Greenwich Museum in England some years ago preserved a Roman wooden
vat excavated in the 1980's. They soaked it in some liquid for some
months with the
result was it changed its appearance and is now black. I would have
thought there was
a better way to preserve it - but then I am not a conservation expert. I
feel it has so changed its appearance that over time it might be thought
that it was how it looked originally and could be confusing.
Beatrice Hopkinson
>Dear colleagues,
>
>
>
>I am writing with a question relating to the long-term storage of
>waterlogged deposits. A colleague here in Ireland, Christina Fredengren, has
>been excavating an important Late Mesolithic lakeside site (further
>information available at www.discoveryprogramme.ie - see Lake Settlement
>Project section). Many of the deposits at the site are waterlogged.
>
>
>
>Christina took many soil samples during the excavation, and it now seems
>that there are a number of samples that will not be examined in the near
>future. A museum here in Ireland is interested in storing these unexamined
>samples, possibly for analysis at some time in future decades.
>
>
>
>I am looking for advice on current best practice for long-term storage of
>waterlogged samples. Would it be better to store the soil samples
>'untouched', or can we sieve them to reduce their mass? Any advice on the
>addition of water/alcohol/other materials to enable preservation of the
>waterlogged remains would also be appreciated.
>
>
>
>Best wishes,
>
>Meriel McClatchie.
>
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