When you find river artifacts, keep them wet immediately after recovery to prevent deterioration. Store them in aerated tanks with site water or dechlorinated water at 18-22°C while documenting their condition. You’ll need to carefully clean different materials using appropriate methods – soft brushes for ceramics, extended freshwater rinsing for metals, and systematic desalination procedures. Proper drying and storage in controlled environments with specific temperature and humidity levels will guarantee your artifacts’ long-term preservation. The following detailed preservation steps can make the difference between degradation and museum-quality conservation.
Key Takeaways
- Keep artifacts wet immediately after discovery by storing them in containers with site water or dechlorinated water.
- Clean metal artifacts through extended freshwater rinsing to remove salts before applying protective sealants.
- Use gentle mechanical cleaning with soft brushes for glass and ceramics, applying 25% vinegar solution for stubborn deposits.
- Remove harmful salts through systematic desalination using deionized water baths while monitoring salt levels until stabilized.
- Store cleaned artifacts in temperature-controlled environments below 20°C with 40-60% relative humidity to prevent deterioration.
Initial Recovery and Wet Storage Methods
When recovering artifacts from river environments, you must maintain their wet state immediately upon discovery to prevent deterioration. Handle objects gently with appropriate tools, placing them directly into tanks or sealed containers filled with site water or dechlorinated water. Anaerobic conditions must be carefully maintained during the recovery process to prevent decay of organic materials.
You’ll need to focus on artifact documentation through detailed notes and photography before any cleaning attempts. Proper preservation requires maintaining a stable temperature range between 18-22°C to minimize deterioration.
For proper environmental controls, you’ll want to store items in aerated tanks with stable temperatures. Monitor water chemistry regularly, including pH and oxygen levels, to prevent unwanted biological growth.
Use inert materials for padding and support within storage containers, and limit light exposure by employing UV filters when necessary. These steps guarantee you’ll maintain the artifact’s stability while preserving essential details like maker’s marks and inscriptions for future study.
Safe Cleaning Procedures for Different Materials
Different artifact materials require distinct cleaning approaches to prevent damage during conservation.
For metals, you’ll need extended freshwater rinsing to remove salts, followed by careful drying and protective sealants.
Glass and ceramics can handle gentle washing with soft brushes, and you’re safe using a 25% vinegar solution for stubborn deposits. Successful preservation often involves using polyethylene glycol treatment on delicate items. Using a soft toothbrush provides effective yet gentle cleaning for most artifacts.
When dealing with organics like wood or leather, preservation techniques focus on maintaining their existing moisture levels.
Don’t wet previously dry organic artifacts, as this accelerates deterioration.
For artifact conservation of fragile or composite items, avoid cleaning without professional guidance.
You’ll want to use mechanical removal methods rather than chemical treatments, especially when working with items that combine different materials.
Always store cleaned artifacts in controlled environments to prevent further degradation.
Removing Harmful Salts and Minerals
To effectively remove destructive salts from artifacts, you’ll need to implement systematic desalination procedures that target soluble compounds, particularly chlorides.
You can employ traditional soaking methods using deionized water or opt for electrolytic reduction when dealing with metal objects. Through regular salt testing of the soaking solution, you’ll monitor progress until chloride levels stabilize. Continuous exposure to salt can cause artifacts to deteriorate into unrecognizable rust piles. The presence of soluble salts creates cyclic damage as humidity levels fluctuate between high and low.
For metal artifacts, you’ll want to set up an electrolytic reduction system using a 1-2% sodium hydroxide solution. This process draws chlorides away from your artifact toward sacrificial steel plates.
After completing your chosen desalination methods, thoroughly rinse the artifact in fresh water, followed by distilled water baths. You’ll need to maintain consistent monitoring throughout the process, as complete treatment can take anywhere from months to years.
Essential Drying Techniques and Stabilization
Proper drying techniques stand as the cornerstone of artifact preservation, requiring careful assessment and strategic implementation to prevent irreversible damage.
You’ll need to evaluate each artifact’s composition before selecting between freeze drying techniques or controlled environment methods.
For ideal preservation, follow these critical steps:
- Maintain artifacts in a wet state until you’re ready to begin the drying process
- Remove debris and conduct thorough documentation before initiating drying
- Apply chemical stabilization agents like PEG for organic materials
- Monitor temperature and humidity throughout the entire process
Your success depends on precise control during drying. Studies from the S.S. Central America shipwreck revealed that slow drying in freezers produced better preservation of fiber structure than other methods.
For delicate items, freeze drying techniques offer superior results by converting ice directly to vapor, while chemical stabilization using alum-glycerin solutions can protect cellular structures in organic materials. Regular testing using ion chromatography helps monitor salt removal during the desalination process.
Optimal Storage Solutions for Long-Term Preservation
Successful long-term preservation of artifacts requires implementing thorough storage solutions that address temperature, humidity, light exposure, and air quality control.
You’ll need to maintain temperatures below 20°C (68°F) and relative humidity between 40-60% using automated monitoring systems.
Your storage facility should incorporate HEPA and activated charcoal filtration to remove harmful particulates and VOCs.
Install UV-filtering materials on windows and use minimal lighting to prevent photochemical damage.
You’ll want to employ acid-free, inert packaging materials and custom supports to prevent physical stress on artifacts.
For precise humidity management, utilize dehumidification systems with sensors and sealed containers with silica gel packets.
Monitor and log environmental conditions continuously to quickly address any deviations that could compromise your artifacts’ integrity.
Store waterlogged organics in a cool dark place to prevent deterioration and biological growth.
Regular collaboration between archaeologists and conservators ensures proper handling procedures are maintained throughout the storage period.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Tell if an Artifact Has Historical Significance?
You’ll need to conduct artifact evaluation against National Register criteria, examining its historical context, integrity aspects, and ability to contribute significant information about past events, people, or construction methods.
What Legal Permits Do I Need Before Collecting Artifacts From Rivers?
You’ll need federal permits for collecting on federal waterways, state permits for navigable waters, and landowner permission for private streams. Check local collecting regulations and artifact ownership laws first.
Can I Sell River-Found Artifacts After Properly Preserving Them?
You can’t legally sell river-found artifacts, as they’re typically protected by state and federal laws. Ethical considerations and selling guidelines require proper permits and documented provenance before any commercial transactions.
How Do I Identify the Approximate Age of Artifacts Found Underwater?
You’ll need scientific methods like radiocarbon dating for organic materials, plus analysis of historical context, manufacturing techniques, and artifact style to determine approximate age. Professional archaeologists can provide definitive assessments.
Should Artifacts Be Reported to Local Archaeological Authorities Before Preservation Begins?
You must report artifacts before preservation begins. Proper artifact reporting guarantees legal compliance and preservation ethics, while protecting historical context and enabling expert guidance for ideal conservation methods.
References
- https://www.marinebiodiversity.ca/saving-history-below-the-waves-expert-methods-for-preserving-submerged-artifacts/
- https://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/learn/ShipwreckConservation
- https://www.mnhs.org/sites/default/files/lhs/techtalk/techtalkjanuary1997.pdf
- http://www.cawreckdivers.org/Preservation.htm
- https://files.pca-cpa.org/pcadocs/2017-06/8. Ukraine – Reply – Exhibits/8. Ukraine – Reply – Exhibits/UA-116.pdf
- https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2015/posters/97/
- https://www.history.navy.mil/research/underwater-archaeology/conservation-and-curation/ua-conservation-heritage.html
- https://www.icom-cc.org/dlfile.aspx?file=https://www.icom-cc.org/docs/content/Wet-Organic-Archaeological-Materials-Newsletter-no63-November-2023_special(0).pdf
- https://njscuba.net/artifacts-shipwrecks/miscellaneous/all-about-artifacts/
- https://www.southalabama.edu/org/archaeology/news/lab-processing.html
