…En de ton viel niet in duigen. Conservatie van een waterverzadigde houten emmer

Samenvatting

Conservation of a waterlogged wooden bucket. In 2004 the Laboratory for Conservation and Material Studies (LCM, www.lcm.rug.nl) was asked to treat a waterlogged oak bucket with iron bindings. Freeze drying, the most obvious conservation technique available, was considered too costly, given the modest historical and archaeological significance of the object. The LCM took the opportunity to explore alternative methods on the basis of published research results. Impregnation with Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) was not possible, since PEG promotes metal corrosion. Among the alternatives, the ‘acetone/rosin method’ meets the demand of stability in the face of changes in relative humidity, and it makes retreatment and passive conservation less necessary. Disadvantages are the high inflammability of the solvent and the cost of the material. Another possible drawback is the oxidation of the applied colophony, with expected increasing irreversibility of treatment over time. However, since there will be no need for retreatment, such irreversibility is not considered a major problem. The bucket has been treated according to the ‘acetone/rosin method’, with satisfactory results. The rate of rosin oxidation will be monitored and, if possible, a non-oxidizing type of rosin will be applied in the future.