tracer Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 i alluded a while back to wondering exactly how others deal with fossils found in or near salt water. a lot of you on the east coast seem to deal heavily with those types of fossils and i was wondering what you do with them. salt is obviously hygroscopic and therefore will attract moisture from the air indefinitely if left on or in fossils. but i've also read that it's crystallization properties can cause certain materials to break down or flake off, etc. so anyway, i was wondering what you do with fossils and artifacts found in a marine environment, and if any of you have had any such things for three or four decades and how they've fared. on a similar vein, when you find fossils in a waterlogged condition from fresh water, do you have techniques for slowing drying of them to prevent cracking, etc. without growing mold or bacteria on them? regards, tracer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryland Mike Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Mostly I find sharks teeth and some bone. I just soak most of it in filtered water with a couple of rinses for 24-48 hours. Then let it dry out thoroughly. Carpe Diem, Carpe Somnium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nicholas Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 I've asked this question in the past with my prospecting a peat bog site known for well preserved bog wood in the range of thousands of years old... anyway the popular vote was to use acetone. Not sure if this helps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted November 11, 2008 Author Share Posted November 11, 2008 waterlogged wood and similar substances apparently present a serious problem where conservation is concerned. the same could be said of some shales and other material which, if allowed to dry "normally", will shrink, crack, delaminate, etc. from my reading, professionals go to great lengths and expense sometimes to deal with this problem. the solutions seem to involved primarily polyethylene glycol impregnation, sugar impregnation, and freeze drying. apparently, some conservators use processes which take years in an attempt to ensure the long-term stability of their finds. i think i'm personally going to start searching for a totally non-toxic preservative in which to soak myself. it's not that i'm looking for a fountain of youth. i'm just trying to keep from getting carried away with my oxidative state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 The paleontologist at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History has advised me to soak fossils in freshwater for 24 hours. Obviously this can't be done for very fragile specimens. Some of the invertebrate fossils collected 80 years ago in that collection have large expansion cracks where it appears as if the actual fossil is slowly exploding. Bobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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