Vakuumförpackning av arkeologiskt järn Uppföljning av ett SESAM-projekt på Stockholms stadsmuseum

Abstract

This thesis aims to evaluate experimental vacuum-packed archaeological iron samples stored in the warehouse of the city museum of Stockholm since 1996. This goal is approached through a literature study and a systematic random sample inventory of the full range of archaeological iron in the warehouse. The objects inventoried are graded in a scale of 1-3 by their degree of corrosion. The grade 1 is given objects with no visible active corrosion, a grade of 2 means the object shows visible signs of active corrosion and objects with a grade of 3 are corroded to a level where a significant amount of information is lost. By statistical analysis of the final results from the inventory, the conclusion is that vacuum packing is by no means a complete substitute for suitable but hard to achieve storage conditions, but is effective as an intermediate and time-limited compliment to desalination. Another use of the inventory is to give the city museum of Stockholm an evaluation of the general condition of their collection of archaeological iron objects.