Sometimes the Simplest Solutions are the Best: Reconserving the Lake Phelps Canoes

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Archaeological Studies of Material Culture (General Sessions)" , at the 2021 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

In 1986, four canoes were recovered from Lake Phelps in Pettigrew State Park in eastern North Carolina. These canoes were treated with sugar as a bulking agent to prevent serious damage upon drying. After many years of being stored in uncontrolled conditions, some of these canoes have become unstable with sugar leaching to the surface and crystallizing. This causes major concerns for the long-term preservation of these artifacts. An Institute of Museum and Library Services grant has allowed for the reconservation of these canoes. However, there have been several obstacles to the completion of this project, including unsatisfactory treatment methods and the impact of the Covid-19 virus. These obstacles are not immovable impediments, but rather learning opportunities. This presentation will discuss the obstacles that make the treating of the Lake Phelps Canoes difficult but also what has been learned from the treatment process.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Archaeological Studies of Material Culture (General Sessions)   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2021

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology