Conservation of Archaeological Ships and Boats

Focusing on the complex conservation challenges posed by waterlogged wood, iron, and other materials Per Hoffmann details the multidisciplinary efforts behind archaeological shipwreck recovery. From the early days of trial-and-error in the 1960s to today’s sophisticated scientific methods, the book traces the evolution of maritime conservation. Highlighting contributions from divers, archaeologists, conservators, and scientists, it offers insight into the technical innovations that have transformed the preservation of shipwrecks over the past fifty years.

Behind each archaeological shipwreck recovery lies a team of highly skilled specialists: divers, archaeologists, engineers, scientists, conservators, curators, historians, designers etc. While each boat found presents a unique combination of problems to be overcome, the most challenging aspect of all these projects has been the conservation of the degraded wood, iron and other materials that make up a ship’s hull and its contents. The materials and techniques used in this branch of conservation now are very different from those known about and used in the early 1960s when a truly scientific approach to conservation had yet to appear. The technology of waterlogged wood preservation has advanced enormously over the past five decades.

Foreword by James A. Spriggs

Acknowledgements

List of authors

List of boxes

List of acronyms

Display locations of the archaeological ships and boats

Introduction - A very special task

From excavation to conservation

Where will the ship end up?

Reducing damage during salvage and transport

Preparing the ship for conservation

Wood in its archaeological context

Sound wood

Waterlogged wood

Two approaches to the conservation of a ship or boat

Methods of application of polyethylene glycol

Some surprising laboratory experiments on wood

Scaling up - ships in tanks

One-step or two-step - the range of tank treatments

Pumps and nozzles - spraying treatments

Tank treatment versus spraying - a comparison

The sucrose method

Sugar in wood - laboratory experiments

Ships in sugar - case studies

The Lactitol method

Lactitol in wood - laboratory experiments

Lactitol treatments for large objects

The Kauramin method Per Hoffmann and Markus Wittkopper

Melamine in wood - laboratory experiments

Two ships in Kauramin - a case study Markus Wittkopper

Freeze-drying of archaeological waterlogged wood Poul Jensen, Kristiane

Straetkvern, Inger Bojesen-Koefoed and David Gregory

The theory of freeze-drying

Freeze-drying processes

Ships in a vacuum chamber

Choosing the 'best' method from PEG, sucrose, Lactitol and Kauramin

Assessment of the methods taking various factors into account

How to select the most appropriate method

From conservation to presentation

Cleaning and surface treatment

Restoration and presentation

Foreseeing the future

Long-term care plans James A. Spriggs

Do effort and funds pay off in the end?

References

Index,

Foreword by James A. Spriggs

Acknowledgements

List of authors

List of boxes

List of acronyms

Display locations of the archaeological ships and boats

Introduction – A very special task

From excavation to conservation

Where will the ship end up?

Reducing damage during salvage and transport

Preparing the ship for conservation

Wood in its archaeological context

Sound wood

Waterlogged wood

Two approaches to the conservation of a ship or boat

Methods of application of polyethylene glycol

Some surprising laboratory experiments on wood

Scaling up – ships in tanks

One-step or two-step – the range of tank treatments

Pumps and nozzles – spraying treatments

Tank treatment versus spraying – a comparison

The sucrose method

Sugar in wood – laboratory experiments

Ships in sugar – case studies

The Lactitol method

Lactitol in wood – laboratory experiments

Lactitol treatments for large objects

The Kauramin method Per Hoffmann and Markus Wittköpper

Melamine in wood – laboratory experiments

Two ships in Kauramin – a case study Markus Wittköpper

Freeze-drying of archaeological waterlogged wood Poul Jensen, Kristiane

Straetkvern, Inger Bojesen-Koefoed and David Gregory

The theory of freeze-drying

Freeze-drying processes

Ships in a vacuum chamber

Choosing the ‘best’ method from PEG, sucrose, Lactitol and Kauramin

Assessment of the methods taking various factors into account

How to select the most appropriate method

From conservation to presentation

Cleaning and surface treatment

Restoration and presentation

Foreseeing the future

Long-term care plans James A. Spriggs

Do effort and funds pay off in the end?

References

Index

• By (author) Per Hoffmann

"This slim and beautifully illustrated book explains how to deal with large projects of waterlogged wood from excavation to presentation in a museum gallery based on Hoffman's own research and experience [...] This book is very accessible to read, as Per is consistently encouraging despite the fact that many of the projects included in the case studies must have been very strenuous and stressful for the teams involved. ICON News - November 2013
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This slim and beautifully illustrated book explains how to deal with large projects of waterlogged wood from excavation to presentation in a museum gallery based on Hoffman's own research and experience [...] This book is very accessible to read, as Per is consistently encouraging despite the fact that many of the projects included in the case studies must have been very strenuous and stressful for the teams involved.

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