Call for applications: Underwater Archaeological Finds Conservation and Restoration Courses, spring 2020

This international course is targeted to the practical and theoretical training of candidates for independent work in the restoration and conservation of underwater archaeological finds.

The courses will consist of practical work under the supervision of a mentor at the workshops of the ICUA Zadar. Candidates will have the opportunity to select work on the various materials treated at the three main workshops that deal with metal, ceramic and glass, and organic finds. Training will be provided by ICUA Zadar staff, pursuant to the course programme manual and the standards valid for the ICUA/UNESCO advanced course staged in 2011.

Candidates can choose from a number of modules. We are planning a one-month Advanced Course that can be staged in one of the three main workshops, or a two-week Introductory Course that will involve work in all three workshops.

At the end of the course candidates will take an exam on the theoretical and practical segments, after which they will be entitled to a certificate confirming that they have passed our Centre’s course for specialised conservators/restorers of underwater archaeological finds.

Participation costs:

Introductory Course on the Conservation and Restoration of Archaeological Finds from Underwater Environments
Duration: 14 days, price: HRK 3.750,00 (EUR 500,00)
The price includes accommodation at the ICUA dormitory, the restoration textbook, work smock and shirt.

Advanced Course on the Conservation and Restoration of Metal Finds from Underwater Environments
Duration: 30 days, price: HRK 7.500,00 (EUR 1000,00)
The price includes accommodation at the ICUA dormitory, the restoration textbook, work smock and shirt.

Advanced Course on the Conservation and Restoration of Ceramic and Glass Finds from Underwater Environments
Duration: 30 days, price: HRK 7.500,00 (EUR 1000,00)
The price includes accommodation at the ICUA dormitory, the restoration textbook, work smock and shirt.

Advanced Course on the Conservation and Restoration of Waterlogged Archaeological Wood and other Underwater Organic Finds
Duration: 30 days, price: HRK 7.500,00 (EUR 1000,00)
The price includes accommodation at the ICUA dormitory, the restoration textbook, work smock and shirt.

Applicants that do not require accommodation in our dormitory can attend the course at a discounted price.

Application process

Candidates applying are kindly requested to submit a request, indicating the period during which they wish to take the course, and their curriculum vitae (CV). Please direct applications and any questions you may have by e-mail to workshop head Antonija Jozić at [email protected]. Deadline for application is 14th February 2020.

Number of students is limited. Applications will be assessed and selected based on the professional and educational profiles as presented in the application documents. Priority will be given to applicants coming from public institutions (either at local or at central level) competent for the safeguarding and management of cultural heritage. Possible letters of support from the respective national Commission for UNESCO, and/or the Ministry of Culture, and/or the parent institution competent for the safeguarding of cultural heritage will be considered as an added value.

Course Programmes

Advanced Course on the Conservation and Restoration of Archaeological Finds

A one-month course on the conservation and restoration of underwater archaeological finds made of ceramic and glass, metals and organic materials will be staged at the ICUA Zadar Restoration and Conservation Department. Participants may choose one workshop: for ceramic and glass finds, the metal finds workshop, or the workshop on finds of organic materials – as desired. The advanced programme for each of the workshop courses runs for a month. These courses provide for an individual mentored approach to each participant based on their capabilities and knowledge in the field of conservation and restoration. This advanced course consists of theoretical and practical (hands-on) training that will offer inexperienced participants the fundamental knowledge required in undertaking conservation-restoration treatment of artefacts made of a given material, while for the more experienced it aims to broaden and enrich knowledge and to serve as a venue for the exchange of valuable information and practical knowledge. The practical segment of the training will be conducted on contemporary and original artefacts, depending on the capability and knowledge of applicants and on the complexity of the operations involved, where unpractised execution could cause irreparable damage to original artefacts. All course participants will also receive their copy of the manual on the restoration and conservation of underwater archaeological finds published by the ICUA Zadar. In the manual you will find all of the fundamental guidelines for the treatment of archaeological finds originating from underwater research.

Introductory Course on the Conservation and Restoration of Archaeological Finds

The two-week course on the conservation and restoration of underwater archaeological finds provides an introduction to conservation-restoration. During the course participants will be acquainted with work on all materials and spend a few days in each of the workshops. The training consists of a theoretical and practical segment, with the possibility of placing greater focus on a given segment, depending on the wishes, capabilities and knowledge of the applicant. The programme will be conducted along the same points as the one-month course, but in lesser scope, based on the time available. In the practical segment applicants will have the opportunity to try their hand on the phases of conservation-restoration work that can be executed in the available time. Within these time constraints conducting all phases of conservation-restoration work on a single object is impossible and participants will therefore have the opportunity to work on phases of conservation-restoration work on various smaller objects. The goal of this brief course is to either acquaint participants with conservation and restoration as a method of protecting archaeological finds or to acquaint more experienced conservators-restorers with the specifics pertaining to the treatment of archaeological finds originating from wet environments.

The Conservation and Restoration of Underwater Archaeological Finds made of Ceramic and Glass – programme
Prepared by: Martina Ćurković Madiraca

Introductory Course
•  Documenting the initial condition
•  Evaluating the state of conservation and establishing a plan of conservation-restoration work
•  Cleaning the artefact
•  A brief introduction to the desalination procedure
•  Consolidation
•  Bonding and gluing fragments
•  Small integrations of missing sections
•  Retouching
•  Final protection

Advanced Course
The theoretical segment of training will cover:
•  Introduction to the conservation and restoration of ceramic and glass
•  The characteristics of ceramic and glass
•  The degradation of ceramic and glass
•  The conservation and restoration of ceramic and glass:
•  Documentation
•  Classification and labelling
•  Desalination
•  Cleaning
•  Consolidation
•  Bonding and gluing
•  Integration
•  Retouching
•  Final protection
•  Monitoring and storage
The practical segment of training will cover:
•  Documenting the initial condition
•  Evaluating the state of conservation and establishing a plan of conservation-restoration work
•  Cleaning the artefact
•  Undertaking desalination
•  Consolidation
•  Bonding and gluing fragments
•  Integrating missing sections
•  Retouching
•  Final protection

The Conservation and Restoration of Underwater Archaeological Finds made of Metal – programme
Prepared by: Antonija Jozić

Introductory Course
•  Getting acquainted with the types and causes of the deterioration of archaeological metal
•  Getting acquainted with the phases of conservation-restoration operations
•  Getting acquainted with the procedure for the desalination of underwater archaeological artefacts made of metal
•   Mechanical cleaning of underwater archaeological artefacts made of metal
•  The micro sandblasting procedure
•  The use of various hand and power tools
•  Getting acquainted with the methods of actively stabilising metal artefacts
•  Applying final protection substances

Advanced Course
•  Getting acquainted with the types, characteristics and causes of the deterioration of archaeological metal
•  Getting acquainted with the phases of conservation-restoration operations
•  Documenting the initial condition of the artefact:
•  Photographing the artefact
•  Preliminary inspection of the artefact
•  Description of the initial condition
•  The procedure for the desalination of underwater archaeological artefacts made of metal:
•  Preparing the artefact for the desalination procedure
•  Monitoring desalination by conductivity and the concentration of chloride
•  Measuring the concentration of chloride by potentiometric titration
•  Cleaning underwater archaeological artefacts made of metal:
•  Mechanical cleaning
•  Chemical cleaning
•  Getting acquainted with the electrolytic cleaning procedure
•  The active stabilisation of iron artefacts using the sulphite procedure:
•  Preparing the artefact for the sulphite procedure
•  Preparing and changing the sulphite procedure solution
•  Monitoring the sulphite procedure by measuring the concentration of chloride
•  Getting acquainted with the types and methods of applying corrosion inhibitors
•  Gluing artefacts received in multiple fragments
•  The impregnation of unstable sections of an artefact
•  Fabricating missing sections
•  Final protection of metal artefacts:
•   Preparation and application of substances for final protection
•  Drawing up documentation with a description of the conservation-restoration operations performed on an individual artefact
•  The importance of the adequate storage of restored metal artefacts

The Conservation and Restoration of Waterlogged Archaeological Wood and other Underwater Organic Finds – programme

Prepared by: Anita Jelić

Introductory Course

• Documenting the initial condition of the artefact
• Preliminary inspection of the artefact and establishing a plan of conservation-restoration work
• Mechanical cleaning of the artefact
• Introduction to the desalination of underwater archaeological artefacts
• Introduction to the methods of impregnation and removing excess of impregnation substances
• Introduction to the drying process
• The importance of compiling documentation and of the adequate storage of restored artefact

Advanced course

• Introduction to the types, characteristics and causes of the deterioration of archaeological organic material
• Introduction to the phases of conservation-restoration process
• Introduction to the types and methods of impregnation
• Preliminary inspection of the artefact
• Documentation and description of the initial condition of the artefact
• Establishing a plan of conservation-restoration work
• Preliminary cleaning
• Sketching with indicators of basic dimensions or scale drawing
• Desalinization
• Monitoring desalinization
• Mechanical/chemical cleaning
• Ways of replacement water in the waterlogged wood structure
• Impregnation
• Drying
• Monitoring the drying process
• Removing excess of impregnation substances
• Integration of missing sections and toning
• Applying final protection substances
• Drawing up documentation with a description of the conservation-restoration operations on an individual artefact
• The importance of the adequate storage of restored artefacts