Do all archaeological artifacts require conservation?
This question can be answered from both a materials preservation point of view, and from a management point of view. In each case, the answer is no, not all archaeological artifacts require conservation. However, they do require a proper assessment in order to make that determination, and they do require proper curation and storage to ensure their continued preservation – known as Preventive Conservation. Materials preservation: Many materials survive well in certain burial contexts, and may not require special treatment in order to be studied and preserved for the future. It is impossible to generalize since preservation varies tremendously and is dependent on several factors, but ceramics, stone, glass, and bone often survive well in terrestrial archaeological contexts. Some metals may even do well without conservation treatment. However, a trained eye, knowledge of the burial environment, and sometimes x-radiography are necessary in order to make this determination. In almost all ca
