CuTAWAY – Conservation And Wood AnalYses
Final Report Abstract
Wooden artefacts, preserved in oxygen-deprived environments, hold immense archaeological value. Preserving these artefacts is imperative to prevent post-extraction decay. Maintaining both their external and internal structures is crucial. The Cutaway Project, focusing on wood conservation and analysis, aimed to explore the impact of conservation methods on the structural integrity of waterlogged archaeological wood. Three central research questions guided our investigation: (1) How do conservation agents contribute to stabilizing and preventing damage in archaeological wooden objects? (2) What is the interaction between conservation agents and the wood matrix? (3) How can we perform non-destructive anatomical feature extraction (e.g., dendrochronology) on conserved samples, and do conservation agents hinder this process? To address these questions, we analysed samples from the LEIZA reference collection, eight Neolithic wheels discovered in Europe, and freshly conserved archaeological wood samples. Various conservation methods, including alcohol-ether resin, melamine-formaldehyde (Kauramin 800®), lactitol/trehalose, three different polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatments followed by freeze-drying, saccharose and silicone oil, were examined. We employed a combination of non-destructive imaging techniques (laboratory X-ray computed tomography (XCT), synchrotron computed tomography (SCT), neutron computed tomography (NCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) and microscopic techniques (light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and microscopy with Raman spectroscopy), along with stress testing under fluctuating humidity. Regarding the first question, we quantified damage patterns like shrinkage, collapse, and cracks in specimens for various conservation measures. We also confirmed the stability of conserved sample volumes over ten years in an uncontrolled museum environment, while noting significant changes in sorption measurements and structural analysis with fluctuating humidity. For the second question, we analysed the interaction of conservation agents with wood microstructures, identifying these agents and determining their structure and distribution based on drying method, wood anatomy, and degradation level. Lastly, we assessed the influence of conservation methods on non-destructive dendrochronology using XCT, revealing the impact of different conservation agents on XCT data quality. Additionally, we recognized that equipment, object size, wood type, and condition play significant roles in successfully measuring tree ring widths.
Publications
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Automated 3D tree-ring detection and measurement from X-ray computed tomography. Dendrochronologia, 69, 125877.
Martinez-Garcia, Jorge; Stelzner, Ingrid; Stelzner, Joerg; Gwerder, Damian & Schuetz, Philipp
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Automated 3D tree-ring detection and ring-width calculation from X computed tomography, in Kleinová Kateřina (ed.), Abstract book, 27th EAA Annual Meeting, European Association of Archaeologists (EAA): Kiel, 124 – 124 (2021).
J. Martinez-Garcia; I. Stelzner; J. Stelzner; D. Gwerder & P. Schuetz
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Automated 3D tree-ring detection and ring-width calculation from X computed tomography, in TRACE 2021 Conference, Trace 2021: Lund.
J. Martinez-Garcia; I. Stelzner; J. Stelzner; D. Gwerder & P. Schuetz
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Image processing approach for detection of three-dimensional tree-rings from X computed tomography. International Journal of Computer and Information Engineering, 15 (7), 414-417 (2021).
J. Martinez-Garcia; I. Stelzner; J. Stelzner; D. Gwerder & P. Schuetz
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New insights into wet wood conservation with X computed tomography. In Metalla Sonderheft 11, Archäometrie und Denkmalpflege 2021, (pp. 120–122). Bochum: Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum Museum.
I. Stelzner; J. Stelzner; J. Martinez-Garcia; M. Wittköpper; D. Gwerder; W. Muskalla; M. Egg & P. Schuetz
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Non-destructive assessment of conserved archaeological wood using computed tomography. In Transcending Boundaries: Integrated Approaches to Conservation. ICOM-CC 19th Triennial Conference Preprints, Beijing, 17–21 May 2021, ed. J. Bridgland. Paris: ICOM-CC.
I. Stelzner; J. Stelzner; J. Martinez-Garcia; D.; Gwerder; M. Wittköpper; W. Muskalla; M. Egg & P. Schuetz
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Curvilinear-tree-ring measurements in archaeological wood samples from X-ray computed tomography. Dendrochronologia, 76, 126002.
Martinez-Garcia, Jorge; Stelzner, Ingrid; Stelzner, Joerg; Gwerder, Damian; Million, Sebastian; Nelle, Oliver & Schuetz, Philipp
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Stabilisation of waterlogged archaeological wood: the application of structured-light 3D scanning and micro computed tomography for analysing dimensional changes. Heritage Science, 10(1).
Stelzner, Jörg; Stelzner, Ingrid; Martinez-Garcia, Jorge; Gwerder, Damian; Wittköpper, Markus; Muskalla, Waldemar; Cramer, Anja; Heinz, Guido; Egg, Markus & Schuetz, Philipp
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The effect of conservation agents on non-destructive dendrochronology, in: Proceedings of Objects Specialty Group Postprints. 50th Annual Meeting; 13-17 May 2022, K. Dodson, M. Wilcop, R. Chao and L.A.B. Gordon (eds) American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, 29, (accepted).The effect of conservation agents on non-destructive dendrochronology, in: Proceedings of Objects Specialty Group Postprints. 50th Annual Meeting; 13-17 May 2022, K. Dodson, M. Wilcop, R. Chao and L.A.B. Gordon (eds) American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, 29.
I. Stelzner; J. Stelzner; J. Martinez-Garcia; D. Gwerder; S. Million; O. Nelle & P. Schuetz
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Assessing conservation agents in archaeological wood by neutron imaging. In: Proceedings of the 15th ICOM-CC WaterloggedOrganic Archaeological Materials Working Group Conference Mainz 2023, 76–82, eds. I. Hovmand, M. Felter, I.Stelzner et al. Mainz: ICOM-CC.
J. Martinez-Garcia, I. Stelzner, J. Stelzner, D. Gwerder, D. Mannes, P. Trtik & P. Schuetz
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Evaluation of conservation methods for archaeological wet wood with structured light 3D scanning and µ-CT. In: Proceedings of the 15th ICOM-CC Waterlogged Organic Archaeological Materials Working Group Conference Mainz 2023, 96–105, eds. I. Hovmand, M. Felter, I. Stelzner et al. Mainz: ICOM-CC.
I. Stelzner; J. Stelzner; J. Martinez-Garcia; D. Gwerder; M. Wittköpper; W. Muskalla; A. Cramer; G. Heinz; M. Egg & P. Schuetz
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Imaging and Assessment of the Microstructure of Conserved Archaeological Pine. Forests, 14(2), 211.
Stelzner, Ingrid; Stelzner, Jörg; Gwerder, Damian; Martinez-Garcia, Jorge & Schuetz, Philipp
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Non-destructive dendrochronology with X-ray computed tomography: The influence of different conservation methods for waterlogged archaeological wood. Dendrochronologia, 78, 126065.
Stelzner, Jörg; Million, Sebastian; Stelzner, Ingrid; Martinez-Garcia, Jorge; Gwerder, Damian; Nelle, Oliver & Schuetz, Philipp
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Non-destructive Dendrochronology: The Effect of Conservation Agents on Tree-ring Measurements in Archaeological Oak with Micro-computed Tomography. Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, 63(1), 14-27.
Stelzner, Jörg; Stelzner, Ingrid; Martinez-Garcia, Jorge; Million, Sebastian; Gwerder, Damian; Nelle, Oliver & Schuetz, Philipp
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Non-destructive dendrochronology: Analysis of the influence of conservation agents in the wood structure with laboratory-based and synchrotron X micro-computed tomography. In: Working Towards a Sustainable Past. ICOM- CC 20th Triennial Conference Preprints, Valencia, 18-22 September 2023, ed. J. Bridgland, Paris: International Council of Museums.
I. Stelzner; J. Stelzner; E. Hamann; M. Zuber; J. Martinez-Garcia; D. Gwerder; S. Million & P. Schuetz
