Will printed labels survive prolonged immersion in collection fluids, and, if so, which printing ... more Will printed labels survive prolonged immersion in collection fluids, and, if so, which printing system is preferable: inkjet, laser, or thermal transfer printing? In a world with a wide variety of printers, printing substrates, and printer technologies, the interactions between them very likely affect long-term label preservation in the chemical environment of the preservation fluid. In fluid-preserved collections, the main issues frequently encountered with labels include delamination, abrasion, fading, and disintegration during immersion in solutions such as ethanol and formaldehyde aqueous solution (widely known under the commercial name formalin). Very few publications have presented testing procedures assessing the behavior and stability of printed matter immersed in the types of solvents used in fluid-based collections. This article presents a series of experiments set up at the National Natural History Collections at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to test a variety of mu...
Abstract Early sites along the Dead Sea Transform (southern Levant), among them the Erq el Ahmar ... more Abstract Early sites along the Dead Sea Transform (southern Levant), among them the Erq el Ahmar Elephant Site, are key points in understanding hominin and mammal migration out of Africa and into Eurasia. The late Prof. Tchernov had begun an intensive campaign to expose the faunal remains at the site, but unfortunately was unable to conclude his study. Based on interim reports and geomorphological descriptions, we were aware of numerous elephant remains found and left in situ. The Erq el Ahmar Elephant Site is a controversial site. There are those who see it as the earliest Pleistocene hominin site in the area, while others consider it a paleontological site without any hominin involvement. We returned to the site to try to resolve this controversy. In a systematic excavation, we succeeded in exposing the previously uncovered elements, exposed more material and currently better understand the deposition sequence. However, the task was very challenging, since the skeletal elements were very fragile and required careful exposure and conservation, both in situ and in the laboratory, before they could be studied. A series of elements were found partially superimposed. Several elements of the skull, an almost complete tusk, vertebrae, ribs, a scapula and limb bones were found. Mammoth diagnostic traits were identified in the teeth and tusk. However, very few skeletons of early mammoths are known from the region. Have we exposed the most complete Mammuthus rumanus skeleton? Tooth microwear indicates leaf-browsing dietary traits, similar to that of other M. rumanus of this period. In addition, the recent excavations have revealed the potential of the site in understanding the evolution and dispersal of proboscidean species out of Africa during the Plio-Pleistocene, adding another focal point to the southern Levant along this route.
Abstract Large bones present their own conservation problems. Three fossil elephant scapulae, rec... more Abstract Large bones present their own conservation problems. Three fossil elephant scapulae, received in different states of preservation, demonstrated the difficulties faced by a conservator on a low budget. Considerations included the state of preservation and the need to prepare the objects for research rather than display. Since the elephant finds were part of a taphonomic research project, preserving the bone surfaces was of supreme importance. Fill materials had to be light because of the need for researchers to handle the objects post-conservation. Following studies of other cases of gap-filling, both in modern and ancient bones, and considering the restrictions and particular requirements of the materials available, a system was devised consisting of Japanese tissue impregnated with Paraloid B-72 in acetone applied in layers over a scaffolding of rods, with a final layer of microcrystalline wax then being applied. The resultant fill was lightweight, reversible, relatively cheap, and unobtrusive t...
Conservation juggles between fieldwork, work at the lab and the requirements of a frequently-visi... more Conservation juggles between fieldwork, work at the lab and the requirements of a frequently-visited research collection. Conservators have little control over field conditions, which are mostly directed by the physical conditions, time limitations and budget restraints. In the field, the actual challenge is to understand the physical conditions, to be aware of the nature of the sediments, their permeability, the effects of hydrological systems, and form an idea of their effect on the condition of the skeletal remains. The conservator has to function in an almost unknown terrain, at least during the first excavation season in a given site. Ideally, research and conservation goals follow the same direction and tempo. In the actual situation, accumulation of taphonomical data of a locality/site is not necessarily in accordance with the process of conservation. Such dichotomy impedes the synergy between research and conservation. Old excavations, revisited several years later, one-day ...
Will printed labels survive prolonged immersion in collection fluids, and, if so, which printing ... more Will printed labels survive prolonged immersion in collection fluids, and, if so, which printing system is preferable: inkjet, laser, or thermal transfer printing? In a world with a wide variety of printers, printing substrates, and printer technologies, the interactions between them very likely affect long-term label preservation in the chemical environment of the preservation fluid. In fluid-preserved collections, the main issues frequently encountered with labels include delamination, abrasion, fading, and disintegration during immersion in solutions such as ethanol and formaldehyde aqueous solution (widely known under the commercial name formalin). Very few publications have presented testing procedures assessing the behavior and stability of printed matter immersed in the types of solvents used in fluid-based collections. This article presents a series of experiments set up at the National Natural History Collections at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to test a variety of museum labels. The tests compared labels actually used in different natural history collections and included labels from both thermal transfer and inkjet printers. All were subjected to accelerated aging and mechanical abrasion. In our series of tests, inkjet labels gave the best performance.
With the decision of the 1997 Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of... more With the decision of the 1997 Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of methyl bromide in developed countries by 2005, interest has been renewed in reappraising thermal methods for eradicating museum pests. Though a quantity of literature exists which investigates the effects of heat and cold on insect mortality, very little research has been published
With the decision of the 1997 Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of... more With the decision of the 1997 Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of methyl bromide in developed countries by 2005, interest has been renewed in reappraising thermal methods for eradicating museum pests. Though a quantity of literature exists which investigates the effects of heat and cold on insect mortality, very little research has been published on the effect that the standard freezing procedure and the Thermo Lignum™ process have on object materials, though this is obviously the greater concern for the museum professional. This article reports on a series of investigations of ethnographic and natural history materials, using optical and scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and tensile testing to establish whether physical and/or chemical damage occurred. Results from this work suggest that a broader range of object materials than usually considered acceptable could be successfully treated by one or other of these means. Suggestions for further research are given.
Will printed labels survive prolonged immersion in collection fluids, and, if so, which printing ... more Will printed labels survive prolonged immersion in collection fluids, and, if so, which printing system is preferable: inkjet, laser, or thermal transfer printing? In a world with a wide variety of printers, printing substrates, and printer technologies, the interactions between them very likely affect long-term label preservation in the chemical environment of the preservation fluid. In fluid-preserved collections, the main issues frequently encountered with labels include delamination, abrasion, fading, and disintegration during immersion in solutions such as ethanol and formaldehyde aqueous solution (widely known under the commercial name formalin). Very few publications have presented testing procedures assessing the behavior and stability of printed matter immersed in the types of solvents used in fluid-based collections. This article presents a series of experiments set up at the National Natural History Collections at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to test a variety of mu...
Abstract Early sites along the Dead Sea Transform (southern Levant), among them the Erq el Ahmar ... more Abstract Early sites along the Dead Sea Transform (southern Levant), among them the Erq el Ahmar Elephant Site, are key points in understanding hominin and mammal migration out of Africa and into Eurasia. The late Prof. Tchernov had begun an intensive campaign to expose the faunal remains at the site, but unfortunately was unable to conclude his study. Based on interim reports and geomorphological descriptions, we were aware of numerous elephant remains found and left in situ. The Erq el Ahmar Elephant Site is a controversial site. There are those who see it as the earliest Pleistocene hominin site in the area, while others consider it a paleontological site without any hominin involvement. We returned to the site to try to resolve this controversy. In a systematic excavation, we succeeded in exposing the previously uncovered elements, exposed more material and currently better understand the deposition sequence. However, the task was very challenging, since the skeletal elements were very fragile and required careful exposure and conservation, both in situ and in the laboratory, before they could be studied. A series of elements were found partially superimposed. Several elements of the skull, an almost complete tusk, vertebrae, ribs, a scapula and limb bones were found. Mammoth diagnostic traits were identified in the teeth and tusk. However, very few skeletons of early mammoths are known from the region. Have we exposed the most complete Mammuthus rumanus skeleton? Tooth microwear indicates leaf-browsing dietary traits, similar to that of other M. rumanus of this period. In addition, the recent excavations have revealed the potential of the site in understanding the evolution and dispersal of proboscidean species out of Africa during the Plio-Pleistocene, adding another focal point to the southern Levant along this route.
Abstract Large bones present their own conservation problems. Three fossil elephant scapulae, rec... more Abstract Large bones present their own conservation problems. Three fossil elephant scapulae, received in different states of preservation, demonstrated the difficulties faced by a conservator on a low budget. Considerations included the state of preservation and the need to prepare the objects for research rather than display. Since the elephant finds were part of a taphonomic research project, preserving the bone surfaces was of supreme importance. Fill materials had to be light because of the need for researchers to handle the objects post-conservation. Following studies of other cases of gap-filling, both in modern and ancient bones, and considering the restrictions and particular requirements of the materials available, a system was devised consisting of Japanese tissue impregnated with Paraloid B-72 in acetone applied in layers over a scaffolding of rods, with a final layer of microcrystalline wax then being applied. The resultant fill was lightweight, reversible, relatively cheap, and unobtrusive t...
Conservation juggles between fieldwork, work at the lab and the requirements of a frequently-visi... more Conservation juggles between fieldwork, work at the lab and the requirements of a frequently-visited research collection. Conservators have little control over field conditions, which are mostly directed by the physical conditions, time limitations and budget restraints. In the field, the actual challenge is to understand the physical conditions, to be aware of the nature of the sediments, their permeability, the effects of hydrological systems, and form an idea of their effect on the condition of the skeletal remains. The conservator has to function in an almost unknown terrain, at least during the first excavation season in a given site. Ideally, research and conservation goals follow the same direction and tempo. In the actual situation, accumulation of taphonomical data of a locality/site is not necessarily in accordance with the process of conservation. Such dichotomy impedes the synergy between research and conservation. Old excavations, revisited several years later, one-day ...
Will printed labels survive prolonged immersion in collection fluids, and, if so, which printing ... more Will printed labels survive prolonged immersion in collection fluids, and, if so, which printing system is preferable: inkjet, laser, or thermal transfer printing? In a world with a wide variety of printers, printing substrates, and printer technologies, the interactions between them very likely affect long-term label preservation in the chemical environment of the preservation fluid. In fluid-preserved collections, the main issues frequently encountered with labels include delamination, abrasion, fading, and disintegration during immersion in solutions such as ethanol and formaldehyde aqueous solution (widely known under the commercial name formalin). Very few publications have presented testing procedures assessing the behavior and stability of printed matter immersed in the types of solvents used in fluid-based collections. This article presents a series of experiments set up at the National Natural History Collections at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to test a variety of museum labels. The tests compared labels actually used in different natural history collections and included labels from both thermal transfer and inkjet printers. All were subjected to accelerated aging and mechanical abrasion. In our series of tests, inkjet labels gave the best performance.
With the decision of the 1997 Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of... more With the decision of the 1997 Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of methyl bromide in developed countries by 2005, interest has been renewed in reappraising thermal methods for eradicating museum pests. Though a quantity of literature exists which investigates the effects of heat and cold on insect mortality, very little research has been published
With the decision of the 1997 Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of... more With the decision of the 1997 Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of methyl bromide in developed countries by 2005, interest has been renewed in reappraising thermal methods for eradicating museum pests. Though a quantity of literature exists which investigates the effects of heat and cold on insect mortality, very little research has been published on the effect that the standard freezing procedure and the Thermo Lignum™ process have on object materials, though this is obviously the greater concern for the museum professional. This article reports on a series of investigations of ethnographic and natural history materials, using optical and scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and tensile testing to establish whether physical and/or chemical damage occurred. Results from this work suggest that a broader range of object materials than usually considered acceptable could be successfully treated by one or other of these means. Suggestions for further research are given.
Uploads
Papers by Gali Beiner