Yes, "garbage archaeology" did demonstrate in an American DESERT ENVIRONMENT
that paper was well preserved. Indeed, the sorting of "artifacts" from at
least one comparatively recent  historical garbage dump into "categories" --
as I remember from reading that work many years ago -- demonstrated that
PHONE BOOKS were at the top of the list in quantity (for that site).
 
As for conservation of paper -- or conservation in general, most
archaeologists are not prepared in their training to handle such things. And
well they might not be since it is a very specialized field of work.
Professional conservators have a vast literature (their journals and books)
that seldom come to the attention of archaeologists (I am being too general;
many do know of the literature). Apologies to those who do understand the
processes of conservation and do use technical experts in that field.
 
And there is a great deal of literature and experience with "water logged"
materials available -- both from fresh water and salt water environments.
But the literature is in specialized journals.  Just ask the assistance of a
reference librarian.
 
One author in England (who taught conservation) wrote a excellent book as an
introduction for archaeologists to conservation.  I believe his last name
was Organ, but I read it in the early 1970s and don't have a copy now.
 
Warm regards,
Wayne Neighbors
[log in to unmask]
http://anthro.org
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Melbourne's Living Museum of the West <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, October 01, 1998 9:16 PM
Subject: Re: Conservation of Paper
 
 
>>Judy Logan wrote
>
>>There is very little published information about the conservation of paper
>>found on archaeology sites. Paper, especially paper mass-produced from
wood
>>pulp in the 19th and 20th century, is unstable even at ambient conditions.
>>Survival during burial is very rare.
>
>Without wishing to contradict this and other views. I recal that Ratke in
>his garbage archaeology had demonstrated that newspaper and many other
>organic materials in garbage tips was perfectly preserved - He argues this
>in terms of debunking the myth that the contents of tips will eventually
>rot  down. I dont have a source but I expect the literature is relatively
>easy to find.
>
>
>
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>Gary Vines, Industrial Archaeologist/Curator
>Melbourne's Living Museum of the West Inc.
>P.O. Box 60 Highpoint City, Victoria, Australia, 3032.
>Telephone (613) 9318 3544 Fax  (613) 9318 1039
>email - [log in to unmask]
>http://www.livingmuseum.org.au
>
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