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Infills and treatment of an archaeological copper alloy lamp

Infills and treatment of an archaeological copper alloy lamp

by C Del | Mar 31, 2021 | Uncategorised

During my final semester at West Dean College in 2020, studying conservation of metals, I was presented with this beautiful, simply made copper alloy lamp to work on. As you can see from the pictures it is an archaeological object, so I was excited to gain this...

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I'm just finishing this piece off today. A commiss I'm just finishing this piece off today. A commission for a family shrine which needs it's protective coat, then it will be on its way to a new life. #pewter #teapot #metalwork #metalsmith #antique #teaset #teclaim #reuse #Brighton #studio
I'm supahappy to be back at @westdeancollege start I'm supahappy to be back at @westdeancollege starting the MA conservation of metals with my favourite metalheadz from last year. πŸ› οΈβš’οΈπŸ”¨β›οΈπŸ“πŸ“ #conservator #conservation #learningeveryday #studentlife #metalsmith
#conservators will understand how #satisfying this #conservators will understand how #satisfying this is πŸ˜„
This is a bronze Roman sieve or colander, which is This is a bronze Roman sieve or colander, which isn't super uncommon, however this one is gold plated. β˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈ It was found in Pulborough by 2 children in the 1980's, and was filled with 1552 Roman coins. β˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈ The fact it is gold plated probably means it wasn't a household object, and might have been connected to ritual or status. β˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈ Since discovery its been going gradually green and I'll be treating this over the next 2 weeks. But sometimes the corrosion is so beautiful πŸ₯° β˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈ #conservatoratwork #conservator #conservation #metalconservation #metalconservator #museumconservation #ancienthistory #romanhistory #romanempire @worthingmuseum #corrosion #copper #bronze #verdigris #green #decay
Museum stores are full of unidentified objects. Bu Museum stores are full of unidentified objects. But if we put these together, they tell a story. πŸ“–πŸ“–πŸ“– 1. Lumps of 94% pure Tin, and 80% Lead coin blanks, found in a metalworking area of a settlement on the south downs, along with fake Roman coins. Were they forging coins? πŸ•΅οΈπŸ•΅οΈπŸ•΅οΈ 2 and 3. Mass produced bronze axe heads from the same mould. How can we tell these were mass produced? There is a crack in the same place on each one. πŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒ #archaeology #conservatoratwork #conservation #museumconservation #conservator #metalconservator #sciencebitch #museumwork
I am officially 50! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰ I had a big fat p I am officially 50! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰ I had a big fat party and lots of fun, dancing and games with friends, family and loved ones and I'm wonderfully happy and fortunate to have such beautiful people in my life. Onwards and upwards! πŸ₯°πŸ₯°πŸ₯°πŸ₯°πŸ₯°πŸ₯°
Before and after. Thursday afternoon challenge: "C Before and after. Thursday afternoon challenge: "Can you do anything about this?" πŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈ A coin with a beardy dude's head on, revealed eventually, after some careful attention 😬😬😬 #coin #ancienthistory #numismatics #conservatoratwork #conservator #conservation #museumconservation #coins @worthingmuseum
Quite unbelievably, I am holding a shooting star i Quite unbelievably, I am holding a shooting star in my hand. Geologist Vicky who works in the museum, brought it in to show me today. 🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠 I can't think of a better way to start the day, and to remind myself that everything will be ok, than to hold something which existed before time. 🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠 #geology #shootingstar #astronomy #goodmorning @worthingmuseum #museumconservation #museumwork #conservator #conservation #timeless
Starting with axe head No1, (out of 13) I'm gently Starting with axe head No1, (out of 13) I'm gently removing the hardened chalk. I've given it a poultice in 10% formic acid which has removed most of it, and loosened the toughest parts. βš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈ These beautiful bronze axe heads are part of the Sompting Hoard, discovered in 1946 and kept here at @worthingmuseum βš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈ I'm hoping eventually to bring out some of the decorative details which the original craftsperson carefully sculpted, 3000 years ago. 😳😳😳 #conservation #archaeology #bronzeage #conservatoratwork #museumconservation #museumwork #metalconservator
Ancient brooches I have known.... Sometimes it's d Ancient brooches I have known.... Sometimes it's difficult to understand what's metal corrosion, what's soil and what's the remains of enamel. πŸ€·πŸ–ŒοΈπŸ€·πŸ–ŒοΈπŸ€· Something I'd love to hear from you, is how do you remove those powdery chalky residues from porous metal? All advice gratefully received 😊 πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™ #archaeology #romanhistory #ancientjewellery #conservatoratwork #conservation #museumconservation
Imagine being let loose in the archives of a museu Imagine being let loose in the archives of a museum... A quick tour around just one area, all the dressing up clothes, wax dolls with human hair, a drawer of riding crops, social ephemera, letters and photos, scrapbooks, endless interestingly labelled boxes, a space hopper, and a Roman penis belt buckle cover. Just because it's Friday. 😳😳😳 I keep discovering more boxes... First day as volunteer conservator at @worthingmuseum ❀️❀️❀️ #museumconservation #conservatoratwork #conservator #archives #history #socialhistory #museumwork
My final project at @fishbournepalace was reconstr My final project at @fishbournepalace was reconstructing this band - late bronze age, yup, 3000 years old 😳 - which we think was part of the vessel which the hoard was placed in. (See my last posts for hoard pics!) πŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈ The hoard was probably a founders hoard, a collection of metal miscasts and broken bits, which can be recycled. πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯ I'm very sad to be leaving this amazing place, but I'll be starting at @worthingmuseum tomorrow! I ❀️ my job! πŸ™…πŸ™…πŸ™… #conservatoratwork #conservation #metalconservator #bronzeage #hoard #ancienthistory #museumconservation #museumwork
The mystery Roman objects are now conserved, all b The mystery Roman objects are now conserved, all boxed up and going back into storage, ready for a researcher to discover them. πŸ‘‹πŸ‘‹πŸ‘‹ My favourite was this oblong 'thing' which the X-ray revealed had some hidden details. I had to be extremely cautious as the whole thing was corroded almost to powder, but it was worth it. 😳😳😳 A layer of silver inlay still survived! We think this is a Roman military doodah. If you have any more specific info please let me know! 🐴🐴🐴 #conservatoratwork #conservation #metalconservator #romanhistory #romanempire #ancienthistory #museumconservation #museumcollection
Today I spent a while working in the fume cupboard Today I spent a while working in the fume cupboard, lacquering Roman finds from a dig at @fishbournepalace in 1995. πŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈ We do this to slow down the corrosion, and so they can be handled and preserved for future research. πŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈ Happy Friday everyone! πŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈ #conservatoratwork #corrosion #conservator #romanhistory #archaeology #museumconservation
Still cleaning! Still cleaning!
Hellooooo πŸ‘‹ I want to show you the beautiful ob Hellooooo πŸ‘‹ I want to show you the beautiful objects I'm conserving this week. They are gold, assumed to be hair ornaments - we don't know 🀷 - and are late Bronze age (approx 3000 years ago)😳. βš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈ At this time the British Isles had a thriving metal mining and production industry, with trade reaching far into Europe, and talented craftspeople producing objects from jewellery to weapons. βš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈ These gold 'lock-rings' are part of a hoard belonging to the @noviummuseum who have kindly allowed me to conserve them. βš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈ This amazing work placement is at Fishbourne Roman Palace, and I'm extremely grateful to the @annaplowdentrust who have provided the opportunity for me to do this. βš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈ #conservatoratwork #conservator #conservation #metalconservator #museumconservation #bronzeage #britishhistory #history #hoard #gold #ancienthistory #museumwork
Some more of my mystery objects! You had questions Some more of my mystery objects! You had questions about how I clean them, and what they are, and I will endeavour to answer although I'm not an expert in Roman history, I'm a newly qualified conservator and just really interested in that weird fact that real people like you and me, used these things 2000 years ago, then lost or discarded them. πŸ€”πŸ€”πŸ€” I also luuurve the quality of lab lighting πŸ˜‚ #conservatoratwork #conservator #conservstion #museumconservation #romanhistory #museumworkshop #fishbourneromanpalace
This is me at @fishbournepalace . I've been workin This is me at @fishbournepalace . I've been working my way through a box of copper alloy finds, cleaning and coating them. πŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈ Some of them are a total mystery! And some of them are extremely fragile, but each one gives us a bit more information about who lived here and what they did, 2000 years ago. πŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈπŸ–ŒοΈ #conservatoratwork #conservator #conservation #metalconservator #museumconservation #romanhistory #ironage #mysteryobject #museumlife
Tiny wins in metal conservation! I'm scalpel clea Tiny wins in metal conservation! I'm scalpel cleaning this copper alloy scabbard piece, the green corrosion is flicking off nicely and revealing some beautiful details, then suddenly I spot..... A mineral preserved thread! πŸ‘οΈπŸ˜³πŸ‘οΈπŸ˜³πŸ‘οΈπŸ˜³ Under magnification it's perfectly preserved, and after checking, there are traces of the same thing on another piece in the hoard, meaning it's probably part of the fabric it was buried with, more than 3000 years ago. πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ” A mineral preserved organic, is (in this case) when a copper artefact is buried in contact with an organic object, and reacts with it. Eventually the copper corrosion makes a perfect cast of the organic, (it becomes mineralised) which lasts longer than the organic object itself. SCIENCE FACTS!! πŸ”¬πŸ”¬πŸ”¬πŸ”¬πŸ”¬ I'm currently interning at @fishbournepalace , and this piece is part of an assemblage I'm working on for the @noviummuseum in Chichester. βš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈ #metalconservator #dailyconservation #conservatoratwork #conservator #metalconservation #bronzeage #ancienthistory #museumconservation #museumworkers #corrosion #iic
My desk has already become a pile of tools πŸ˜ƒ, a My desk has already become a pile of tools πŸ˜ƒ, and thorns are my favourite tool for cleaning delicate metalwork. 🌹🌹🌹 This is a bronze age chape (part of a blade sheath) which means it's around 3000 years old, and cast in copper alloy by talented craftspeople - that's 3000 years ago! 😳😳😳 βš”οΈβš”οΈβš”οΈ Its part of a hoard I'm treating for the @noviummuseum. As you can guess I'm very excited, as it's in beautiful condition, and cleaning has revealed these circle details. More hoard items coming soon! βšͺβšͺβšͺ #conservator #conservatoratwork #metalconservator #metalwork #bronzeage #ancienthistory #museumwork #museumconservation #armour
The JOY of spending a day regenerating the silica The JOY of spending a day regenerating the silica gel 😁. It's estimated that museums only display around 10-15% of their objects at any time. πŸ‘οΈπŸ‘„πŸ‘οΈ So the items in storage are kept in environmentally controlled rooms, and many things are kept in sealed boxes with a bag of silica gel which absorbs any humidity. πŸ‘οΈπŸ‘„πŸ‘οΈ When the orange beads turn to green, it has absorbed as much moisture as it can and needs to be baked in batches (hence the little ovens) to regenerate it. Then it goes back in bags and starts over again! All necessary tasks for conserving our cultural heritage for future research and display. πŸ‘οΈπŸ‘„πŸ‘οΈ #conservation #conservator #museums #conservatoratwork #heritage #museumstore #museumweek #museumlife #museumworkers
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