Atlas of Micromorphological Degradation of Archaeological Birch Bark

Klügl, Johanna; Di Pietro, Giovanna (2021). Atlas of Micromorphological Degradation of Archaeological Birch Bark. Applied Sciences, 11(18), p. 8721. MDPI 10.3390/app11188721

Preview

Text applsci-11-08721-v3.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY). Download (24MB) | Preview

In this paper we present an atlas of micromorphological degradation of archaeological birch bark for the first time. We analysed the morphology of 13 samples extracted from ice-logged, waterlogged and cave-retrieved objects dated from the Neolithic to the Middle Age by means of light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We then compared their morphology to that of a contemporary sample, both intact and decayed. In all samples, 13 morphological characteristics that can be associated with fungal, bacterial, chemical, mechanical and light degradation are defined and described, and example LM and TEM images are provided. This novel atlas provides conservator-restorers a much-needed tool to relate the macroscopic appearance to the microscopic structure of birch bark objects. The most important macroscopic features allowing estimation of the state of preservation at the cell level are colour changes, loss of pliability, presence of delamination and increased brittleness. Colour change and delamination can be connected to microscopic features, and microscopic analysis can trace whether they were caused by biotic, chemical or physical decay. However, increased brittleness cannot be connected to a specific microscopic feature.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

63 since deposited on 05 Oct 2021
18 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item