Conservation of archaeological copper alloy artifacts from Al Ain National Museum collection: the role of desalination

  • Diego Lois Carrera Conservador-Restaurador CENIEH
  • Eduarda Vieira Investigador Centro de Investigação em Ciência e Tecnologia das Artes (CITAR)
  • Eleonora Bosetto Conservador-Restaurador
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v17i1.660
Keywords: Aleación base-cobre, estabilización, cloruro, capa de pasivación, mínima intervención

Abstract

El Museo Nacional de Al Ain se halla en la ciudad de Al Ain en el Emirato de Abu Dhabi (Emiratos Árabes Unidos). Este Museo preserva una importante colección de objetos neolíticos de aleación base cobre procedentes de diferentes yacimientos localizados en las cercanías de la misma ciudad. Durante el proceso de conservación-restauración de las piezas, se notificó la presencia acusada de iones cloro en la mayoría de los objetos procedentes de los ecosistemas áridos cercanos a la costa donde se encontraron.

Este artículo hace hincapié en los procedimientos de desalación realizados durante el proyecto por ser fundamentales para alcanzar la estabilización de los objetos garantizando su preservación por el mayor tiempo posible. El proceso conocido como B70 ha resultado ser efectivo a pesar de no eliminar todas las sales de los objetos, lo que exige un control de los parámetros ambientales para asegurar la salvaguarda de las colecciones.

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Author Biographies

Diego Lois Carrera, Conservador-Restaurador CENIEH

Diego Lois -has a university degree in Archaeological Conservation (Heritage Conservation High School of Galicia, Pontevedra, Spain) and two Masters, one of Archeology and Heritage (Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain) and other on New Technologies for Cultural Heritage Immovable Conservation (University of Vigo, Spain). He is currently an objects conservator at Nacional Research Centre of Human Evolution (CENIEH), Spain. He worked as an objects conservator at the most prestigious centers in Spain, such as Archaeological National Museum or Spanish Heritage Institute (IPCE), regional museums and international cultural institutions like Heritage Malta and Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism Authority.  

Eduarda Vieira, Investigador Centro de Investigação em Ciência e Tecnologia das Artes (CITAR)

Eduarda Vieira- holds a PhD in Conservation and Restoration of Historic and Artistic Heritage by the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain), and a Master degree in Architectonic Conservation by the Évora University (Portugal).  She is currently Assistant professor at the School of Arts of the Portuguese Catholic University (Conservation of Inorganic Materials), where she coordinates de PhD of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Goods program. She is vice-director of the Research Center of Science and Technology of the Arts (CITAR) and coordinator of the research focus area of Heritage, Conservation and Restoration and editor of the Studies in Conservation and Restoration -ECR-Estudos de Conservação e Restauro journal. She is also a member of ICOMOS and ICOM and researcher in several projects related with Preventive Conservation and Green Conservation besides supervising several PhD and master thesis.

Eleonora Bosetto, Conservador-Restaurador

Eleonora Bosetto - is a cultural heritage conservator. She gained a Bachelor degree in Technologies for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage and a Master degree in Art History and Conservation of Cultural Heritage at Bologna University.  Currently, she is in charge of conservation projects for national and international public institutions.

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Published
2020-06-25
How to Cite
Lois Carrera, D., Vieira, E., & Bosetto, E. (2020). Conservation of archaeological copper alloy artifacts from Al Ain National Museum collection: the role of desalination. Ge-Conservacion, 17(1), 18-32. https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v17i1.660
Issue
Vol. 17 (2020): Ge-conservación Nº17
Section
Artículos
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