Das Holz der Archäologen

Technological, chemical, and microscopical studies on waterlogged oakwood from the Mayence Roman Ships (4th century) characterize it, depending on the degree of degradation, as a plasticized or very brittle waterfilled material undergoing heavy shrinkage on drying. The comparison with former results reveils strong common traits in the degradation pattern of wet archaeological oakwoods salvaged from differing environments: The abiotic hydrolytic degradation of the carbohydrates proceeds parallel to the surface, mostly with a sharply marked front. Experiments to optimize the stabilization of the wood with PEG are presented, which form the basis for the conservation treatment of the Mayence Roman Ships.