Objects and Treatments

Reconstructing the Past: The working relationship between archaeology and conservation at Cardiff University in the case of a Harpstedter Rauftoph vessel from Piepenkopf Hillfort

Posted on 14 March 2023 by Tessa Corton

Archaeology and conservation are intrinsically linked. Indeed, some may argue that archaeological conservation is just an extension of post-excavation. This would an over simplification – conservation is much more than […]

Documentation – why is it so important to conservators?

Posted on 20 January 2023 by Leonie McKenzie

I know, I know, I know, paperwork, we’ve all done it at some point, we’ve all been drilled on the importance of paperwork. But in this blog post I am […]

The Application of Commercial Taxidermy Classes to the Conservation of Historical Taxidermy

Posted on 18 January 2023 by Emma Thomas

Content Warning: This blog post contains a frank description of taxidermy, including photographs of skinning and mounting animals. If this is not something that you are comfortable with, please do […]

Conserving Viking Archaeology Part 2: Treating the ‘Special Finds’ from the Site of the Great Army Encampment at St Wystan’s Church, Repton

Posted on 11 January 2023 by Sorcha Riby

In 865, The Great Army, a 3000-strong pan-Viking force, arrived on the Kent coast. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the force reached Repton, Derbyshire in 874, and established a long-term […]

Conserving Viking Archaeology Part 1: The Batch Treatment of Iron Finds from the Site of the Great Army Encampment at St Wystan’s Church, Repton

Posted on 4 January 2023 by Sorcha Riby

In 865, The Great Army, a 3000-strong pan-Viking force, arrived on the Kent coast. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the force reached Repton, Derbyshire in 874, and established a long-term […]

Paraloid B72 is not the only adhesive or how many adhesive puns can I use before it gets tacky?

Posted on 18 November 2022 by Tessa Corton

    Paraloid B72. Or Acryloid B72, if you’re American, or even ethyl methacrylate and methacrylate if you’re feeling fancy (Preservation Equipment Ltd, 2021). By whatever name, you’re bound to […]

Welcome to a new year in the CUConservation labs: Handy blog posts to read

Posted on 3 October 2022 by Courtney Lyons

Welcome to a new academic year in the CU Conservation labs!! If you are a new student looking for what to expect in the lab, with object treatments or you […]

The Use of Japanese Tissue Paper in the Conservation of Natural History Specimens: The In-filling and Re-furring of a Taxidermy Atlantic Grey Seal Pup

Posted on 19 January 2022 by Robyn Timmins

Last October, during the first class of my first year of the Conservation Practice MSc at Cardiff University, I expressed an interest in natural history collections. The result was being […]

Rebinding a Children’s Book

Posted on 19 January 2022 by Estelle Girard

Context  One of the objects I’m working on currently is a children’s story book. After an in-depth condition assessment of the object and a talk with the owner, I decided […]

UV and IR Photography and Post-Processing

Posted on 18 January 2022 by Sorcha Riby

This is a video on UV and IR photography and post-processing I’ve made as part of the Project Report assessment for the first-year module, Practical Projects 2. It’s aimed at […]