Author: Chris Wayne Smith
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
ISBN: 9781585442188
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 152
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Book Description
Over the years, archaeologists have developed a number of techniques for conserving historical artifacts for future generations. Along with these techniques, researchers have developed a series of ethical principles for treating materials in a way that allows them to be not only observed and analyzed for the present, but also in re-studied in the future. Conservation techniques used up to now, however, have provided artifacts only a limited lifespan, and in some cases they do not work well with water-logged materials. Within the past few years, archaeological chemistry and concerns of longevity testing have become central issues in the development of conservation treatment strategies. This problem became particularly acute when members of the Texas A&M Nautical Archaeology Program were called on to conserve artifacts from La Belle, the sunken ship of La Salle excavated in the 1990s off the coast of Texas by the Texas Historical Commission. "Entombed in the mud that sealed it from decay for over three centuries," C. Wayne Smith writes in his introduction, "the waterlogged hull and hundreds of thousands of fragile artifacts, including brain matter in the skull of one unfortunate sailor, would have been a futile conservation effort without new preservation technologies."Working with Dow Corning Corporation, Texas A&M’s Archaeological Preservation Research Lab (APRL), and the Conservation Research Lab (CRL), Smith and his colleagues in A&M’s Nautical Archaeology Program set out to develop a series of chemistries and techniques that would provide successful and affordable treatment strategies for organic materials. In this ground-breaking description of the processes and materials that were developed, Smith explains these techniques in ways that will allow museums and historical societies to conserve more stable artifacts for traveling exhibits and interactive displays and will allow researchers to conserve new discoveries without sacrificing important information. Beyond the advantages offered by polymer replacement (Passivation Polymer) technologies, Smith considers a concept seldom addressed in conservation: artistry. Variance in equipment, relative humidity, laboratory layout, intended results, and level of expertise all affect researchers’ ability to obtain consistent and aesthetically correct samples and require a willingness to explore treatment parameters and combinations of polymers. Smith prescribes an effective layout for day-to-day conservation of small organic artifacts and then examines some of the mechanical techniques used to process various organic materials from marine and land sites. He concludes with an exploration of new tools and technologies that can help conservators devise more effective conservation strategies, including CT scans and Computer Aided Design images and stereolithography. All archaeologists, conservators, and museologists working with perishable artifacts will benefit from the careful explication of these new processes, and those wishing to incorporate some or all of them will find the step-by-step instructions for doing so.
Author: Chris Wayne Smith
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
ISBN: 1585442186
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 145
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Book Description
Over the years, archaeologists have developed a number of techniques for conserving historical artifacts for future generations. Along with these techniques, researchers have developed a series of ethical principles for treating materials in a way that allows them to be not only observed and analyzed for the present, but also in re-studied in the future. Conservation techniques used up to now, however, have provided artifacts only a limited lifespan, and in some cases they do not work well with water-logged materials. Within the past few years, archaeological chemistry and concerns of longevity testing have become central issues in the development of conservation treatment strategies. This problem became particularly acute when members of the Texas A&M Nautical Archaeology Program were called on to conserve artifacts from La Belle, the sunken ship of La Salle excavated in the 1990s off the coast of Texas by the Texas Historical Commission. "Entombed in the mud that sealed it from decay for over three centuries," C. Wayne Smith writes in his introduction, "the waterlogged hull and hundreds of thousands of fragile artifacts, including brain matter in the skull of one unfortunate sailor, would have been a futile conservation effort without new preservation technologies."Working with Dow Corning Corporation, Texas A&M’s Archaeological Preservation Research Lab (APRL), and the Conservation Research Lab (CRL), Smith and his colleagues in A&M’s Nautical Archaeology Program set out to develop a series of chemistries and techniques that would provide successful and affordable treatment strategies for organic materials. In this ground-breaking description of the processes and materials that were developed, Smith explains these techniques in ways that will allow museums and historical societies to conserve more stable artifacts for traveling exhibits and interactive displays and will allow researchers to conserve new discoveries without sacrificing important information. Beyond the advantages offered by polymer replacement (Passivation Polymer) technologies, Smith considers a concept seldom addressed in conservation: artistry. Variance in equipment, relative humidity, laboratory layout, intended results, and level of expertise all affect researchers’ ability to obtain consistent and aesthetically correct samples and require a willingness to explore treatment parameters and combinations of polymers. Smith prescribes an effective layout for day-to-day conservation of small organic artifacts and then examines some of the mechanical techniques used to process various organic materials from marine and land sites. He concludes with an exploration of new tools and technologies that can help conservators devise more effective conservation strategies, including CT scans and Computer Aided Design images and stereolithography. All archaeologists, conservators, and museologists working with perishable artifacts will benefit from the careful explication of these new processes, and those wishing to incorporate some or all of them will find the step-by-step instructions for doing so.
Author: Bradley A. Rodgers
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 030648613X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 221
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Book Description
This is a Foreword by an archaeologist, not a conservator, but as Brad Rodgers says, “Conservation has been steadily pulled from archaeology by the forces of specialization”(p. 3),andhewantstoremedythatsituationthroughthismanual. He seesthisworkasa“calltoactionforthenon-professionalconservator,”permitting “curators, conservators, and archaeologists to identify artifacts that need prof- sional attention and, allow these professionals to stabilize most artifacts in their own laboratories with minimal intervention, using simple non-toxic procedures” (p. 5). It is the mission of Brad’s manual to “bring conservation back into arch- ology” (p. 6). The degree of success of that goal depends on the degree to which archaeologists pay attention to, and put to use, what Brad has to say, because as he says, “The conservationist/archaeologist is responsible to make preparation for an artifact’s care even before it is excavated and after its storage into the foreseeable future”. . . a tremendous responsibility” (p. 10). The manual is a combination of highly technical as well as common sense methods of conserving wood, iron and other metals, ceramics, glass and stone, organicsandcomposits—afarbetterguidetoartifactconservationthanwasava- able to me when I ?rst faced that archaeological challenge at colonial Brunswick Town, North Carolina in 1958—a challenge still being faced by archaeologists today. The stage of conservation in 1958 is in dramatic contrast to the procedures Brad describes in this manual—conservation has indeed made great progress. For instance,acommonprocedurethenwastoheattheartifactsredhotinafurnace—a method that made me cringe.
Author: Margaret E Leshikar-Denton
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315416077
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 307
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Book Description
The waters of Latin America and the Caribbean are rich with archaeological sites, including coastal settlements, defensive forts, freshwater sources, fishing-related activities, navigational aids, anchorages, harbours, ports, shipbuilding sites, shipwrecks and survivor camps. Tragically, treasure-hunting has had a deep impact on these maritime cultural resources, especially on shipwrecks. In the last 20 years, archaeologists have been fighting the battle against these treasure hunters in an attempt to preserve these resources as a source of cultural heritage, rather than allow them to be viewed solely as a means for financial reward. Case studies written primarily by Latin American and Caribbean archaeologists demonstrate exciting and cutting edge research, conservation, site preservation, and interpretation. As a result, this groundbreaking book documents the emerging research interests of maritime archaeologists in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Author: Marion Kite
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 113641522X
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 364
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Book Description
The conservation of skin, leather and related materials is an area that, until now, has had little representation by the written word in book form. Marion Kite and Roy Thomson, of the Leather Conservation Centre, have prepared a text which is both authoritative and comprehensive, including contributions from the leading specialists in their fields, such as Betty Haines, Mary Lou Florian, Ester Cameron and Jim Spriggs. The book covers all aspects of Skin and Leather preservation, from Cuir Bouillie to Bookbindings. There is significant discussion of the technical and chemical elements necessary in conservation, meaning that professional conservators will find the book a vital part of their collection. As part of the Butterworth-Heinemann Black series, the book carries the stamp of approval of the leading figures in the world of Conservation and Museology, and as such it is the only publication available on the topic carrying this immediate mark of authority.
Author: Francesco Menotti
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199573492
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 970
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Book Description
This Handbook sets out the key issues and debates in the theory and practice of wetland archaeology which has played a crucial role in studies of our past. Due to the high quantity of preserved organic materials found in humid environments, the study of wetlands has allowed archaeologists to reconstruct people's everyday lives in great detail.
Author: Jennifer A. Rodrigues
Publisher: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 1784916439
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 698
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Book Description
Celebrating the theme ‘Shared heritage’, this volume presents the peer-reviewed proceedings from IKUWA6 (the 6th International Congress for Underwater Archaeology, Fremantle 2016). Papers offer a stimulating diversity of themes and niche topics of value to maritime archaeology practitioners, researchers, students, museum professionals and more.
Author: Francesco Menotti
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199571015
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 563
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Book Description
Wetland Archaeology and Beyond offers an appreciative study of the people, and their artefacts, who occupied a large variety of worldwide wetland archaeological sites. The volume also includes a comprehensive explanation of the processes involved in archaeological practice and theory.
Author: Ethan Watrall
Publisher: University Press of Florida
ISBN: 0813072298
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 347
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Book Description
Exploring the use of digital methods in heritage studies and archaeological research The two volumes of Digital Heritage and Archaeology in Practice bring together archaeologists and heritage professionals from private, public, and academic sectors to discuss practical applications of digital and computational approaches to the field. Contributors thoughtfully explore the diverse and exciting ways in which digital methods are being deployed in archaeological interpretation and analysis, museum collections and archives, and community engagement, as well as the unique challenges that these approaches bring. This volume begins with discussions of digitization at museums and other heritage institutions, including ethical questions around access to archives associated with descendant communities and the use of metadata standards to preserve records for the future. Next, case studies provide several examples of public and community engagement with archaeology using digital tools. The volume concludes with information on ways archaeologists have taught digital methods to both students and professionals, addressing field school contexts and open source software for mapping and 3D imaging. Digital Heritage and Archaeology in Practice highlights the importance of community, generosity, and openness in the use of digital tools and technologies. Providing a purposeful counterweight to the idea that digital archaeology requires expensive infrastructure, proprietary software, complicated processes, and opaque workflows, these volumes privilege perspectives that embrace straightforward and transparent approaches as models for the future. Contributors: Lynne Goldstein | Ethan Watrall | Katie Kirakosian | Irene Gates | Elizabeth Galvin | Jennifer Wexler | Adam Rabinowitz | Elizabeth Minor | Paola Favela | McKenna Morris | Kalei Oliver | Georgia Oppenheim | Rachael Tao | Marta Lorenzon | Rick Bonnie | Suzie Thomas | Katherine Cook | Eero Hyvönen | Esko Ikkala | Mikko Koho | Jouni Tuominen | Anna Wessman | Ashley Peles | Alexis Pantos | Sara Perry | L. Meghan Dennis | Harald Fredheim | Shawn Graham | Stacey L. Camp | Benjamin Carter | Autumn Painter | Sarah M. Rowe | Katheryn Sampeck | Heather McKillop
Author: Ping He
Publisher: Trans Tech Publications Ltd
ISBN: 3038267317
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 232
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Book Description
Selected, peer reviewed papers from the 2014 2nd International Conference on Advances in Materials Science and Engineering (AMSE 2014), October 1-2, 2014, Dubai, UAE
