This project focuses on innovative biological methods of extraction for the preservation of waterlogged wood suffering from salt precipitation and acidification. The principal investigator and her ...team proposed to exploit biomineralization capacities of some bacteria for anticipating the extraction of iron and sulfur compounds when wood is still wet. A comprehensive assessment of the extraction performances achieved on wood objects from lake and marine environments will allow a versatile extraction method to be proposed to end-users.
Wood is a complex hierarchical material. As a widely available renewable resource, it has been used throughout history to construct dwellings and transportation, tools, art and funerary objects. The ...desire to better understand cultural heritage and preserve it for future generations has long been a major driver in the study of wooden objects in the social sciences. This trend can also be associated with a recent strong push to create, low-cost, environmentally-responsible, sustainable housing solutions for rapidly expanding urban populations. Thus, interest in studying wood degradation and conservation from an engineering/materials science perspective has increased significantly. The study of degradation phenomena in wooden artefacts, along with methods to conserve or enhance their material properties and monitor changes over time is, not only, invaluable to archaeological science, but also to engineers and materials scientists concerned with the endurance of the wooden constructions of tomorrow. The aim of this review is to highlight recent developments in the characterisation, consolidation and monitoring of materials properties of archaeological wood. A specific focus will be placed on bio-sourced consolidants and multi-phase systems based on nano-fillers, recognising the contribution to archaeological science and underlining the impact this knowledge can play on future developments in wooden construction.
Thermal and mechanical properties were determined for the halloysite nanotubes (HNT)/beeswax composites at various compositions. The beeswax degradation temperatures and time course, provided by ...thermogravimetry (TG), evidenced the improvement of the thermal properties operated by HNT. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) allowed us to determine the enthalpy of melting as well as the time course of the melting process for beeswax. A slight loss of beeswax crystallinity was observed upon HNT addition. The dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) provided the loss and the storage modulus for the nanocomposites upon heating and it was shown that the nanoclays create an inorganic framework which enhances the mechanical properties keeping unaltered the beeswax shape even above the melting temperature. To the light of these insights, samples of waterlogged archaeological wood were consolidated with the HNT/beeswax nanomaterial. The amount of HNT entrapped into the pores as well as the shrinkage volume of wood samples were determined. The HNT/beeswax mixtures can be considered a promising consolidant material for archaeological wood.
This book is a selection of manuscripts devoted to the conservation and preservation of wooden cultural heritage. The articles present the new methods for conservation of various historical wooden ...artefacts, reliable modern techniques for characterisation of the wood structure, properties and degree of degradation, and discusses problems and doubts related to all aspects of conservation and re-conservation of wooden cultural heritage. It contains both review and research papers to give the readers a broader picture of the problems and issues related to the conservation of wooden historical objects and structures. We need to remember that wooden cultural heritage is an integral part of our culture and history that define our humanity. We are obliged to protect it, save it from oblivion, and preserve it for future generations.
•DSC thermoporosimetry provides actual pore traits of waterlogged archaeological wood.•Waterlogged archaeological wood is typical for pores of diameter inferior to 20 nm.•Pores of archaeological wood ...changed significantly after water-removal.•Mesopores are not as affected as micropores and macropores by drying.•Pores of archaeological wood would be distorted during the mercury porosimetry test.
Pores of waterlogged archaeological oak wood with different preservation states and maximum water content (MWC) levels were studied in the water-saturated state by DSC thermoporosimetry and then in the supercritical dry state by N2 adsorption and mercury porosimetry. Thermoporosimetry results showed that waterlogged archaeological wood was typical for an extremely large number of pores inferior to 20 nm in size, and macropores prevailed. Micropore, mesopore and macropore volumes of waterlogged archaeological wood with MWC of 460 ± 31% were 723%, 687% and 424% higher than those of waterlogged recent wood. After water-removal, pore became less noticeable, leading to the lower number and area of three pore styles, i.e. micropores, mesopores and macropores. Mesopore cumulative volumes of archaeological wood decreased 70.3%, 62.7% and 42.4% respectively. Linear correlations were found between MWC and meso/macropore volume measured in the water-saturated state. Results illustrate pore traits of waterlogged archaeological wood could be significantly affected by water-removal.
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В статье обобщены сведения о применявшихся белорусскими учеными способах консервации археологических деревянных конструкций и изделий, начиная с 1950-х гг. и до настоящего времени. Выделены и ...рассмотрены этапы консервации деревянных конструкций городища Берестье, а также материалов из раскопок Минского замчища и Мстиславля. На основе изучения полевых отчетов отмечены способы полевой консервации выявленных деревянных сооружений, а также динамика их разрушения. Отдельно описаны способы консервации изделий из дерева, обнаруженных при археологических исследованиях Берестья, Минска, Слуцка, Пинска. Подчеркнуто, что проводилась консервация как влажной археологической древесины, так и ставшей сухой в результате неконтролируемой сушки. Отмечено, что в настоящее время является актуальным создание методических рекомендаций для практикующих археологов, регламентирующих порядок работы с выявленными предметами из органических материалов от момента обнаружения до передачи на хранение.
На примере консервации образцов древесины дисахаридом Trehalose и полиэтиленгликолем марки ПЭГ-1500 представлен метод контроля за процессом насыщения археологической древесины растворами ...консолидантов в пропиточных ваннах. В данной статье рассмотрены обменные процессы, протекающие в пропиточных ваннах, методический подход к введению в древесину оптимального количества консолиданта и выбор времени выдержки предметов в пропиточных ваннах. Изложен метод контроля за процессом консервации археологической древесины. Представлены результаты оценки скоростей насыщения археологической древесины в растворах Trehalose и ПЭГ-1500. По результатам проведенной работы было отмечено, что метод контроля насыщения предметов из дерева в пропиточных ваннах с высокой достоверностью позволяет оценивать содержание полимера в древесине на всех этапах консервационного процесса и при оптимальном введении консерванта своевременно завершать пропитку.
On the example of preservation of wood samples with disaccharide Trehalose and PEG-1500 polyethylene glycol, a method of control over the process of saturation of archaeological wood with consolidant ...solutions in impregnating baths is presented. This article considers the exchange processes occurring in impregnating baths, methodical approach to the injection of the optimal amount of consolidant into wood and the choice of the time of keeping the objects in impregnating baths. The method of control over the process of conservation of archaeological wood is described. The results of estimation of saturation rates of archaeological wood in Trehalose and PEG-1500 solutions are presented. According to the results of the work carried out, it was noted that the control method of saturation of wood objects in impregnating baths with high reliability allows to assess the polymer content in wood at all stages of the conservation process and to complete impregnation in time at the optimal injection of a preservative.
The paper generalizes the data about the methods of conservation of archaeological wooden structures and objects, used by Belarusian scientists beginning from the 1950s and up to the present. The ...conservation stages of wooden structures of the Berestye stronghold, as well as materials from the excavations of the Minsk and Mstislavl strongholds, are identified and considered. Based on the study of field reports, the methods of field conservation of the unearthed wooden structures, as well as the dynamics of their destruction, are noted. The ways of conservation of wooden objects, found during archaeological studies in Berestye, Minsk, Slutsk, and Pinsk are described separately. It is emphasized that conservation of both wet archaeological wood and wood that has become dry as a result of uncontrolled drying was carried out. It is noted that nowadays it is urgent to create guidelines for practicing archaeologists that regulate the procedure for working with unearthed objects from organic materials from the moment of discovery till transfer to storage.
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