317
Postfach, 8008 Zürich

Von: Archaeological wood and charcoal discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im Auftrag von Ginevra Coradeschi
Gesendet: Montag, 27. März 2017 23:27
An: [log in to unmask]
Betreff: MOUNTING-EMBEDDING OF WATERLOGGED WOOD

Hello,

I am a PhD student and I am working with some samples of waterlogged woods from a Roman archaeological site in Lisbon. 

The fragments of wood are very spongy and is impossible to prepare any kind of section using a razor blade. I have the opportunity to use both a cryotome and a microtome. I read some articles where is strongly advised to embedding the sample of wood using CARBOWAX and than to prepare section using the microtome. I would like to know whether or not exists a protocol to prepare the sample. I am open to any kind of advise or different methodology.

Best regards and thank you very much in advance.

--

Ginevra Coradeschi

Hercules Laboratory,

University of Évora, Portugal