[Nhcoll-l] Active waterlogging

[Gali Beiner]

Hello All,

On the excavation site of Nahal Mahanayim (NMO) in Israel, we have the
problem of "active waterlogging" - the site is next to the Jordan river, so
water keeps coming up from below as the excavation proceeds. There are some
very interesting bone finds, but they become waterlogged as they are
exposed. From damp (in the ground) to wet (half-excavated, but not lifted
out yet), with existing cracks and weaknesses, this creates a difficult
situation for consolidation or for block-lifting.

We are trying several different ideas to see if we can work out a suitable
protocol for this situation, but it will be good to learn from you, NHCOLL
readers, of your ideas on suitable consolidands or casting materials (to
create "shells" on barrier layers) suitable for conditions where water
keeps coming in so that levels keep rising, even with people bailing out
water. Consolidants not only need to work in damp conditions, they also
need not to disintegrate as waterlogging occurs and to set under wet
conditions. Same thing goes for any "casting" materials.

The attached image gives a pretty good example of the situation.

Thank you for your comments and thoughts!

Gali

-- 
Gali Beiner (ACR)
Conservator, Palaeontology Lab
National Natural History Collections
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Berman Building, Edmond J. Safra campus, Givat Ram
Jerusalem 91904, Israel
Fax. 972-2-6585785
*gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il*

Have a look at our National Natural History Collections
<http://nnhc.huji.ac.il>Website!
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