Waterlogged wood--addendum

In Conservation DistList Instance: 16:47 Friday, February 7, 2003, I
wrote

>I am a conservator interested in the use of resins as a method of
>treating waterlogged archaeological wood. We have recently
>discovered a number of pieces of such material in a Neolithic
>lakeside site in Greece and I have been considering the option of
>"plastification" on a number of them.  I would therefore appreciate
>it if you would share any information you might have on the subject,
>concerning the use and application of resins and their reaction
>after long periods of time or beyond controlled environments.  I
>would also be interested to know about Laboratories/Institutions
>specialising in such method and possible collaboration.

I would like to thank you for your replies and the information you
provided, about conservation of waterlogged wood. I am  aware of the
techniques we use today but I was most interested in the use of
polymers. I know that plastification does not sound nice and is not
reversible but in some occasions could be useful: that means for
identification, micromorphological study, easy handling, fast and
maybe cheap treatment. I repeat that this treatment should apply
only in special cases.

Therefore I am asking about experiences of conservators they already
worked with such materials and especially how this material reacts
after long periods of time and beyond controlled environments.
Thanks again,

Harris Zachariou,
Conservator of antiquities
Volos Greece
+30 6944260649




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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:52
                 Distributed: Wednesday, March 12, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-16-52-019
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