Experience of Mass Conservation of Leather Artefacts from the Excavations of the Archaeological Site "Egoshiha Copper Smelter, Settlement"

Abstract

The article presents the experience of mass conservation of archaeological leather artifacts collected during excavations of the archaeological site "Egoshiha copper smelter, settlement" in 2021–22. Two different sections was excavated, for both the moisture saturated soil was specific. For the primary conservation of the collection of leather goods, a team work of archaeologists of the Kama archaeological expedition and restorers of the Perm Museum of Local Lore was organized. The collection included entire forms of shoes, parts of shoes, mittens and mittens parts, wallets, details of an unclear use. Preservation was carried out with aqueous solutions of low-molecular weight polyethylene glycol of various concentrations. The article describes the difficulties that arose during conservation work, suggests ways to organize the process of mass conservation of finds in subsequent archaeological work.

Keywords

• archaeology
• leather artifacts
• conservation
• polyethylene glycol
• archaeological excavation in perm