Conservation & Restoration
The Conservation & Restoration Laboratory has an open and versatile surface area of 145 m2, equipped and designed to adapt to the needs of the conservation processes of the archaeological and paleontological cultural assets that arrive at its facilities. The laboratory provides services both to the research projects that are developed at CENIEH and to public or private organizations that request such services (museums, universities, archaeological sites, etc.). Before engaging in any intervention process, conservation strategies are evaluated, managed and designed (preventive conservation, curative conservation and restoration) in order to safeguard the collections
This laboratory carries out interventions on archaeological and paleontological cultural assets both in situ and at the actual facilities of CENIEH, and guidance is provided in the field of conservation: preventive conservation (monitoring and control of environmental deterioration agents -relative humidity, temperature, etc.-, conditioning, handling, transport, exhibitions, etc.), curative conservation and restoration.
Intervention processes for cultural assets may require the application of methods that are specific to preventive conservation, curative conservation, restoration or a combination of one or all such procedures. All interventions conducted on cultural assets could imply a risk for the preservation of such assets, so they must be limited to the absolutely necessary, following the principles of minimum intervention, respect towards the original, individualization of treatments and reversibility of the procedures and of the products employed, among others
Methodology
Definition of intervention criteria for in situ conservation:
- Active participation by the conservator-restorer team in the field.
- Study of alteration dynamics of cultural assets from burial to extraction: sedimentary context, post-depositional processes and alterations, real and potential risk factors posed by the air environment.
- Advice and training for excavators in conservation: extraction techniques, in situ restoration treatments, how to handle finds.
- Definition of intervention criteria for Conservation at the CENIEH:
- Evaluation, coordination, design and development of Preventive Conservation strategies:
- Studies of state of conservation and alteration dynamics for collections.
- Risk assessment and contro.
- Environmental control.
- Optimal conditions for handling, packaging and storage.
- CENIEH Preventive Conservation Plan: security systems and collections emergency plans.
- Preparation of replicas.
- Conservation training, dissemination and consultancy.
- Evaluation and conduct of Curative Conservation and Restoration interventions:
- Analytical studies.
- Physical, chemical and mechanical procedures.
- Production of technical reports.
- Graphic and textual documentation of interventions: creation and development of the CENIEH Conservation and Restoration Database.
- Evaluation, coordination, design and development of Preventive Conservation strategies:
- Design and pursuit of lines of research for applying new strategies and technologies to conservation.
- Participation in national and international research projects.
- Publication and dissemination of the actions carried out in the laboratory.
The design of the Laboratory was developed by its team, taking in mind the specific characteristics of the intervention processes, as well as the nature and needs of the archaeological and paleontological cultural assets. Its open space is organized into areas intended to cover the full work cycle on these assets: diagnosis and documentation, wet processes, chemical processes, physical cleaning, mechanical cleaning, temporary storage, packaging, and mold and reproduction production. The facilities include workstations distributed along the perimeter, along with two large central tables that enhance the versatility of the tasks. Additionally, they are complemented by a mobile auxiliary table and an electric lift table, allowing work at various heights.
The Laboratory is equipped with an integrated vacuum system and pressure connections for mechanical devices distributed across the workstations. Notable equipment includes an Nd:YAG laser system for the physical cleaning of cultural assets, a binocular microscope with an integrated digital camera, a photographic setup and reproduction table with dimmable LED fluorescent lamps, a gas filtration cabinet, localized extraction arms for organic vapors, and specialized equipment for mechanical and ultrasonic work.
• EOS COMBO Nd:YAG Laser System. El.En. S.p.A. Group™. LaserTech Ibérica S.L.
• Olympus™ SZ61 Binocular Stereomicroscope. UC30 Digital Camera.
• LEICA™ EZ4 Binocular Stereoscopic Microscopes.
• Dino-Lite Digital Microscope. AnMo Electronics Corporation™.
• FUMEX™ Localized Organic Vapor Extraction Arms.
• CRUMA™ Gas Filtration Cabinet.
• Kaiser™ Repro RB 5055 HF 5589 Photographic Reproduction Table.
• High CRI LED lamps with no UV and IR emission.
• OVAN™ Multi-position Magnetic Stirrer with Heating.
• Vibroincisors.
• Air Ultrasonics.
• Micromotors.
• Micro Scalpels.
- Conservation consultancy for archaeological and paleontological cultural assets:
- Studies of state of conservation of collections.
- Preventive Conservation (archaeological excavations, exhibitions, collection rooms, etc.).
- Curative Conservation and Restoration methods.
- Storage and packaging systems (for deposit or transfer).
- Studies of effects of analytical technologies on assets..
- Conservation and Restoration interventions: in situ and in the labor
- Molds and replicas: archaeological and paleontological assets, occupation floors, stratigraphies, ichnites, etc. High-resolution 1:1 reproductions; chromatic reintegration.
- Conditioning systems: transport and storage.
- Users of the Microcomputed Tomography service who are going to scan cultural heritage items. The Conservation and Restoration lab offer the option of complementing it, at no additional cost, in order to preparing the scan.
- The temporary storage of their cultural assets will be made available to users in the CENIEH collection rooms provided at the Conservation and Restoration Laboratory. The storage will be done only in case that the nature of the cultural assets are compatible with the conservation conditions established in this collections rooms.
Conservation and Restoration Laboratory Technician
Conservation and Restoration Laboratory Support Technician
Conservation and Restoration Laboratory support Technician
Conservation and Restoration support Technician
