Conservation and restoration of shipwreck artifacts

The conservation and restoration of shipwreck artifacts is the process of caring for cultural heritage that has been part of a shipwreck. Oftentimes these cultural artifacts have been underwater for a great length of time. Without conservation, most artifacts would perish and important historical data would be lost.^[1] In archaeological terms, it is usually the responsibility of an archaeologist and conservator to ensure that material recovered from a shipwreck is properly cared for. The conservation phase is often time-consuming and expensive (sometimes costing more than the original excavation), which is one of the most important considerations when planning and implementing any action involving the recovery of artifacts from a shipwreck.

^ Hamilton, D. (1996). Introduction and Overview of Conservation in Archeology. In Basic methods of conserving underwater archaeological material culture (pp. 1–7). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Defense, Legacy Resource Management Program.

[HamiltonIn-1] Hamilton, D. (1996). Introduction and Overview of Conservation in Archeology. In Basic methods of conserving underwater archaeological material culture (pp. 1–7). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Defense, Legacy Resource Management Program.

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