Conservation and Restoration of Ceramic Amphorae from the Cape Glavina Underwater Site off Rab IslandThe specialist team of conservator/restorers of the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar received ceramic amphorae from the depot of the Open University of Rab in April of 2015. Funding for the conservation and restoration of the amphorae from Rab has been provided through the Ministry of Culture, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and the City of Rab. The collection of fifty-two ceramic finds includes potsherds and preserved amphorae of the Lamboglia 2 type dated to the period from the second to first century BCE used primarily for the transport of wine. The amphorae were found and recovered from the sea in 1970 and have been kept since then, without prior desalination, in the storage depot of the Open University of Rab. Almost half a century later, still awaiting desalination and stored in the damp environment of the depot, we find the amphorae in very poor condition. Preliminary investigation established the condition of the received artefacts and determined the course of the conservation/restoration procedure.
The desalination process was initiated once the amphorae had been received by submerging the labelled artefacts in basins filled with tap water. The water in the basins was replaced every four to five weeks. Each replacement of the water was preceded by a measurement of the chloride concentration, establishing the quantity of salts that had leached out of the artefacts. The desalination process was initiated on 9 April 2015 and completed on 22 August 2016 and saw the water in the basins replaced on thirteen occasions.
Once the precise positions of the fragments had been determined, we undertook preliminary bonding with paper tape followed by long-term bonding with pottery adhesive. Some areas, where the contact between sherds was weak, were reinforced from the inside with glass fabric coated with the above-mentioned adhesive. Larger and heavier fragments were bonded with two-component epoxy resin. The amphorae were partially or entirely integrated with finely worked alabaster plaster appropriately toned with acrylic colour.
Photographic and written documentation was created detailing the condition as received, the conducted conservation and restoration procedures, and the final post-intervention condition. Following the conservation and restoration work the fifty-two potsherds were determined to constitute eleven mostly intact amphorae, thirteen partially intact amphorae, four amphorae necks, one amphora base and three unassociated sherds. The items were successfully desalinated and assembled, ensuring their stability and prolonging their lifetime if kept in the recommended atmospheric conditions.
Martina Ćurković Madiraca |