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Hazardous substances in the work of metal conservator
Ottenwelter, Estelle
Conservator-restorers are exposed to hazardous substances (organic solvents, chemicals, dusts) in their daily work. Absorbed through inhalation, ingestion and by skin contact, these hazardous substances may cause acute toxicity and long term toxic effects if basic safety rules are not respected. After a brief summary of basic principles of toxicology, organ specific toxic effects encountered by chosen hazardous substances to which metal conservator may be exposed in their work and safety rules of handling and storing these substances are described.
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Evidence of tin coating on archaeological ferrous artefacts by voltammetry of microparticules (VMP)
Ottenwelter, Estelle ; Costa, V.
Voltammetry of microparticules (VMP) using a paraffinimpregnated graphite electrode (PIGE) to transfer material directly from the artefacts to an electrochemical cell, was applied on two objects from Medieval Ages covered by a grey metallic coating in a variable state of conservation and appearance as a non invasive analytical method to characterise artefacts. Results have shown that the light grey metallic surface layers observed on both objects present different chemical composition, which could be determined in a selective way, following their stratigraphical location of the artefacts.
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The search for method(s) in contemporary archaeology
Kuna, Martin
Archaeology and history do not differ in targets but in the means of study. Even though, archaeology has to build its own theories and methods and has to be able to ask its own questions about the past. At present, archaeology has more or less exhausted the information potential of its records using simple, intuitive methods. For further knowledge, it is necessary to develop more sofisticated approaches based on a deductive way of making inference and using results of many other disciplines within the field of nature sciences. We are trying to present an example using data from the recent excavation at an Early Medieval site of Roztoky.
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Flat-and-lugged axes from the view of metallographer
Hošek, Jiří
Two Hallstatt flat-and-lugged axes (dated to Ha C2 – Ha D1-2) discovered in NW Bohemia have been recently examined by the author. First axe, from Březno u Milešova, was made of piled iron (locally steel) but its cutting edge was treated by carburization and quenching. The second axe, from Nakléřovský průsmyk, apparently reveals the case of steel cutting-edge welding onto an iron axe body. The steeled cutting edge and its tempering evidence advanced tool-making techniques. Both the examined axes belong to the less numerous group of high quality forgings. Nevertheless, regarding all the up to date examined flat-and-lugged axes, hardening of these tools might have been a common practice at the time.
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