Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T05:08:05.037Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The degradation of archaeological bronzes underground: evidence from museum collections

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2015

Inga Ullén ,
Anders G. Nord ,
Monica Fjaestad ,
Einar Mattsson ,
Gunnar Ch. Borg  and
Kate Tronner
Inga Ullén
Affiliation:
The Museum of National Antiquities, Box 5428, S-114 84 Stockholm, Sweden (Email: [email protected])
Anders G. Nord
Affiliation:
The National Heritage Board, Box 5405, S-114 84 Stockholm, Sweden (Email: [email protected])
Monica Fjaestad
Affiliation:
The National Heritage Board, Box 5405, S-114 84 Stockholm, Sweden
Einar Mattsson
Affiliation:
Apelvägen 26, S-182 73 Stocksund, Sweden
Gunnar Ch. Borg
Affiliation:
Chalmers University of Technology, Dept of Geology, S-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
Kate Tronner
Affiliation:
The National Heritage Board, Box 5405, S-114 84 Stockholm, Sweden
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This interdisciplinary project, initiated by the National Heritage Board in Sweden, was undertaken to determine the environmental factors affecting the deterioration of archaeological bronzes in Scandinavia – while they still lie underground. The possible influence of soil acidification was obviously of special interest. The method was to examine 3200 prehistoric bronze artefacts from different museum collections in Sweden and Norway and compare the condition of specimens dug up in different areas at different times. The results showed that the condition of excavated bronzes had greatly deteriorated during the last 50–60 years, particularly along the North West Coast of Sweden, where the soil is very sensitive to pollutants. The archaeological context, e.g. the burial rite, was also among the factors influencing the preservation of the artefacts.

Keywords

CRMartefactsconservationmuseum collections
Type
Method
Information
Antiquity , Volume 78 , Issue 300 , June 2004 , pp. 380 - 390
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arbman, H. 1940–43. Birka I. Die Gräber. Uppsala.Google Scholar
Arrhenius, B. 1973. Laborativa analyser utförda på fyndmaterial från Björkö 1969–1971. In Birka – Svarta Jordens hamnområde. Rapport C1, National Heritage Board of Sweden, Stockholm 34–40.Google Scholar
Arrhenius, O. 1967. Ore, iron, artefacts and corrosion. Årsbok 61, nr.11, Serie C, nr.626, Sveriges Geologiska Undersökning, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Bertilsson, U. & Löfvendahl, R.. 1992. Rock carvings. In Air Pollution and the Swedish heritage. Konserveringstekniska studier, vol. RIK 6. National Heritage Board of Sweden, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Borg, G.CH. 1991. Chemical changes in some southwest Swedish podsol profiles during a fifty years period. In (Selinus, O., ed) The 2nd International Symposium on Environmental Gechemistry. Rapporter och meddelanden nr. 69, SGU, Uppsala.Google Scholar
Brinch Madsen, H.G., Andersen, J.H. & Andersen, L.B. 2002. Deterioration of prehistoric bronzes as an indicator of antiquities in the agrarian landscape – preliminary results. Proceedings of the PARIS 2 conference. Museum of London Archaeology Service 2002.Google Scholar
Geilmann, W. 1956. Verwitterung von Bronzen in Sandboden – ein Beitrag zur Korrosionsforschung. Angewandte Chemie 68: 201–211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gerwin, W., Scharff, W. & Baumhauer, R.. 1998. Corrosive decay of archaeological metal finds from different soils and effects on environmental pollution. In Proceeding from the ICOM Metal-98 conference, Drauguignan: 100–105.Google Scholar
Grennfelt, P. & Thörnelöf, E.. 1992. Critical loads of nitrogen. A workshop report. Nord. 1992: 41. Aarhus, Denmark.Google Scholar
Hallbäcken, L. 1992. The nature and importance of long-term soil acidification in Swedish forest ecosystems. Dissertation. Department of Ecology and Environmental Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala.Google Scholar
Hasselroth, B. & Grennfelt, P.. 1986. Deposition of air pollutants in forests – a study of canopy throughfall at eight forest edges in south Sweden. IVL L86/248: 1–67.Google Scholar
Hettelingh, J.P., Posch, M. & Desmet, P.A.M.. 2001. Multi-effect critical loads used in multi-pollutant reduction agreements in Europe. In Water, Air and Soil Pollution 130: 1133–1138.Google Scholar
Hettelingh, J.P., Van Egmond, K. & Maas, R,. 1993. Maps of critical loads, critical sulphur deposition and exceedances. In (Downing, R., Hettelingh, J.P. & De Smet, P.A. eds.) Calculation and mapping of critical loads in Europe. Status report 1993. Coordination Centre for Effects, National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven.Google Scholar
Lindborg, U. 1990. Air Pollution and cultural heritage. Action plan 90. Konserveringstekniska Studier, vol. RIK 1, National Heritage Board of Sweden, Stockholm Google Scholar
Malmer, M.P. 1981. A Chorological Study of North European Rock Art. Kungliga Vitterhets- Historieoch Antikvitetsakademien 32, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Mattsson, E., Nord, A.G. Tronner, K. Fjaestad, M. Lagerlöf, A. Ullén, I. & Borg, G.CH.. 1996. Deterioration of Archaeological material in soil. Results on bronze artefacts. Konserveringstekniska Studier, vol. RIK 10, National Heritage Board of Sweden, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Nord, A.G., Tronner, K. & Ullén, J.. 2004. Factors influencing the deterioration of archaeological bronze artefacts in soil (in manuscript).Google Scholar
Nord, A.G., Ulléni., & Tronner, K.. 2002. On the deterioration of archaeological iron artefacts in soil. Fornvännen 2002/4: 298–300.Google Scholar
Oldeman, L.R., Hakkeling, R.T.A. & Sombroek, W.G.. 1991. World map of the status of human-induced soil degradation. An explanatory note. GLASOD, ISRIC, Wageningen.Google Scholar
Randsborg, C. 1993. Kivik. Archaeology & Iconography. Acta Archaeologica vol. 64(1) –1993, Copenhagen.Google Scholar
Scharff, W. 1993. Gefährdung archäologischer Funde durch immissionsbedingte Bodenversauerung. Forschungsbericht des Landesdenkmalamt Baden-Württemberg.Google Scholar
Scharff, W., Arnold, C. Gerwin, W. Huesmann, I. Menzel, K. Pötzsch, A. Tolksdorf-Lienemann, E. & Tröller-Reimer, A.. 2000. Schultz archäologischer Funde aus Metall von immissionsbedingter Schädigung. Materialhefte zur archäeologi in Baden-Württemberg.Google Scholar
Sverdrup, H., Warfvinge, P Frogner, T. Håoya, A. Johansson, M. & Andersen, B.. 1992. Critical Loads for Forest Soils in the Nordic Countries. AMBIO 21:5: 348–355.Google Scholar
Tylecote, R. F. 1979. The effect of soil conditions on the long-term corrosion of buried tin-bronzes and copper. Journal of Archaeological Science 6: 345–368.Google Scholar
Westling, O., Hallgren, E. Sjöblad, K. & Lövblad, G.. 1992. Deposition of effekter av luftföroreningar i södra och mellersta Sverige. Rapport B-1079, Aneboda.Google Scholar