158 ARCHAEOLOGICALCONSERVATION ANDFIRST-AID FORFINDS
of a conservator, particularly as some of them may affect
other types of materials in the vicinity (such as compos-
ite objects). Proprietary household products, particularly
those containing bleach, should never be used. It is often
better to maintain finds in regular changes of cold water
and to initiate full conservation treatment as soon as
possible, ideally within days or a couple of weeks of
recovery.
Chemical additives introduced to storage water – as part
of ‘first-aid’ treatment – can be categorized generally as
follows, and should be added only on the advice of an
archaeological conservator:
- biocides and fungicides aimed at reducing biolo-
gical decay; - chemicals aimed at reducing potential corrosion; or
- pre-treatment solutions as part of full conservation
treatment.
Biocides and fungicides may cause potential corrosion
reactions or interfere with conservation treatment and
long-term preservation. In addition, many are toxic and
so solutions should be handled wearing gloves and other
personal protective equipment, in accordance with the
relevant health and safety regulations.
‘Holding solutions’ include the use of chemicals
such as sodium sesqui-carbonate, caustic soda (sodium
hydroxide), or benzotriazole (BTA), which are aimed at
reducing corrosion in some metals on a temporary basis.
However, they may interfere with subsequent analysis
or conservation treatment.
Pre-treatment solutions are aimed at providing inter-
nal support and stabilization and are introduced to
material in the wet state before controlled drying as part
of conservation treatment. For example, polyethylene
glycol (PEG) is often used in the treatment of waterlogged
wood and glycerol is sometimes used in the treatment
of various types of organic material. The efficacy of
such treatments is likely to be dependent on material type,
composition, construction, size and condition. They may
also lead to potential damage to archaeological material
if not used correctly (PEG, for example, may break
down in contact with iron and iron-corrosion products,
potentially resulting in organic decay).
Record-Keeping
The design of finds registration and record systems is crit-
ical to the process of archaeological analysis and should
be pre-planned carefully (see chapter 8). It should be
designed to include information about storage type and
location and any first-aid conservation carried out.
Other records relating to finds and their conservation
should include:- Exit and entry registers, recording dates material
has left storage, whether temporarily or any similar
information. Such records should be signed and
dated by the relevant people. - Monitoring records, which should be clear, well
organized, and kept up to date with details of treat-
ments administered or changes in the condition
of finds. Simple tabulated forms may be helpful
and all such details, however insignificant, should
be passed on to the conservator involved, as the
process of conservation documentation starts with
excavation and recovery. - Comprehensive systems for labelling containers
and for recording the location of finds and samples. - Hard-copy ‘day-books’ (diaries) of dive-related
events.
There are additional requirements to bear in mind:- Computers should be located away from wet work-
ing areas, and hard-copy back-ups kept in case of
computer failure. - Entries to registers should be made using clean,
dry hands. Clean, dry towels and paper towelling
should therefore always be made available for those
involved in the handling of wet finds. - Lists and/or notices should be made available to
all those involved, giving contact details for emer-
gency services, conservators, specialists and details
of materials and equipment suppliers.
Photographs of finds are often taken for a number
of different reasons, including publication, publicity or
record photography for conservation (Dorrell, 1994). In
terms of first-aid, shots taken immediately on raising
material may help considerably in the long-term assess-
ment of post-excavation changes: both traditional and
digital photographic methods are applicable (see chapter
10). Material removed from storage containers for pho-
tography should be kept out of water for the minimum
time possible and wetted regularly (e.g. by using hand-
held garden pump-sprays) in order to minimize poten-
tial damage. However, the need to keep objects wet
during the process may result in distorted images due to
the run-off of surface water. Alternative methods involve
taking plan-view shots of objects in glass tanks, placed
on a suitably coloured backing and filled with clean,
still water. These may provide better records of shape
and colours than photographs of objects removed from
water. However, care should be taken to reduce possible