Environmental effects on archaeological artefacts
Understanding the causes of degradation in archaeological Cu-based (copper-based) artefacts has increased significantly in Europe. This understanding, along with the methodologies already in use permits new means for restoration and conservation to be introduced. In light of this, the EFESTUS project has identified the degradation causes of Cu-based archaeological artefacts. Innovative as well as traditional methods were employed once the validation tests were conducted on Cu-based reference alloys having a micro chemical structure like that of ancient alloys. Consequently, tailored methods for halting degradation and preventing additional damage needed to be designed and tested. Part of this task involved examining the atmospheric environmental conditions existing in museums and in other places storing such artefacts. Atmospheric Environment Control Stations (AECS, or CS) were developed in order to provide a set of data that is both locally meaningful and analytically representative. They were also created to obtain significant information about the effect atmospheric conditions have on certain materials. Each control station contains a set of metallic reference probes in a sample panel, a high sensitivity atmospheric corrosion probe and passive samplers. Overall, the CS is adaptable and discrete enough to be placed anywhere, even within museum exhibition cases with hardly any change in appearance of the exhibit.