Cuneiform tablet

I am working on a cuneiform tablet from our collection that requires
treatment. Curatorial records state it is baked, but not fired. It
is in a very fragile state, with hairline and structural cracks,
sometimes leading to breakage. No salt problem appears visible. The
object requires consolidation before safe handling, but I would like
to minimise the shine and staining that this may cause.

I would like to ask advice on choosing the appropriate consolidant.
Which would be most suitable for this object? Should I use the same
on all type of cracks but using different concentration or different
solvent to have different evaporation rates? How can I test if salts
are a problem if no salts are visible? I have read many articles on
the subject but would appreciate any practical advice.

Paulina Lobaton
Objects Conservator
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 18:47
                  Distributed: Saturday, April 9, 2005
                       Message Id: cdl-18-47-012
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