6 CONCLUSIONS

Rathgen remained as head of the Chemical Laboratory of the Royal Museums of Berlin until the time of his retirement in 1927. His singular efforts on behalf of the Royal Museums of Berlin played a most important role in the development of archaeological conservation as a science and profession. His supreme dedication and extraordinary versatility have well earned him the title of “father” of modern archaeological conservation. Rathgen's exemplary efforts, while still largely unknown outside his own country, were recently acknowledged by the giving of his name to the newly established research laboratory of the Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulterbesitz.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author wishes to thank J. C. McCawley and Robert Barclay for their assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

Special thanks are extended to my friend and colleague Peter Vogel for his kind assistance in the translation of many of the German texts.

All photographs are reprinted from Berliner Beitr�ge zur Arch�eometrie (4/1979) with the permission of Dr. J. Riederer, Generaldirektor, Rathgen-Forschunglabor, Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz Berlin.