Maritime Conservation Laboratory

Now that the team is back from their blackwater dive along the Cooper River, artifacts have begun their long and meticulous process of archaeological analysis and consolidation before they can be entered into a database.

Here we share some of the preliminary photos after they have been washed, mechanically cleaned, soaked in a solution to remove iron sulfides, and then soaked again in de-ionized water before they begin to dry. They will then go through an analysis process with photography under phosphor lamps and infrared, then be entered into a digital archival system. Polyvinyl-acetate solutions will be used to consolidate pottery and ceramic recoveries to ensure their friable surfaces remain preserved and intact for the future.