Conserving the CSS Georgia

Summary

Over the course of the CSS Georgia project, a wide array of artifacts have been recovered, all of which are in the process of being conserved at the Texas A&M Conservation Research Laboratory. Each artifact poses its own unique challenges and in order to effectively conserve an artifact the appropriate technique must be selected. This presentation outlines the differing techniques for de-concreting wood, iron, and cuprous materials, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls that might be encountered when practicing each of these techniques. One such mitigation involves the use of electrolytic reduction in order to remove the concretion layer closest to the surface of the metal so that the surface is not scarred or removed. Other options include casting and x-radiography in cases in which the artifact itself is too poorly preserved. These techniques, when carefully selected and combined, can effectively conserve artifacts for future reference or display.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Current Projects at the Conservation Research Laboratory at Texas A&M Univerisity   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2017

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 621