Gold Mine Wooden Artefacts: Multianalytical Investigations for the Selection of Appropriate Consolidation Treatments

Environmental conditions present in mines generally are very favourable to decay; high temperature, high humidity, variable oxygen content, numerous metal-wood connections and the presence of a high content of inorganic compounds typical of mines have a significant impact on the biotic and abiotic degradation factors. The state of conservation of wooden artefacts from the Zloty Stok (Poland) gold mine was investigated using a multi-analytical approach. The aim was to select the conservation treatments that would stop decay and improve the conditions and dimensional stability of the wood. FT-IR and Py-GC/MS were used to assess the state of preservation of lignocellulosic material. ED-XRF and SEM-EDS were used to determine-and XRD to identify crystalline phases-salts and minerals in the wood structure or efflorescence on the surface. Highly degraded lignocellulosic material that had undergone depolymerisation and oxidation was found to be severely contaminated by iron-based mineral substances, mainly pyrite, and in some cases greigite and magnetite. The presence of inorganic salts made it difficult to choose the best consolidating material to reduce the level of decay and improve the dimensional stability of the wood

Who are you? Theorising from the experience of working through an avatar

This article explores the experience of a researcher who was part of a pan-European team exploring one of the currently available avatar worlds used for educational purposes. The article reports research undertaken as part of the European Union (EU)-funded project EQUEL (e-quality in e-learning) from the point of view of a single researcher. The EQUEL project was organised into several Significant Interest Groups (SIGs) and the Agora SIG was set up to explore knowledge-sharing in 3D (three-dimensional) avatar-based systems, in particular Active Worlds Educational Universe (AWEDU - http://www.activeworlds.com). AWEDU is a relatively common, stable and explored 3D system. Further details of the research reported here can be found in papers presented by Jensen and Fejfer Olsen et al at the networked learning conference 2004 (http://www.networkedlearningconference.org.uk/past/nlc2004)

Properties and dimensional stability of 12 500-year-old subfossil pine wood

At the Koźmin Las site, in Central Poland, in the middle section of the Warta River valley, a series of well-preserved tree trunks and in situ stumps, as well as organic deposits, have been found. The tree remains are dated back to the period between 13,000–12,600 cal BP, i.e. to the Alleröd/Younger Dryas transition. The forest consisted predominantly of pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) of a maximum age of approx. 140 years and an average age of 68 years, and the river valley floor was overgrown. The forest was destroyed ca. 12,600 cal BP by deteriorating hydrological conditions or a sudden catastrophic event. The aim of the study was to assess the degree of degradation in terms of selected macroscopic, physical and chemical properties of a subfossil pine log. On this basis, a conservation process was developed,using aqueous solutions of polyethylene glycols (PEG) with varying concentrations of low- and high-molecular polymers. Treated and dried samples were comparedin terms of their tangential and radial dimensional stability, as well as their hygroscopic properties

Development of Storage and Assessment methods suited for organic Archaeological artefacts (StAr) - JPI-CH project

StAr project - Development of Storage and assessment methods suited for organic archaeological artefacts - started in 2020 within the framework of Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPI-CH) Conservation, Protection and Use. The project arises from the need for chemical-physical stabilization strategies of archaeological finds (mainly wood and leather), for long time (up to several months) in the waterlogged state, i.e., under pre-treatment conditions, without compromising the archaeological and scientific evidences they contain. Several methods of controlling storage conditions will be tested on archaeological wooden and leather objects. The experimentations will entail a systematic chemical analysis and monitoring of the organic materials before, during and after storage in different conditions, both in laboratory and on-field at the Biskupin archaeological excavation site in Poland

Provenance of the white and polychrome marbles used for the architecture and sculpture of roman Sentinum (Sassoferrato, Marche, Italy)

Samples from 22 white crystalline and one greco scritto-like marble artefacts (first-third centuries ce) from Roman Sentinum (Sassoferrato, Italy) were analysed to determine their provenance by thin-section microscopy, X-ray diffraction and stable isotope ratio analysis (delta O-18 and delta C-13). Polychrome marbles were provenanced through macroscopic examination. Results show that relief sculpture and statuary were carved in white marble from Carrara, Paros, Thasos and Naxos. Architectural white marbles were identified as Proconnesian for veneer, and Proconnesian, Parian, Dokimeion and Thasian for capitals and pediments. Polychrome lithotypes include foremost africano, breccia di Sciro, cipollino verde, giallo antico, bardiglio and greco scritto (from Ephesos-Hasancavuslar)