Introduction to conservation of archaeological material: From the archaeological site to the laboratory

Code:

ICMA01

Acronym:

ICMA

Instance: 2020/2021 - SP (of 12-04-2021 to 16-04-2021)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Heritage Studies
Course/CS Responsible:	Introduction to conservation of archaeological material: From the archaeological site to the laboratory

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
UF_ICMA	0	Study plan	1	-		10	10

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The general objective of the course is to help in the awareness of the importance of in situ conservation actions at the time of extraction of archaeological pieces; to provide students with the knowledge necessary for the practice of these techniques and to contribute to the long-term conservation of the historical document that is represented in our archaeological heritage of terrestrial and underwater origin.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the training the students will know the different kind and causes of the degradation of archaeological pieces of terrestrial and underwater origin; they will have acquired skills in approaching in situ conservation techniques and will become aware of the relevance of such treatments through the knowledge of the damage caused in some pieces due to their absence. Finally, they will be able to identify the appropriate restoration treatments for the long-term conservation of metal and ceramic pieces of underwater origin through the practice and understanding of the chemistry and physics of such treatments.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Concepts of in situ conservation, restoration, long-term conservation and preventive conservation. In situ conservation techniques. Examples of successes and failures.
2. From the archaeological site to the laboratory: extraction of a ceramic or metallic piece of the site applying in situ conservation techniques (knowledge acquired in the previous class). Arrival at the laboratory. Photographic and documentary registers.
3. Physical and chemical degradation: identification of the type of degradation, according to the type of soil in the most common materials: iron, bronze and ceramic. Examples of degradation.
4. Consequences of salinity in iron, bronze and ceramic pieces. Salinity measurements: conductivity and pH.
5. Restoration techniques of terrestrial and marine origin: an approach to electrolytic technique.

Mandatory literature

BERTHOLON, R AND RELIER C; “Les métaux archéologiques,” in La conservation en archéologie. Méthodes et pratique de la conservation-restauration des vestiges archéologiques, Masson, Paris, France, 1990: 163-221, 1990
BOUZAS ABAD, ANA; “Los principios de la conservación y la restauración”, Boletín Arqueolan, 13, 2005, pp 10-25., 2005
GLANTZ SCHNEIDER, RENATA; Conservación in situ de materiales arqueológicos. Un manual., Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. 187pp, 2001
HAMILTON, D.; Basic Methods of Conserving Underwater Archaeological Material Culture, Nautical Archaeology Program, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, 1997 (https://nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/conservationmanual/ConservationManual.pdf)
L.S. Selwyn, P.I. Sirois & V. Argyropoulos ; The corrosion of excavated archaeological iron with details on weeping and akaganéite, Studies in Conservation, 44:4, 217-232, DOI: 10.1179/sic.1999.44.4.217
S. Turgoose; Post-excavation changes in iron antiquities, Studies in Conservation, 27:3, 97-101, DOI: 10.1179/sic.1982.27.3.97, 1982
PEARSON, COLIN; Conservation of Marine Archaeological Objects, Ed. Butterworths. 297pp., 1987
VOLFOVSKY, C.; La conservation des métaux, Ed. VOLFOVSKY, C. 295 pp., 2001
ZAMBRANO VALDIVIA, LUIS CARLOS ; “La conservación del patrimonio arqueológico subacuático. Definición yacimientos y materiales”, Boletín Arqueolan, 13, 2005, pp 70-90., 2005

Teaching methods and learning activities

This is a face to face course that aims to perform an archaeological practice on a ceramic and metal piece. With this objective and by a combination of theoretical and practical lessons, we will work on the extraction of a ceramic and/or metal piece (previously buried to induce its degradation) and develop all the relevant actions for its conservation, thus achieving the learning objectives set for this training.
For this course it will be necessary to bury and submerge in different types of soil a maximum of 2 ceramic pieces, 2 iron pieces, and 2 bronze (or copper) pieces and leave them for a minimum of two months. The degradation acquired by the pieces during this period will allow the students to understand the contents of this training.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Frequência das aulas	10,00
Total:	10,00

Eligibility for exams

75% attendance.

Calculation formula of final grade

Not applicable.