What damage do pests cause to an archaeological collection?
Archaeological materials, particularly organic materials, such as leather, wood, natural fiber textiles, and paper, are vulnerable to damage and deterioration caused by biological organisms such as vertebrate pests, insects and even microorganisms, such as mold. Both physical damage (from burrowing, tunneling and gnawing) and chemical damage (from saliva and other digestive functions and from feces) may occur resulting in a variety of problems from weakening and staining to losses and powdering. The damage is almost always highly disfiguring, irreversible and can progress very rapidly. Preventing pests from accessing the collections is the most effective method to protect the artifacts.
