Iron objects in museums

a crossroads of the archaeological metallic heritage

Abstract

Archaeological metal collections are made up of a group of objects frequently susceptible to deterioration. To ensure its permanence over time, strict preventive conservation measures or specific curative procedures are required. These collections can include a wide variety of materials of different shapes, sizes, and functions, they can be gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, or alloys such as bronze, brass, alpaca, and pewter. Iron artifacts are extremely unstable due to their tendency to return to their original mineral state; which explains their rapid deterioration and poor representation in museums. Since 2011, the Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Archaeological Research at the Federal University of Pelotas (Brazil) has been conducting research on the conservation of metal archaeological collections. One of the goals of this research is to provide smaller institutions and private collectors with alternative treatments for the stabilization of iron artifacts. Twelve intervention processes on iron objects were compared, carried out in different environments, and using diverse manipulation conditions, for a period of 27 months. Among the accomplished treatments, immersion in paraffin stood out for its efficiency in stabilizing objects, added to its ease of operation and the low cost of inputs.