Mineralized wood

I am a student in Conservation-Restoration at the Haute Ecole Arc in
Neuchatel (Switzerland) and I am currently doing my Master thesis at
the Archaeological Service of the Canton of Berne.

This research project involves the study of mineralized wood
preserved in contact with archaeological iron artefacts from
terrestrial environment and the problems caused by the combination
of the two materials regarding iron stabilization treatments using
alkaline baths.  This work aims to answer two main questions:

    To what extent archaeological wood remains associated with iron
    artefacts resists to the dechlorination  bath?

    How can we characterize the degree of mineralization of the wood
    remains?  If this is possible, to what extent the proportion of
    organic/inorganic components is problematic for a stabilization
    treatment of iron?

To complete my documentation, I am looking for testimonies of
restorers who have already faced this problem.

Have you ever treated iron objects associated with mineralized wood
remains or do you know other restorers who experienced it?  If so,
what was the solution for their stabilization?

Marie-Jeanne Scholl
Student in Conservation-restoration
Haute Ecole de Conservation-restauration Arc
Campus Arc 2, Espace de l'Europe 11
CH-2000 Neuchatel
+41 76 822 36 24
Fax: +41 32 930 1920


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 29:1
                  Distributed: Saturday, May 23, 2015
                        Message Id: cdl-29-1-018
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