Consolidating a deteriorated Egyptian limestone stele

I have been working on an Egyptian limestone stele as part of my
thesis. The object is in very poor condition: The fabric is soft and
powdery and the surface is scaling /defragmenting, as a result there
is an extensive loss of surface reliefs and inscriptions.

I have been searching for an appropriate consolidant with deep
penetration and good adhesion properties. According to conservation
literature, there are a number of organic and inorganic materials
used as consolidating agents for limestone, though they are less
than perfect. For instance, alkoxysilanes have been used but both
good and bad results have been achieved.

I would appreciate any information or advice on suitable
materials/techniques for deep consolidation of deteriorated
limestone artefacts.

Reyhane Mirabootalebi, Student
Center for Conservation of Cultural Materials
Melbourne University, Australia


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:27
                Distributed: Tuesday, November 30, 2010
                       Message Id: cdl-24-27-017
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