Yet the conservation of these objects requires a considerable amount of the 'appliance of science'. Vincent Daniels, who holds a PhD in chemistry from University College, Cardiff, is a Principal Scientific Officer of the Department in Conservation at the British Museum and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. I'd always had an interest in history,' says Vincent. I'd walk through the British Museum as a short cut on my way home. While most of us may think artefacts are safe once they have been removed from an archaeological dig and carefully stored within the confines of a museum, this is far from the truth.
Many agents are still at work which can potentially degrade the exhibits.
The Department of Conservation is responsible for the preservation of the artefacts held by the British Museum, both on display and in storage. Storing different artefacts together needs careful consideration. It turned out that the pot had been unearthed from a river locality and once contained anaerobic bacteria. This is the sort of detective work the scientists at the Department of Conservation commonly encounter. We decided to use the technique of freeze drying,' says Vincent.