Omkonservering av Vattendr?nkt L?der Analys och Metodutveckling f?r Vasaskeppets L?derartefakter
In the collections of the Vasa Museum, 100 leather objects have exhibited salt precipitations. The objects,
that have previously been impregnated with PEG, have become deteriorated and fragmented due to the
precipitations. During a previously conducted study it was established that the precipitations consisted of
iron and sulphur. However, it was not established whether they occurred in the leather?s inner structure
and no treatment plan was developed. The aim of this study has been to discuss a potential conservation
treatment suitable for previously treated, waterlogged leather, which would be achieved through
experimental analysis and literature studies. The experimental analysis included XRF analysis, which
established the mineral contents of the inner structure, as well as FTIR analysis, which established organic
components. The literature studies would culminate in a comparison between the treatments tested on
the Vasa ship and other wooden objects from the museum?s collections and the treatments applied on
waterlogged archaeological leather. The experimental analysis revealed that contents of both iron and
sulphide occurred within the leather, though the organic contents couldn?t be completely determined. The
literature studies revealed that chelating agents have been tested extensively on the Vasa ship and her
wooden objects as well as on waterlogged leather, though before impregnation. Chelating agents could
potentially remove the traces of iron and sulphur, though it was concluded that the treatment would bring
unnecessary risks to the Vasa leather. A minimal treatment plan was therefore suggested, in which the
leather objects would be stored in stable environmental conditions to prevent new precipitations and
surface salt precipitations would be removed mechanically. A future research project was proposed where
the effects of chelating agents would be observed on previously treated, waterlogged archaeological
leather artefacts.