Conservation of bamboo

This is from Museum-L.  Anyone want to take a crack at it?
I will forward any responses that are sent to CoOL.

    From: Linda Nakamura <lnakamura<-a t->aao< . >org>
    To:    museum-l<-a t->home< . >ease< . >lsoft< . >com
    Date: 3 Apr 97

    How does one conserve a cord of bamboo that functions as the
    "string" used to propel an arrow?  This bow is from Vietnam,
    circa 1920, and made of mahogany.  The "string" is tightly
    wrapped bamboo (woven) at each end and the bamboo stretches to
    the opposing side.

    It is getting dry and I was wondering how to deal with the
    bamboo. How do I rehydrate it to increase its flexibility?
    Perhaps just water as bamboo comes from such a tropical climate?

    Linda Nakamura
    San Francisco
    lnakamura<-a t->aao< . >org
    415-561-8500, ext. 288.

Wendy Jessup

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:86
                  Distributed: Thursday, April 3, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-10-86-013
                                  ***