Advanced course on the conservation and restoration of archaeological finds

The International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar organizes international courses in the restoration and conservation of underwater archaeological finds every year.

International courses are aimed to the practical and theoretical training of candidates for independent work in the restoration and conservation of underwater archaeological finds.

The courses consist of a theoretical segment and practical work that is carried out under the supervision of a mentor in the workshops of ICUA Zadar.

Candidates can choose between several modules: a one-month Advanced course that can be staged in one of the three main workshops (the metal workshop, the ceramics and glass workshop or the organic material workshop) or the two-week Introductory course that will involve work in all three workshops .

All course participants receive their own copy of the manual on restoration and conservation of underwater archaeological finds published by ICUA Zadar.

In the manual,they can find all the fundamental guidelines for dealing with underwater archaeological finds.

At the end of the course, candidates take an exam in the theoretical and practical part, after which they are entitled to a certificate of passing the course.

ADVANCED COURSE

In this one-month course on the conservation and restoration of underwater archaeological finds, participants can choose to work on a specific type of material in one of three main workshops:

Workshop for ceramic and glass finds, workshop for metal finds or workshop for organic finds

The advanced program for each of the workshops runs for a month and consists of a theoretical part and practical work. Practical work is carried out under the supervision of a mentor and it is is conducted on contemporary and original artefacts depending on the complexity of the operations involved.

These courses enable an individual mentoring approach to each participant based on knowledge in the field of conservation and restoration, as well as abilities and the experience of the participant himself.

The Conservation and Restoration of Underwater Archaeological Finds made of Ceramic and Glass – programme

The theoretical segment of training will cover:

• Introduction to the conservation and restoration of ceramic and glass
• The characteristics of ceramic and glass
• The degradation of ceramic and glass
• The conservation and restoration of ceramic and glass:
  • Documentation
  • Classification and labelling
  • Desalination
  • Cleaning
  • Consolidation
  • Bonding and gluing
  • Integration
  • Retouching
  • Final protection
  • Monitoring and storage

The practical segment of training will cover:

• Documenting the initial condition
• Evaluating the state of conservation and establishing a plan of conservation-restoration work
• Cleaning the artefact
• Undertaking desalination
• Consolidation
• Bonding and gluing fragments
• Integrating missing sections
• Retouching
• Final protection

The Conservation and Restoration of Underwater Archaeological Finds made of Metal – programme

• Getting acquainted with the types, characteristics and causes of the deterioration of archaeological metal
• Getting acquainted with the phases of conservation-restoration operations
• Documenting the initial condition of the artefact:
  • Photographing the artefact
  • Preliminary inspection of the artefact
  • Description of the initial condition
• The procedure for the desalination of underwater archaeological artefacts made of metal:
  • Preparing the artefact for the desalination procedure
  • Monitoring desalination by conductivity and the concentration of chloride
  • Measuring the concentration of chloride by potentiometric titration
• Cleaning underwater archaeological artefacts made of metal:
  • Mechanical cleaning
  • Chemical cleaning
  • Getting acquainted with the electrolytic cleaning procedure
• The active stabilisation of iron artefacts using the sulphite procedure:
  • Preparing the artefact for the sulphite procedure
  • Preparing and changing the sulphite procedure solution
  • Monitoring the sulphite procedure by measuring the concentration of chloride
• Getting acquainted with the types and methods of applying corrosion inhibitors
• Gluing artefacts received in multiple fragments
• The impregnation of unstable sections of an artefact
• Fabricating missing sections
• Final protection of metal artefacts:
  • Preparation and application of substances for final protection
• Drawing up documentation with a description of the conservation-restoration operations performed on an individual artefact
• The importance of the adequate storage of restored metal artefacts

The Conservation and Restoration of Waterlogged Archaeological Wood and other Underwater Organic Finds – programme

• Introduction to the types, characteristics and causes of the deterioration of archaeological organic material
• Introduction to the phases of conservation-restoration process
• Introduction to the types and methods of impregnation
• Preliminary inspection of the artefact
• Documentation and description of the initial condition of the artefact
• Establishing a plan of conservation-restoration work
• Preliminary cleaning
• Sketching with indicators of basic dimensions or scale drawing
• Desalinization
• Monitoring desalinization
• Mechanical/chemical cleaning
• Ways of replacement water in the waterlogged wood structure
• Impregnation
• Drying
• Monitoring the drying process
• Removing excess of impregnation substances
• Integration of missing sections and toning
• Applying final protection substances
• Drawing up documentation with a description of the conservation-restoration operations on an individual artefact
• The importance of the adequate storage of restored artefact