Electives 3b: Conservation of archaeological wood

Archaeological wood as a source of information for research. Degradation process of wood. Structure of archaeological wood. Physical and mechanical properties of archaeological wood. The chemical composition of archaeological wood. The evaluation of the degradation of archaeological wood. From excavation to conservation - passive conservation of wet archaeological wood. Method of conservation - active conservation of wet archaeological wood. Dimensional stability of wet archaeological wood – probably the most important stage of conservation process. Freeze drying of archaeological wood. Conservation of objects with complex structures (wood-iron, wood-leather). Assessment of the degree of degradation of wood on the basis of selected physical properties. Selection of the most appropriate method of conservation and conservation of wet archaeological wood. Freeze drying of archaeological wood