Removing insoluble salts from archaeological ceramics. Traditional methods under review.

Abstract

Despite the fact that insoluble salts are among the most prevalent types of alteration found in archaeological ceramics, there hasn't been much of a change in the techniques used to remove them in the last four decades. Furthermore, there aren't many newly published studies on the subject. An approach for examining the suitability of several conventional procedures for the removal of these salts has been established in this paper. In laboratory conditions, ceramic mock-ups created from a commercial red clay were fired at 700ºC. Their physical characteristics and composition were examined. Calcium carbonate deposits were reproduced on their surfaces. Following that, three products and three application methods were used to conduct the chemical tests for the removal of the deposits. The properties of the mock-ups were then examined to figure out how the cleaning methods had affected them. Findings indicated variations in efficacy related to the product and application technique. Generally speaking, gel treatments were less effective with any of the three products used compared to the products applied by immersion and cellulose pulp poultice.