Preservation of waterlogged wooden buttons and threads: A case study Academic Article

abstract

• A hydroxyl-ended polymer blended with hydrolyzable, multifunctional alkoxysilanes was used to preserve composite artifacts consisting of waterlogged wooden buttons with threads still firmly attached. Excavated from the 17th-century wreck of La Salle's vessel, La Belle, these artifacts posed a significant conservation challenge. Since previous attempts to remove the threads had caused damage to the underlying wood, the decision was made to conserve the buttons and threads simultaneously, using a silicone oil/cross-linker solution. The buttons were then exposed to vapor catalyzation to complete the polymerization process. After preservation, only minimal shrinkage of the wood and threads was noted.

authors

• Smith, Wayne

published proceedings

• HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY

author list (cited authors)

• Smith, C. W.

citation count

• 1

complete list of authors

• Smith, CW

publication date

• December 2002

publisher

• Springer Nature  Publisher

published in

• Historical Archaeology  Journal

keywords

• 43 History, Heritage And Archaeology
• 4302 Heritage, Archive And Museum Studies

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1007/BF03374367

start page

• 30

end page

• 37

volume

• 36

issue

• 4

URL

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf03374367