CONTENT Page Letter from the Coordinator 1 Name Change 3 Articles 5 Training 10 Workshop & Seminar Reviews 13 Conference Reviews 17 Book Reviews 22 Upcoming Conferences 23 From the Editor 24 Subscription Information 24

LETTER FROM THE COORDINATOR

Welcome to the Start of a

New Triennial Period! Delhi Triennial Conference Mark Sandy, one of our speakers, provides a full conference review within this Newsletter and so I will limit myself to a few highlights. Our Working Group Session was quite rich and stimulating, with 8 papers and 4 posters covering a full spectra of issues ranging from materials science and research, to treatments and decision-making, to ethics and values, to indigenous perspectives and collaborations… The conference was attended by over 600 delegates, almost a third of them from India and other Asian countries. Additionally, our members were invited to the Sangeet Natak Academy of Music to visit its outstanding collection of Indian musical instruments and take part in an exchange on the care and use of their collection with local Indian researchers, musicians and musical instrument makers and repairers. It was a unique opportunity to meet Indian colleagues and discuss their work and points of view. The Thangka Session, a joint initiative of our Working Group with those of Textiles and Paintings, was a great success. Many examples of successful

collaborations, as well as diverse viewpoints and approaches were presented, not only by speakers from different countries (North America, Europe and Asia) but by speakers with different professional perspectives, such as museological institutions, the private sector, private collectors, and local and religious communities. At the ICOM-CC General Assembly, the document 'Terminology to characterize the Conservation of tangible cultural heritage' was submitted in English and French, as a resolution to the ICOM-CC membership in New Delhi, and was adopted by a large majority. You can find the document and a commentary about the aims, working method and approach at the ICOM-CC website www.icom-cc2008.org. It was also announced that the next ICOM-CC Triennial Conference in 2011 would be in Lisbon, Portugal! Triennial Research Program A new triennial research program, which will become one of the acceptance criteria for rating submissions to the next ICOM-CC Triennial Conference in 2011, was recently approved by our membership and submitted to the ICOM-CC Directory Board, as follows: The working group will investigate, research and report on the following areas of interest: A. Biocides in collections

1. History of biocide use and identification. 2. Deterioration of materials caused by biocides. 3. Mitigation and removal of residues.

B. Material science studies 1. Identification of materials found in ethnographic objects. 2. Deterioration of materials found in ethnographic objects. 3. Treatment studies and case histories. 4. Composite ethnographic objects and cross-disciplinary projects.

C. Ethics, values and decision-making 1. Values-based differences in preservation strategies.

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2. Difference in approaches between ‘Ethnography’ and ‘Art’. 3. Preservation rationales and decision-making processes. 4. Historical reviews. D. Indigenous Knowledge, Communities and Collaborations

1. Indigenous preservation knowledge and techniques used since ancient times. 2. Stakeholders’ views on conservation and heritage. 3. Community involvement in conservation and preservation decisions. 4. Consultations and collaborations with cultural groups who are stakeholders of ethnographic objects.

E. Exhibits and Preventive Conservation 1. Interpretation and presentation of collections on display. 2. Preventive conservation applied to ethnographic objects or collections. 3. Long term needs and maintenance.

Name Change Committee During our Working Group's Business Meeting in Delhi, a Name Change Committee was set up to consider whether we should change the name of our Working Group, and if so, to propose a new name. Jessica Johnson, who is co-chairing this committee with me, provides a more detailed report within this Newsletter issue. We welcome your thoughts on this issue! New Website and Content I hope that most of you by now have visited the new ICOM-CC website and subscribed to our Working Group section! (Visit: http://www.icomcc.org/26/ working-groups/ethnographic-collections). If not, please do not forget to do so! We have worked very hard at producing a useful, stimulating section for our Working Group, rich in content and information. In particular we have a full web page on Biocides in Museum Collections, with an up-to-date Bibliography produced in September 2008 by Assistant Coordinators Farideh Fekrsanati and Monika Harter. The Biocide page also provides hyperlinks to the 4 full articles on the theme of pesticides published within the CCI Symposium 2007 Proceedings. It also provides direct access to various other articles and workshop or book reviews on biocides (including pesticides). Another content-rich web page we have developed is the Thangka Forum. It currently offers abstracts of talks presented at this session of the 2008 ICOM-CC Triennial Conference as well as authors biographies and contact information. Full papers are currently being reviewed and formatted, and are expected to be posted on this web page by January 31, 2009.

Access to the ICOM-CC website content is tiered: ICOM members or ICOM-CC Friends or Student Friends have unlimited access to news, announcements, calendar events, forum discussions as well as the many papers, articles and other posted documents. However we are very happy that non members retain viewing rights to new calendar announcements and forum postings, plus full access to downloadable articles, papers, and etc. for the first 5 weeks of their posting, before they become restricted to members only. As well, all documents after 3 years of posting become open to all. The website is still growing, and with your input and participation, we hope that it will become a major international tool for information sharing and networking. We welcome your ideas on how to further improve our Working Group’s web-section and provide additional useful information to our members and participants. Carole Dignard, Coordinator Working Group on Ethnographic Collections and Objects Conservator, Canadian Conservation Institute carole.dignard@pch.gc.ca

ICOM-CC-WG Ethnographic Collections

New Web Section!

Visit the ICOM-CC-Ethnographic Collections web section on the ICOM-CC website:

http://www.icom-cc.org/26/working-groups/ethnographic-collections/

Membership Statistics - Current as of November 20, 2008

The ICOM-CC Working Group on Ethnographic Collections (including participants to the Icom-cc-ethno listserv) consists of 228 members and participants – of which 19 joined in the last 9 months, an increase of 8%!

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20

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Geographical Distribution of Members: • 93 from Europe, or 40% (UK=34; Germany=13;

France=10; the Netherlands=9; Switzerland=5; Italy=4; Sweden=4; Austria=4; Denmark=4; Norway=2; Ireland=2; Iceland=1; Belgium=1)

• 99 from North America, or 45% (USA=60; Canada=39; Mexico=0)

• 20 from Oceania, or 10% (Australia=11; New Zealand=8; New Caledonia=1)

• 6 from Asia (Indonesia=2; India=2; China=1; Nepal=1)

• 4 from Central and South America (Brazil=2; Cayman Island=1; Peru=1)

• 3 from the Middle East (Egypt=2; Iran=1) • 1 from Africa (Benin). Composition of Membership: • 94% are Conservators, including Conservation

Editors (25 members or 11%) and Managers; others include Curators, Conservation scientists, Collection Care Specialists, Native Heritage experts and a Librarian.

• 76% specialize in Ethnographic Objects or Objects.

• 36 members work in the private sector (16%). • 15 are students (7%), almost 4 times as many as

last February. Other specialties include: Archaeological Objects, Native Issues, Ethics, Preventive Conservation, Textiles, Leather, Metals, Pottery, Paper and Archival Documents, Wood, Urushi or Furniture, Sculpture, Musical Instruments, Paintings, Wall Paintings, Natural History, Plastics, Rock Art, Management.

NAME CHANGE

Should the ICOM-CC Ethnographic Working Group

Change Its Name? The Ethnographic Working Group is considering changing its name. As noted during the ICOM-CC Plenary Session by Maori Conservator Tharron Bloomfield in his talk ‘Pupuru te mahara - Preserving the memory: Working with Maori communities on preservation projects in Aotearoa / New Zealand’: “The term ‘ethnographic conservator’ is at best old fashioned and inadequate, and at worst offensive and racist. The word ‘ethnographic’ suggests it is the culture of ‘them rather than us,’ it also makes a judgment that one culture is superior to another. Why are the clothing, weaponry and tools of my ancestors

described as ethnographic while the clothing, weaponry and tools of someone from a European culture not? It is time for conservators who work with cultural material to find another, more appropriate name for the material they work with” (Bloomfield 2008). A Name Change Committee was set up during the Working Group's Business Meeting in Delhi to consider whether we should change the name of our Working Group, and if so, to propose a new name. The following five questions were posted on the Working Group’s listserv, by Carole Dignard, on 6 November 2008: (1) What are your thoughts on this issue? (2) Do you know of references, articles, discussion

letters etc, that discuss this issue, which could be of use to Committee members?

(3) Do you know of people we should contact to ask their views on this issue?

(4) Do you have a suggestion for a new name? (5) Would you be interested in becoming a member

of the Name Change Committee? These questions and comments produced a flurry of opinions and information. This article attempts to summarize the ideas expressed in those emails, but does not present all the ideas or discussion. Members should go back and see the original postings to get the full extent of the discussion; to do this, visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/icom-cc-ethno/. The postings have centered around two main themes: Theme 1. What does the term ethnographic (and ethnography, and ethnology) mean in English and other languages and what is the history of the term and its use for museum collections? Understanding the history of the term helps clarify why people are asking for it to be changed. Here are some brief quotes from some of the people who have discussed the meaning of the term ethnographic: According to Miriam Clavir, “‘Ethnography’ is a term from anthropology which is usually applied to a descriptive account of a community or society. The term originally comes from an era when anthropologists went out from their universities and museums to study ‘Other People’ and often collect their material culture.” She also goes on to say, “Today ‘ethnographic fieldwork’ is used to mean an exchange of knowledge, with the terms negotiated by both parties, and which will result in benefits for both parties. Ethnographic field methods are now being used in disciplines other than anthropology, such as nursing and education; they are being used by ‘us’ to

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gain greater reflexivity about our own institutions and practices.” Ann Habu wrote that, according to two anthropologists she is working with, “ethnography is closely related to the field of social and cultural anthropology that covers the study of ALL peoples, but indicates that the study is taking place through field work. Field work in anthropology takes place amongst the Yanomamis in Brazil, but also amongst Norwegian fishermen and French street performers.” Sherry Doyal noted that, “Several museums have collections referred to as European ethnography.” However, John Moses pointed out: “Thus in the past whereas former research was typically acknowledged as the starting point for new research, in the new scholarship paradigm flowing from post-modernist and post-colonial discourse, old research is not privileged in this manner, and indeed must itself be subject to criticism and review in order to expose its inherent bias and particular agenda.” Also see the note from Annette Fromm in this newsletter for a further discussion of the term ethnographic. Theme 2. Should we change the name because people feel the term is racist, and what do we hope to do by changing the name? John Moses pointed to Canadian Ethical Guidelines for Research (see link below) which states “that any research undertaking having Aboriginal experience as its subject matter must take Aboriginal perspectives, including the use of terminology, into account.” Sherry Doyal noted that, “in equality work (in the UK) we have moved away from 'treat others as you would like to be treated yourself' towards 'treat others as they would like to be treated' and that if someone perceives a thing to be racist then it is and we must take this seriously. But we must also consult widely and be prepared to challenge assumptions.” Daniel Cull gave a thoughtful response to his (and others) disagreement with this blanket approach and noted that it “removes the possibility for critique” (see Cull’s posting on the website for his complete discussion). Daniel Cull wrote: “I genuinely worry that changing a name is more an attempt to bypass coming to terms with the history, rather than a result of having come to terms with it and moved forward ... personally I think we have a long way to go to show conservation as a whole profession that the approach we are

developing is valid, and not a ‘passing fad’. I unfortunately do not think we have won that argument, yet. Therefore any name change should, and could, be used to develop that all important discourse.” Members of the Name Change Committee: Carole Dignard, Objects Conservator, CCI (Co-Chair) – Carole.Dignard@pch.gc.caJessica Johnson, Senior Conservator, NMAI (Co-Chair) - johnsonjs@si.eduMarian Kaminitz, Head of Conservation, NMAI - kaminitzm@si.eduJanet Mason, Objects Conservator, CCI - Janet_Mason@pch.gc.caFarideh Fekrsanati, Objects Conservator, National Museum of Ethnology, The Netherlands - Farideh@volkenkunde.nlJohn Moses, Conservator from the Canadian Museum of Civlization - john.moses@civilization.caEllen Carrlee, Conservator, Alaska State Museum - ellen.carrlee@alaska.govSherry Doyal, Conservator and Head of Organic Artefacts Section, British Museum - SDoyal@thebritishmuseum.ac.ukRenata Peters, Lecturer in Conservation of Archaeological Artefacts, Institute of Archaeology, University College London - m.peters@ucl.ac.ukTharron Bloomfield, National Preservation Officer, Maori, National Library of New Zealand - tharron.bloomfield@gmail.comLuba Nurse, Student, recent graduate Textile Conservation Centre, Southampton University, U.K. - luba.nurse@btinternet.com Send in Your Comments Over the course of the next few months, we wish to continue soliciting input and comments from our working group members and participants, via the ICOM-CC-ethno-listserv (To Post a message, send it to: icom-cc-ethno@yahoogroups.com, or email any Name Change Committee member). Suggested Background Reading: All Name Change comments posted on the ICOM-CC-ethno-listserv here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/icom-cc-ethno/ Bloomfield, T. 2008. Pupuru te mahara – Preserving the Memory: Working with Maori Communities on Preservation Projects in Aotearoa, New Zealand. In: ICOM-CC 15th Triennial Meeting preprints, New Delhi, India, 22-26 September 2008: 148. Barrett, S.N. 1996. Anthropology: A Student's Guide to Theory and Method, University of Toronto Press, Toronto. Clavir, M. 2001 The Future of Ethnographic Conservation: A Canadian Perspective. In: Past Practice -Future Prospects, The British Museum Occasional Paper Number

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145, Oddy, A. and S. Smith (eds.), The British Museum, London, pp. 57-60. de la Torre, M., ed., Assessing the Values of Cultural Heritage: Research Report. Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2002. (123pp. 750KB). [Online]. Available at: http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications/pdf_publications/assessing.pdf Debaene, V. 2004. Les Deux Livres L’ethnogaphe: L’ethnographie Francaise au XXe Siecle Entre Science et Literature, P.148. Universite de Paris IV - Sorbonne, Paris, 2004. Graeber, D. 2005. La Démocratie des Interstices. Revue du MAUSS Semestrielle 26 (2005). Alter-démocratie, Alter-économie. Chantiers de L'espérance. Second Semestre 41-89. Gurian, E. H. 2006. Civilizing the Museum: The Collected Writings of Elaine Heumann Gurian. Routledge. Pye, E. & Sully, D. 2007. Evolving Challenges, Developing Skills. In: The Conservator, 30, 19-37 Racial and Religious Hatred Act (2006), available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_and_Religious_Hatred_Act_2006 Report of the Royal Commission On Aboriginal Peoples, Appendix E: Ethical Guidelines for Research. Available at: http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ap/pubs/sg/sg-eng.asp and http://inchr.com/Doc/February05/RCAP-ethics.pdf Sully, D. (ed.) 2007. Decolonising Conservation. Left Coast Press Inc. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People available at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/declaration.html Jessica Johnson Senior Objects Conservator National Museum of the American Indian

Ethnography, the term.

In academic usage the term "ethnography" means the description of people, while "ethnology" means the knowledge about people. As with many terms, however, the use of these two terms throughout history is not particularly logical when compared to the original meaning. In Scandinavia and some Western countries, the term "ethnography" is/was used for studies of so-called non-European/non-Western cultures and societies. The term "ethnology" is/was used on studies of "our own" traditional societies. Thus, came about the term

and the publication European Ethnology. In Eastern Europe, the use of these terms is opposite. In Germany and the German speaking world, they divide between "Volkskunde" (knowledge of a people) and "Völkerkunde" (knowledge of many peoples). In practice Volkskunde deals with one's own traditions (ethnology and folklore), Völkerkunde with non-European/non-Western traditions/cultures (ethnography). This practice is somewhat ethnocentric, but at least there is some (colonial) logic to it. Ironically, many from European ethnographic museums (museums of non-Western, etc), think that their museums are the same as those in Africa, India, and elsewhere simply because they both have objects from Africa, India, etc. But those museums in Africa, India, and so forth are museums about their own culture. They are "ethnological" if we were to follow the Scandinanvian (and others') terminology. Within ICME museums of Ethnography, Ethnology, Folklore, Volkskunde, Völkerkunde, Anthropology, Folk museums, even Natural History museums if we follow the US tradition where the "natives" are part of the Natural History are represented. What all the ICME museums should, as a guideline, have in common is that they try to document and show whole societies and cultures, whether it be "one's own" or other cultures or both. Not a specific period or a specific aspect of society or culture, but roughly the whole. Acknowledgements: I would like to thank my colleague and former ICME president, Per Rekdal, who guided much of this discussion. Annette B. Fromm, Ph.D. President, International Committee of Museums of Ethnography (ICME).

ARTICLES

The Limitations of Hand-held XRF Analyzers as a Quantitative Tool for

Measuring Heavy Metal Pesticides on Art Objects.

IntroductionHandheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instruments are designed for a specific industry (e.g. soil analysis, metal recycling) and are being widely used by ethnographic art conservators and collections

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managers in the United States without tailoring them to the art conservation field. There are limitations to the instrument, in particular when it quantifies the elemental concentrations of heavy metal pesticides on organic objects. It is widely accepted that many organic objects in anthropological, and natural history collections have been treated with pesticides (Goldberg 1996; National Park Service 2001). Unfortunately, incomplete or no records were kept in many institutions about such treatments. Some of the past pest eradication techniques include inorganic heavy metal pesticides (pesticides including salts of lead, arsenic, and mercury) which, by the 1970s, were recognized as hazardous for human health. Museums are currently required to detect the presence of hazardous chemicals on Native American objects and to assess the health risk posed by known contamination (Tsosie 2001, 23). Assessing health risk requires one to know the exact type, nature and amount of hazardous chemical on an object. To detect pesticides, portable XRF instruments have been used in museums among collections managers and conservators, as these instruments are cost-efficient, non-destructive, and easy to use. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how these analyzers work. The principles of the XRF technique are widely published (Glinsman 2005). The XRF is very efficient in determining the elemental composition (qualitative analysis) of a material without acquiring a sample of the object. The major problem with museum objects is that it is impossible to know whether the pesticide resides on the surface or is distributed in the structure of the material. The objects vary in thicknesses, density and surface geometry and topography. Changes in environmental conditions such as relative humidity and temperature can change the characteristics of the substrate, both physically and chemically. In addition metallic components or pigments on an object that may contain heavy metals as well as other metals result in a mixture of elements that could be misinterpreted. Other limiting factors include the instrument's detection limit of the element of interest, and interferences from other elements. The result, in the form of spectrum can show whether an element is present or not depending on the intensity of its characteristic X-ray radiation, but cannot elucidate where the metal in question is within the artifact. Likewise the tabular result that shows a quantity per surface area or parts per million of a substrate will

not be accurate since the location of collected X-rays will not be accurately known. Experiment There were four types of samples in the study, which were used to test different factors that limit the quantification studies with handheld instruments:

1. Devcon brand 5-minute epoxy, 2. Loctite brand 5-minute epoxy, 3. Two thicknesses (0.10 in. and 0.02 in.) of

blotter paper, 4. Wool fabric.

The epoxies simulated the thick samples in which the chemical compounds were dispersed within the sample, whereas the paper and textile replicated artifacts that contained surface deposited heavy metal salts. Copper oxide was used in the epoxy resins and copper sulfate solution was sprayed on the surface of the flat substrates.

Substrate Added chemical compound

Tested for

Copper oxide Thickness Devcon

Varying Cu/Pb mixture

Metal interferences

Loctite Cinnabar, HgS Surface geometry

Blotter paper

Woven wool fabric

Copper sulfate solution

Relative humidity

Table 1. Samples and their function within the study. One sample of Devcon epoxy was mixed with copper oxide. The sample was cut roughly into 10mm, 5mm, 2mm, and 1mm slices and polished. The other Devcon samples were mixed with varying concentrations of copper oxide and lead oxide, 1:10, 1:5, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1 along with lead oxide only. The thin samples were prepared with 0.10 inch and 0.02 inch-thick blotter paper and a woven wool fabric sprayed with copper sulfate pentahydrate solution. After coating each sample three XRF readings were acquired from each sample under the ambient (50-55%) and higher (68-70%) relative humidity. Readings from three different spots were recorded. Results Metal interference: In the second set of Devcon samples where the amount of copper in the samples remains constant while the lead content varies, the amount of these elements measured by the XRF decreased by almost 20 percent of the actual amount (Graph 1). This indicates that when copper and lead are present in the same sample the concentrations measured with the XRF instrument vary significantly from the actual concentrations (calculated), i.e. the

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measured is depressed below the actual concentration as shown in the graph. Sample thickness and density: The results show that with the decreasing thicknesses of copper oxide-epoxy samples the copper concentrations calculated by the XRF analyzer increase (Graph 2). On the graph the actual copper concentration is shown as the red line marked at the 9690 ppm. It is possible that the data indicate an asymptote of 9690 ppm, which is thought to be the actual concentration of metal oxide embedded in the epoxy. This means that when the thickness of the epoxy is infinitely increased, the concentration acquired by the handheld XRF instrument will be closer to the actual concentration and will be the same at the infinite, thus the term “infinite thickness.”

Graph 1. The change in the analyzed Pb/Cu ratio due to metal interferences. The measured Pb/Cu concentration decreased in comparison to the actual concentration. Relative humidity: The XRF readings gathered from the wool textile samples at 68% RH differed 11 to 16 percent from the readings acquired at 55% RH. On the other hand the results for paper samples show no discernable difference between the results at the two RH levels.

Graph 2. The change in the analyzed Cu concentration due to varying thicknesses of epoxy. When the thickness of the Cu embedded epoxy increased the measured concentration reached to the actual concentration shown with the red line.

According to the graph the thinner the epoxy the higher the concentration is. Discussion and Conclusion The major error in the thick samples is generated by the presence of other metals in the sample. The fundamental parameters rely on a series of corrections that takes fluorescence interactions, atomic weight, and atomic number into account. For heavy metals such as mercury and lead the fundamental parameters approach does not work because these metals either absorb x-rays or emit secondary x-rays which causes excitation on adjacent elements. Thus, the fundamental parameter will not produce a reliable graph of calibration coefficients versus intensity, or concentration versus peak counts in the presence of heavy metals along with other metals. An empirical approach, for example, may be adopted in which the counts are compared with a series of known lead concentrations. Then other graphs containing known amounts of Pb/Hg, Hg/Ca, and with other elements possibly found in these organic artifacts would have to be used for proper quantification. The major error caused in the thin samples was the change of the relative humidity of the environment that the samples were in. However, it was curious to observe a bigger change in the thinner wool samples than the paper samples, which showed almost no discernable change. This could mean that the wool samples were more sensitive to humidity fluctuations than the paper samples. Acknowledgements: Odile Madden for providing me with valuable suggestions, Dr. Frank Preusser and Charlotte Eng for supporting this work. Berrie, B. H. 2004. Fine Art Examination and Conservation. Kirk-Othmer. Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology 100: 397–423. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Glinsman, L. D. 2005. The Practical Application of Air-path X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry in the Analysis of Museum Objects. Reviews in Conservation 6:3–18. Sirois, J. P., and G. Sansoucy. 2001 Analysis of Museum Objects for Hazardous Pesticide Residues: A Guide to Techniques. Collection Forum 17:49–66. National Park Service. 2001. Chronology of Pesticides used on National Park Service Collections. Conserve O Gram 2(16). Goldberg, L. 1996. A History of Pest Control Measures in the Anthropology Collections, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Journal of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works 35:23-43.

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Özge Gençay Üstün ozge@ucla.edu Conservation Intern Autry National Center, Southwest Museum of the American Indian

Disrobing: Research and Preventive Conservation of Painted Hide Robes at

the Ethnological Museum, National Museums Berlin, Germany.

Amongst the extensive and historically significant ethnographic collection in the Ethnological Museum at the National Museums Berlin, Germany are eighteen painted hide robes from a variety of North American Indian tribes, collected between the early 1800s and early 1900s. Four of the bison robes are on permanent display in the North American gallery. For approximately twenty years, twelve of the robes had been stored in a cramped glass-front upright storage case within the permanent collection storage of the American Ethnology department, hung with trouser hangers clamped along the edges of the robes. Two robes hung, hooked on nails, in a separate case. The robes were extremely difficult to access, preventing examination of the robes in any detail for study or condition check. It was decided by Helene Tello, objects conservator for North and South American collections, Mario Graber, leather conservator at the Ethnological Museum and Peter Bolz, Curator for North American collections, that the robes should be removed from their cases, and stored flat on trays, in a purpose-built storage unit within the collections area. The objective of the project was preventive conservation: to assess the overall conditions of the robes and to implement a more sympathetic storage environment, enabling easier access for research and education.

Figure 1: Helene Tello and Mario Graber remove the hide robes from the old upright storage case.

In the spring of 2008, the robes were removed from the cases (see Figure 1). A temporary photographic studio was created within the storage area. The robes were hung, using original holes made during the tanning process, in front of a black backdrop and photographed on front and back. Details of damage, materials, iconography, and manufacturing methods were also photographed. The robes were condition checked. All information was entered into the museum database. It has been known since 2003 that organochlorine pesticides and heavy metal compounds were historically used on objects at the Ethnological Museum as prevention against pest infestation. Therefore all work was done wearing personal protective equipment, including facemasks, zip-up Tyvek suits, which extended to wrist and ankle, and nitrile gloves. The robes are in a variety of conditions; some have clearly suffered from pigment loss, moisture damage, staining, and inappropriate conservation treatments. Except for freezing one robe, on which museum beetle larvae were found, no immediate remedial conservation work was necessary. A new storage case was constructed with MDF-board and wood crossbars by the in-house carpenters who work for the National Museums Berlin. The storage unit has two doors to enclose the trays and dust proofed sealing gaskets. The trays are frames of wood, covered with fiber-reinforced Tyvek, secured with stainless steel staples (see Figure 2). Wood components were treated with neemspray to prevent pest infestation. The robes were individually laid on these trays and placed in the storage case.

Figure 2: Mario Graber and Helene Tello insert trays into the new storage case. Time allowed for a more investigative conservation project of one buffalo robe, IV B 199, collected in 1833 and attributed to the Piegan (Blackfoot) tribe (see Figure 3). IVB 199 has been semi-tanned on the flesh side, and the hair has been retained. It is decorated with a strip of quillwork down the centre of

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the robe and on the ears. Orange and yellow quills were dyed, while the white components are un-dyed quill. The brown aspects of the embroidery are plant fibre. There is a small patch of vibrant red textile, which has been sewn onto the flesh-side. The flesh-side of the robe has been painted with iconography, including human figures, guns, bows, quills, and other figures, using three different colours, green, orange, and a dark brown.

Figure 3: Buffalo robe IVB 199 The robe was collected by German explorer and naturalist, Prince Maximilian zu Wied, during his expedition with artist Karl Bodmer to study the flora, fauna, and Native American tribes of the Upper Missouri River region in the western United States. Maximilian’s journals from the expedition between 1832 and 1834 were published in English in 1843, with accompanying illustrations by Bodmer. These first-hand accounts give insight into the Blackfoot tribe, from which the robe originated, as well as materials and technologies utilized by the tribe to create these types of robes (Maximilian 1843). Blackfoot is a blanket term for a nation of four tribes, the Blackfoot, now called Siksika First Nation; the Blood; the Kainai, now called the Kainaiwa First Nation; and the Piegans, or Pikuni, which are now divided into North Piegan, or Aputohsi-Pikuni, now called the Pikuni First Nation, and the South Piegan, or Amiskapi-Pikuni, now called Blackfeet Indians of Montana (Dempsey 2007, 5). The band, which Maximilian calls Piekann, would be the Piegan or Pikuni, and this is the band from which the robe originated. The robe is a significant piece within the collection, as well as in general Native American collections, as it is a relatively old and rare object. There are few hide objects that date before 1800 within museum collections. Maximilian’s detailed descriptions of

painted buffalo robes were the earliest (Dempsey 2007). Other robes described as “early” are dated from the 1840s to the 1860s (Dempsey 2007). The robe’s more recent history of being part of war booty taken by the Red Army to the Soviet Union after World War II was also considered highly significant. IV B 199 spent time in both St. Petersburg, or Leningrad, and Leipzig, East Germany. In 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification, 45,000 stolen ethnographic objects, including IV B 199, began to be returned to the Ethnological Museum (Bolz & Sanner 1999). It was thought that during its tenure abroad and in Leipzig, the robe could have been treated with various pesticides. A white crystalline substance found on the surface and in the hair of the robe seemed to indicate the presence of Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane or DDT. At the time of the collection of this robe, trade contacts had been established with Blackfoot groups, though the contacts were still relatively new. It is of interest to understand whether the Blackfoot bands had begun to utilize new materials supplied by the traders or still employed native materials. By identifying dyes and pigments used on this robe, we can expand on published information found in, for example, Moffat, Sirois, and Miller’s “Analysis of the Paints Used to Decorate Northern Plains Hide Artifacts during the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries.” By setting earlier dates on use of trade pigments, it is possible to understand what types of dyes and pigments one could find on objects from the same period. We were also interested in whether the robe had been treated by pesticides and, if so, the types and quantities. This could help inform what to expect on other robes in the collection, especially those returned from Leipzig, as well as establish necessary handling guidelines to mitigate any health and safety risks. Small samples were taken of the yellow and orange quill, the orange, green, and brown pigments or dyes, and a white crystalline substance found on the flesh and hair sides of the robe. A sharp scalpel was used to cut small pieces of the quill and plant fibre, from areas with previous damage or where materials were loose, and to scrape minimal amounts of the painted hair fibre. One gram of hair was also removed from across the surface of the hair side of the robe. HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography, is the analytical tool most often used to identify organic dyes, while Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, FTIR, is used to identify pigments. These would be

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the methods by which the quill dyes and pigments would by identified. This analysis is ongoing. Conservator Nancy Fonicello, who specializes in quillwork, believed that these quill colours could have been produced using native dyes including dock root (Rumex spp) or wolf moss (Evernia vulpina), for the yellow; and bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) for the red. Nancy sent samples of these dye materials from Montana, in the United States. These would be used as reference material for the HPLC. The dye materials were also used to dye modern quills, following Nancy’s instructions. The resulting coloured quills, especially the bloodroot and the wolf moss were visually similar to those found on the robe. The hair sample was analyzed with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), for organic pesticides, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the presence of heavy metals based pesticides. The assessment confirmed there is DDT present, but also there are alarmingly high levels of mercury, likely (a) mercury (II)-chloride (ALAB pers. comm. May 2008). The re-housing and preventive conservation of the fourteen robes should be considered an important step for the improvement of conditions for this significant collection. It has allowed far greater access to the robes, some of which had never been seen by the curator. It is now known, however, that greater access may also mean greater personal risk, as currently we have established the presence of significant amounts of hazardous chemicals on at least three robes. While the mercury-based pesticide may be one reason IV B 199 is still in good condition, the consequence will be that extreme care must be taken when further study of this and all robes is undertaken. While work on IV B 199 is ongoing, the research fits into a broader context of cultural knowledge, by elucidating a better understanding of the material culture and practices of Piegan tribe at the early stages of interaction with American fur traders. The data found from this well-provenanced object can be used to define the types of dyes and pigments one could expect to find on objects from a similar time period and region. The research of IV B 199, and all the robes, has the potential to expand further. It may be possible to examine the entirety of the Maximilian collection and make the study more inclusive by creating collaborations not only with other conservators, but also with the source communities. Descendents of the

tribes Maximilian met on his journey still live in the United States and Canada and could be contacted. A more open discourse about these objects could be established. While creating contact with geographically distant First Nation community groups is perhaps more difficult for European institutions, especially those whose mission statements and objectives do not include this kind of collaboration, these can be seen as necessary relationships to appropriately and effectively conserve, research, store, and display these important objects. Bolz, P. & Sanner, H.U. 1999. Native American Art: The Collections of the Ethnological Museum Berlin. Berlin: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Preßischer Kulturbesitz.

Figure 1:

Dempsey, J.L. 2007. Blackfoot War Art: Pictographs of the Reservation Period, 1880-2000. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. Maximilian, P.V. 1843. Travels in the Interior of North America ... with Numerous Engravings on Wood translated from the German, by H. E. Lloyd. London. Helene Tello Object Conservator Ethnological Museum at the National Museums Berlin h.tello@smb.spk-berlin.deAnne Gunnison Mellon Fellow in Conservation National Museum of the American Indian gunnisona@si.eduNancy Fonicello Ancient Artways Studio, Montant porcupine@ancientartways.com

TRAINING

Teaching Preservation of Tribal Collections in a Blended Format

During the summer of 2008, the authors delivered a blended-format course entitled “Preservation of Cultural Materials in Tribal Collections.” This course was developed through UCLA Extension and the Tribal Learning Community and Educational Exchange (TLCEE) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). It was developed for Native participants who work with cultural materials that are held in some form of repository within an indigenous (tribal) community in Southern California. The authors determined a need for such a course by speaking to and working with the Southern California

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tribal community, including tribal museum staff members. The course curriculum was designed around Southern California tribal collection materials and museum needs. The collections held in Southern California tribal repositories include a wide range of objects, including basketry, ceramics, archaeological artifacts, as well as important archival materials such as books, documents, photographs and audiovisual media. The topics identified as most important to address in the class included: object handling, cataloging, storage support mount-making, agents of deterioration, pesticide residues and related health and safety issues, environmental monitoring, caring for archives and photographs, condition surveys, preservation planning and emergency preparedness.

Figure 1: Cheryl Hinton, Director and Chief Curator at the Barona Cultural Center and Museum, discusses one of the exhibits. The course was developed in a blended, or hybrid format (part live, part online). The instructors felt that this blended format would appeal to students by combining the flexibility and convenience of an online class with the practical advantages of hands-on demonstrations and activities found in a live course. In addition, this blended format would give students access to rich web resources on collections preservation and management while providing them with the opportunity for interpersonal networking and exposure to established museum practices.

Figure 2: Ellen Pearlstein shows students examples of archival storage supports.

Perhaps as a consequence of being publicized through TLCEE, which usually offers fully online courses, students from all over California and the Southwest United States enrolled in the course. This unexpected broader reach included participants attending from Phoenix and Albuquerque, as well as from locations in California north of Fresno and southeast of San Bernardino. The blended format made this wider reach possible. The blended format also made it possible for students with full-time working and/or parenting responsibilities to participate. In total, the course consisted of five live sessions and five online sessions distributed over a nine-week period, in order to fit into the UCLA summer quarter schedule. Live and online sessions were offered on alternating weeks, with the live classes being held for three hours on Saturdays. The live sessions included practical lessons where students learned documentation skills, handling, housekeeping, and environmental monitoring. Four of the five live sessions were held at Southern California tribal museums, including Agua Caliente, Barona, Cabazon, and Sherman Indian Museums, offering the students the opportunity to visit these venues and observe how several different tribes had developed their own museums. Each live class also included time where willing museum staff shared methods for collections building, managing oral history programs and digital archives, community outreach, working with the tribe and exhibition selection and design.

Figure 3: Students carry out environmental monitoring outside of the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. The online component was managed through the course website using the Blackboard Learning System, an e-Learning software platform used by UCLA Extension for many of its online courses. The syllabus and all of the course materials (excluding two required textbooks) were posted on the website. Students were required to check the website weekly in order to access readings, to turn in assignments and to post responses to weekly discussion topics.

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Each online class was estimated to contain approximately four hours of lecture, readings and assignments. Both online and live components of the course were extremely successful and complementary. The online components allowed the instructors to teach using a variety of media, including PowerPoint lectures, links to videos and downloadable museum cataloging software, and to resources such as conservation leaflets and supply catalogs. Students were able to share their assignment work, permitting comparisons and web discussion. A live course would have set limitations on such multimedia teaching materials, which were praised by the students for their variety. The ability to download materials for future application made the web component a durable resource for students. In addition to the successful format, the instructors felt that this course effectively communicated important preservation topics to students and that it ultimately empowered students to contribute to the preservation of their cultural heritage. Ellen Pearlstein Molly Gleeson UCLA/Getty Program in the Conservation of Ethnographic and Archaeological Materials

Student Theses, Haute Ecole de Conservation-restauration Arc

La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland The following are the titles of the 2007 and 2008 student research projects from the Swiss School of Conservation Haute école de Conservation-restauration Arc. As studies can be carried out in French, English or German, an English translation has been provided below where relevant. 2008: Master HES-SO in Conservation-restauration Martin Bader, Emballage et transport des matériaux organiques en provenance de sites de haute altitude: mesures de conditionnement et sécurisation des indices archéologiques. [Packing and transportation of organic artefacts from high altitude sites: Means of supporting and securing archaeological evidence.] Michel Braekman, La neutralisation des armes à feu portatives: approche historique, règlementaire, technique et déontologique. [The neutralisation of portable firearms: a historical, reglementary, technical and ethical approach.]

Stefanie Bruhin, Sublimation von Cyclododecan. [Sublimation of cyclododecane.] Michiel Brunott, A Study of functional fluids in static museum objects at Coventry Transport Museum. Vinciane Bruttin, Les liants organiques présents dans les polychromies d’objets ethnographiques : leur documentation, études et détermination analytique. [Documentation, study and analysis of organic binders in polychrome ethnographic artefacts.] Héloïsa Munoz, Les instruments scientifiques des anciennes écoles de commerces neuchâteloises. [The scientific instruments of former business schools in the canton of Neuchâtel.] Aude-Laurence Pfister, L’influence des biocides sur la conservation des Naturalia. [The influence of biocides on the conservation of natural history collections.] Ludovic Rumo, Analyse et caractérisation des alliages constitutifs de l’avion Dufaux 4. [Analysis and characterization of metal alloys from the Dufaux 4 airplane.] Elsa Sangouard, Testing corrosion inhibitors for the treatment of marine iron/waterlogged wood composite artifacts in polyethylene glycol solutions [Hostacor, sodium decanoate, carboxylatation solutions, sodium nitrite]. Yannick Soller, De Tinguely à iTinguely... la restitution du mouvement et du son d’une Radio sculpture de 1962. [From Tinguely to iTinguely… the restitution of movement and sound in a 1962 radio sculpture.] Géraldine Voumard, Conservation-restauration d’une vannerie classique gorgée d’’eau et enduite de résine. [Conservation of a classical waterlogged basketry with residues of resin.] 2008: Bachelor HES-SO in Conservation Laura Andrey, Conservation des mosaïques in situ. [In situ conservation of mosaics.] Virginie Buchs, Les moyens mis en oeuvre pour la conservation des verres dégradés en vue de leur exposition. [Conservation measures for degraded glass objects in view of their display.] Romain Jeanneret, Evaluation des conditions de conservation et leur impact sur les valeurs des

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collections automobiles et ferroviaires. [Conservation condition assessement and the impact of condition on the value of automobile and railway collections.] Mathias Marca, L'emballage et le transport d'une exposition archéologique. Evaluation des besoins fonctionnels. [Packing and transportation of an archaeological exhibit : Functional needs assessment.] Valérie Seematter, Projet de plan d'évacuation de la collection d'horlogerie du Musée Paul-Dupuy, Toulouse. [Development of an emergency plan for the clock collection at the Musée Paul-Dupuy, Toulouse.] 2007: Master HES-SO in Conservation-restauration Caroline Böhm, Recherches sur les anciennes méthodes de conservation-restauration du fer archéologique. Collection d’étude : les objets de la Tène. [A study of historic conservation treatments for archaeological iron. The case study of the la Tène collections.] Sylvia Breitling, La conservation-restauration du papier-mâché. Etude d’une collection birmane au musée d’ethnographie de Berlin. [The conservation of papier mâché. Study of a Burmese collection at the Ethnographic Museum of Berlin.] Maya Froidevaux, Characterization of the Interactions of Laser Radiation with Copper Alloys used in Outdoor Sculpture in the United Kingdom. Magali Stoller, Pour la connaissance, la conservation et la mise en valeur de sites patrimoniaux in situ – les zones sidérurgiques Ficko et Kéma – Koundiouli au pays dogon, Mali. [In-situ conservation of the iron smelting sites of Ficko and Kéma-Koundiouli in Dogon country, Mali.] Vanessa Terrapon, Etude comparée de l’assombrissement du cinabre in situ. Application et implications pour la conservation et la restauration d’un ensemble peint (Oecus101) de la Domus aux Bucranes à Ostie. [Comparative study of the degradation of cinnabar in situ. Impact on the conservation of a wallpainting (Oecus101) in the Domus of the Bucranes in Ostia, Rome.] PDF copies of the research projects are available upon request. For further information on the HECR-ARC or on these research projects, visit: http://www.he-arc.ch/hearc/fr/artsappliques/ or contact: Nathalie Ducatel,

nathalie.ducatel@he-arc.chResponsable de la filière Conservation-restauration Haute école de Conservation-restauration ARC Rue de la Paix 60, CH-2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds Tél. +41 32 930 19 19 ; Fax +41 32 930 19 20

WORKSHOP AND SEMINAR REVIEWS

On-line Workshop Review. Aboriginal

Care of Collections: Redefining the Meaning of Care.

In the February of 2008, the Saskatchewan Museum Association, through the Canadian Museum Association, offered a new professional development workshop entitled Aboriginal Collections: Redefining the Meaning of Care. The intent of the workshop was to offer participants a better understanding of the cultural needs of aboriginal objects and culture and how to best approach and handle these objects within a museum setting. It was offered in a four-week online format, a new format for the Canadian museums community. This review will cover not only the contents of this workshop but also the success of the format with which it was presented. There were a number of reasons that led to my participation in this workshop; I wanted to fill in gaps in my education, learn how to better approach an upcoming project and to begin building a cross-country network of contacts. I am a fairly new museum professional and have an Honours B.A. in Classical Studies and Classical Archaeology from Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; as well as an M.A. in Museum Studies from University of Leicester, UK. Therefore, I have little formal schooling in North American Archaeology or Aboriginal culture and history and I hoped this workshop would help to fill these gaps in my knowledge. I currently hold the position of Museum Assistant at the Fort Frances Museum, which is located in Northwestern Ontario, Canada; in a region with a large population of aboriginal peoples. In January of 2008 I was given the task of presenting a bleak piece of Canada’s history by developing an exhibition on the local Indian Residential Schools, which were in operation from 1906 until 1974 and have had a profound negative impact on the aboriginal peoples of Canada. To successfully develop this exhibition I needed to work in collaboration with the local First

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Nations to fairly and effectively present this very sensitive topic. I felt that this workshop would help me to understand not only the history but also the cultural needs I would have to be sensitive to in order to produce a successful exhibition. The cross country format of the workshop allowed for us to network amongst our peers as well as gain an understanding of the varying challenges faced in the different regions of the country. For example, those working in urban settings in Southern Ontario found it more difficult to establish working collaborative relationships because they did not know where to start or they did not know to whom an object culturally belonged. Whereas the Prairie Provinces, Saskatchewan and Alberta, already had museum policies and long standing collaboration in place, while those in Nova Scotia had little established relationships between museums and aboriginal peoples. Aboriginal Collections: The Meaning of Care was held between 15 February and 7 March 2008 and was instructed by Lori Whiteman and Lorne Carrier, both of Saskatchewan. The online format of the workshop was new for the CMA and the Museums Association of Saskatchewan. It consisted of weekly one and a half hour online discussion sessions using the online community software, iCohere, courtesy of the Canadian Heritage Information Network. The software allows groups of people to post messages, share ideas and resources, post to a group bulletin board and have live, real time discussion sessions. This format allowed for participants from Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia to simultaneously partake in the workshop and live discussions. As no travel expenses or time away from work was required the workshop could be taken at minimal cost. In addition the hardware necessary was simply a computer with Internet connection. I believe such online workshops and courses to be very beneficial for a country such as Canada with such great distances separating each region of the country and with many remote areas. This ease of accessibility allowed me to participate from Northwestern Ontario. However, there were also some negative aspects of this online format. I found some difficulty achieving and maintaining a discussion, as not everyone was comfortable with the technology or putting forth ideas or comments. However, as people gain experience with newer technology, overcoming this problem should become easier. Weekly assignments brought every participant’s unique situations and knowledge into the discussion.

We discussed various elements of Aboriginal culture throughout the workshop and each week the topics usually returned to a few key issues: collaboration, repatriation and the maintenance of proper cultural context. It became clear the most important thing to remember when working with aboriginal collections is to always seek advice from First Nations band councils and elders about the best way to handle objects, not only ceremonial but also secular. Furthermore the same care must be taken with intangible aboriginal culture, such as language, stories and histories. As well the concept that aboriginal peoples retain their cultural ownership of an object regardless of who legally owns the physical object. The issue of repatriation of aboriginal objects, usually, but not exclusively, human remains and ceremonial objects, was heavily discussed. We examined how different countries, primarily Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, approach repatriation. The key element is determining when repatriation is the correct option, and whether collaboration would perhaps be more appropriate in some circumstances; this would leave an object in the care of a museum but its care would be a thoroughly joint project between the museum workers and the aboriginal peoples to whom it belongs. Many of us in the workshop would appreciate a guide of best practice for correct cultural care of different aboriginal objects; however, there could never be one. Every object is handled case by case and it is important they be brought back to their cultural context. While a complete guide is indeed impossible, we were given a number of print resources that illustrated case studies of repatriation and collaboration, as well as guides to aboriginal tangible cultural objects. There was also a lot of discussion on the custom of giving tobacco, when and how it should be done. However, as with everything it is best to consult the band council of the aboriginal group in question for guidance. Therefore, the question that emerged from these discussions is can museum care co-exist with cultural care? However, the issue is more can museum care be maintained given the need to maintain the cultural care. Essentially the cultural care of an object is of greater importance to the cultural owners of an object. Therefore, museum care must bend and change to best meet preservation and conservation needs given the parameters set by an objects cultural owner. Good collaboration should make this possible.

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Aboriginal Collections: Redefining the Meaning of Care was an excellent workshop that was accessible to a broad range of participants and helped each individual understand the importance and the complexity of the needs for handling objects of aboriginal culture. The workshop also created a network the participants will be able to turn to for help in the future. Instructor Contacts (permission granted for publication): Lori Whiteman loriwhiteman@sasktel.netYoung Dog Consulting 305-565-0697 Lorne Carrier Ayamun_askiy@yahoo.caYoung Dog Consulting 305-565-8039 Katie Urban Museum Assistant Fort Frances Museum 259 Scott St. Fort Frances, Ontario P9A 1G8

XRF Seminar, The Field Museum, Chicago, June 2008

The Department of Anthropology at The Field Museum in Chicago, IL hosted its second two-day seminar, Hand-held XRF in Museums: Applications and Quantification for Anthropology and Natural History Collections on June 5 and 6, 2008. The hands-on workshop was designed to be an open discussion forum to address many of the issues facing XRF users in museums. The basic fundamentals and physics of XRF theory and its applications were discussed through presentations, demonstrations and experiments using participant instruments. Issues focused on the reasons why users need to understand basic XRF theory and the complications that exist forinterpretation of results when used on anthropological collections, especially on organic substrates. Updates were provided on various uses and experiments using the instrument; values and protocol for reporting results; the status of pertinent reference materials being developed for use in determining appropriate calibrations; and the instrument’s importance within conservation and the archaeological field as a screening tool that provides qualitative results and in some cases, such as with obsidian, where it can provide quantitative results.

Presentations included (*seminar presenter): Issues related to using handheld XRF on Anthropology Collections. Aaron Shugar, Ph.D.*, Assistant Professor of Conservation Science in the Art Conservation Department at Buffalo State University, NY, T: 716-878-5031, shugaran@buffalostate.eduPortable XRF for obsidian based provenance research. Jeff Speakman, Ph.D.*, Archaeologist and Head of Technical Studies at the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute (MCI), T: 301-238-1242, SpeakmanJ@si.edu. Obsidian Analysis at The Field Museum using an Innov-X Systems portable XRF. Mark Golitko*, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Anthropology at University of Illinois-Chicago and research assistant at The Field Museum, T: 312-665-7870, mgolitko@yahoo.com; and Laure Dussubieux, Ph.D., Manager of the LA-ICP-MS Laboratory in the Department of Anthropology at The Field Museum, T: 312-665-7898, ldussubieux@fieldmuseum.org The Exponential Nature of the Physics of X-Ray Interactions, Bruce Kaiser, Ph.D.*, Physicist and Application Scientist, Bruker-AXS, Kennewick, WA, T: 509-528-7608 pantainst@aol.com

Assessment of biocide determination in ethnological collections, Helene Tello*, Conservator, Ethnological Museum of National Museums, Berlin, T: 030-8301-296, h.tello@smb.spk-berlin.de; and Dr. Boas Paz, Diplom-Chemiker, Rathgen-Research-Laboratory at the National Museums Berlin, T: 030-32674916, b.paz@smb.spk-berlin.de

In addition to the five presentations two sets of papers were furnished by absentee presenters:

X-Ray Fluorescence Analyses Report, 13 February 2007. Marei Hacke, Ph.D., Conservation scientist, The British Museum, London 02073238953, mhacke@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk

The limitations of hand-held XRF analyzers as a quantitative tool for measuring heavy metal pesticides on art objects. Özge Gencay Üstün, Conservator at the Southwest Museum, Graduate of UCLA/Getty Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials Conservation Program, ozge.ustun@gmail.com; and Charlotte Eng, Associate Conservation Scientist, Conservation Center, Los Angeles County Museum of Art The Field Museum and seminar participants gratefully acknowledge the three corporate sponsors of the seminar: Bruker-AXS, Inc., Innov-X Systems

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and Thermo Fisher Scientific (Niton analyzers), all manufacturers of hand-held XRF analyzers. The manufacturers provided their top scientists to actively participate in the seminar and to provide technical support for the other participants. The corporate scientists included Dr. Bruce Kaiser, physicist and museum applications scientist, Bruker-AXS with support from Kathleen Tighe, sales manager; Jessica Feuer, applications scientist, Innov-X Systems; Stan Piorek, physicist and applications scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific with support from Julia Kleyman, archaeometry specialist. In addition to their participation the three manufacturers generously provided funding for all meals served throughout the two-day seminar. Discussion, seminar evaluation and follow-up survey remarks included the following areas felt to be the most important issues to recognize and address at present: • The increase in inexperienced XRF users in

museums dictates the need to establish regular communication networks and regular training sessions among more experienced users and new users to share experiences, technical issues, present updates on research, and discuss problems and solutions. Suggestions for networking include the use of Webinar seminars and physically meeting about every 6 months instead of annually with the idea that institutions could host specifically focused workshops or seminars on a rotating basis. Panel discussions, tips sessions, case studies and specific applications are all welcome components for future XRF seminars and workshops.

• Due to the physical nature of x-ray fluorescence, the limitations of instrument software, the current inappropriate (for anthropological materials) instrument standards, and operator subjectivity and error margin, the analyzer’s use on museum and archaeological materials highly indicates that data number results cannot be trusted especially on organic substrates. The spectrum must always be consulted and interpreted by trained personnel regardless of the data results.

• Qualitative results may be the best that the instrument can achieve on organic substrates due to the variability involved with the material itself. Once appropriate reference materials are developed and available for use for instrument calibrations then semi-quantitative results might be obtained on at least some materials, remembering that the result is only pertinent to the sample taken unless the material is homogenous. It is generally felt that quantitative results on organic substrates will not likely be achieved.

• There is recognition by most users that collaboration among institutions would be highly beneficial for sharing information and for developing general best practice guidelines and protocols for reporting results. Collaboration might help to streamline the very complex and time consuming testing process.

• There is a need to increase the awareness level of the medical profession about the complex issues involved with hazardous materials such as pesticide usage in museum environments. Active involvement and guidance by toxicologists are needed to develop specific health and safety protocols.

• There is a need for manufacturers and museums to collaborate on application use and clearly define the capabilities and limitations of the instrument on anthropological collections. Pertinent and specific training is a necessity in addition to the general training for instrument use normally provided.

• There is a need for manufacturers to train their sales representatives and technicians about the complex issues involved with museum uses and the differences between museum and industrial applications. One suggestion is to increase the number of representatives who are dedicated to museum training and who would be directly available for technical and spectra interpretation assistance.

A new meeting date and place for a future XRF user group seminar was discussed but has not yet been proposed. The present tough economic climate does not allow for The Field Museum to host an XRF seminar in 2009. The “group” includes all users who wish to participate in developing practical solutions to common problems by addressing general and specific issues and tackling them one at a time. By far the most important concern raised at the museum’s 2008 seminar was that a firm foundation of networking for museum XRF users be established. Initiatives and suggestions on how to develop an active and time efficient networking system would be most welcomed. A good example of networking and reaching out to other pertinent professionals for suggestions and guidance in adapting XRF technology to collection based applications was the inclusion of a Cultural Heritage component at the 2008 annual Denver X-ray Conference (DXC) (see: http://www.dxcicdd.com/08 /callforpapers.htm#workshops). After hearing about some of the complex issues faced by XRF users at The Field Museum’s 2007 seminar, Dr. Karen Trentelman, analytical scientist and spectroscopist at the Getty Conservation Institute initiated a request to include a Cultural Heritage program at DXC

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specifically to spread the awareness of issues to the many international scientists who attend the conference. The program’s debut in August 2008 highlighted the various XRF uses on both art objects and natural history collections, showcased innovative use of technology and included a lively discussion of XRF results from participation in a Round Robin testing experiment. The Cultural Heritage component was met with an overwhelming positive response by users and scientists who had never heard of the issues involved with museum applications. The DXC program committee is now looking into the possibility of including a Cultural Heritage program at least every other year. Cheryl Podsiki Department of Anthropology/Conservation The Field Museum 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605-2496 cpodsiki@fieldmuseum.org312-665-7883

CONFERENCE REVIEWS

Review of the ICOM-CC 2008 Triennial Conference

‘Tomorrow is not kind to yesterday’ – Sanjay Dhar, ICOM-CC Triennial Conference, New

Delhi, September 2008. This was my first attendance of an ICOM-CC triennial conference and I was impressed by the organisation of the event. I have often been told by my colleagues about the travel from lecture hall to lecture hall, between different session groups, in order to attend one’s optimum choice of papers. I was frankly sceptical that this could be achieved without serious injury or becoming hopelessly lost in an endless maze of corridors. That I found this activity easy is a tribute both to the organisers and the session convenors who ensured that papers ran to time. I was also impressed that the opening session on the Monday morning was not only attended, but addressed by the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, the Minister for Culture and Tourism and the Vice–President of India. In the UK it seems difficult to get even one representative of the Government to attend a conservation conference. Despite the challenges faced by conservation in India, the presence of Indian Government ministers was a positive sign, as indeed was the delivery of a number of excellent papers by Indian Conservators. It was gratifying that the Wednesday morning

plenary session was to a large extent concerned with issues of relevance to the Ethnographic working group. Tharron Bloomfield’s discussion of his work as a Māori conservator with Māori communities and his cogent critique of the E-word (‘ethnographic’) gave much food for thought, both during and after the conference. The resulting e-mail discussion (see Name Change section of this Newsletter) has helped to emphasize that this discussion is about more than just which word is or is not appropriate in this context, but is about the ways in which colleagues from many different communities could or should work together. This theme was picked up by Vinod Daniel’s presentation of the paper by himself and colleagues from the Australian Museum, on the importance of partnerships with communities, during the Ethnographic working group session on Thursday. He emphasised the benefits to both collections and communities of meaningful partnerships (as opposed to more superficial partnerships mainly of benefit to museums, rightly criticised by Mr Bloomfield). Apart from the Ethnographic group session another session I was particularly concerned to attend was Graphic Documents on the Monday afternoon. This session was neatly divided into two parts – the first concentrating on aspects of paper conservation science, the second on conservation case studies. The second half featured two papers, which overlapped somewhat with the interests of the Ethnography group – Annie Wilker on Hindu paintings on mica and Nicole Gilroy on the Stein collection of Birch Bark Manuscripts. Another session I feel was noteworthy was Modern Materials. This was the busiest special interest group session that I attended (indeed was standing room only) and seemed to reflect the rapidly increasing interest in this area (which I see reflected in the interests of a significant number of students at my own institution). The joint session of the Textile and Ethnographic groups on conservation of Thangkas on Friday was for me absolutely fascinating. I had blithely said to a colleague earlier in the week that I knew very little about Thangkas. Attending this session made me realise that I should have said that I knew nothing about Thangkas. The papers were fascinating and their scope and range emphasised the varied nature of the artefacts that come under this heading, the different ways in which they are used and valued in museum collections and as aspects of living and vibrant cultures and the different approaches that can be taken to their conservation. The only downside to the many papers given was that there was insufficient time to discuss the appropriateness or otherwise of various approaches to conservation (although I did have an interesting discussion about this session with

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a colleague in the departure lounge at New Delhi airport the next day). In a short space it is difficult to convey all my impressions of the conference and the fascinating discussions at lunches, coffee breaks and dinners, and indeed of the pre-conference tour I was lucky enough to undertake (so many wonderful arts and crafts, so many interesting buildings and landscapes, so many small acts of kindness by our Indian hosts, so little time). Once again I would like to thank the organisers and of course all the speakers, authors, poster presenters and student volunteers. This was the first international conservation conference I had attended in some years and my impressions were overwhelmingly positive. It was a pleasure to meet so many colleagues and a privilege to hear so many fascinating papers. Working as I do in conservation education in the UK, a sector which faces many difficult challenges at present, it is easy to become disheartened. I left this conference with a renewed enthusiasm for being involved in conservation and eager to convey this enthusiasm to a new cohort of students on my return. Mark Sandy Camberwell College of Arts University of the Arts London m.sandy@camberwell.arts.ac.uk

Textiles as Cultural Expressions 24-27 September 2008,

Honolulu, Hawai’i. The 11th Biennial Symposium of the Textile Society of America took place in Honolulu, Hawai’i, a meeting point for Native Hawaiian, Pacific, Asian and Western cultures. As such it was an ideal location to address the Society’s mission “to provide an International forum for the exchange and dissemination of information about textiles worldwide, from artistic, cultural, economic, historic, political, social, and technical perspectives.” In the true Aloha spirit Museums, galleries and cultural institutions in Honolulu hosted site seminars, tours and receptions during the symposium . A pre-symposium tour, Art Conservation in Honolulu, provided three different approaches to the conservation of cultural heritage. At Shangri-La, the home Doris Duke built in Honolulu to house her Islamic art collection, textile conservator Ann Perlman presented the challenge of preserving textiles on open display in an ocean front, open-air house. At the Asian Painting conservation studio, established by Eddie Jose of the Honolulu Academy

of the Arts, apprentices undergo eleven years of training in the techniques and materials used by the artists whose work they restore. Restoration is carried out on scrolls and folding screens using traditional handmade paper, mineral pigments and silk brocade. At the Bishop Museum Betty Lou Kam explained that the focus of the museum is on the preservation and stabilization of Hawaii’s material culture for future generations. Plenary sessions and concurrent paper sessions were held for three days. The broad scope of the papers presented in the concurrent sessions encompassed all manner of textile related research topics, too numerous to include here; this review highlights only those paper sessions that focused on the issues of importance to the preservation of cultural material belonging to indigenous and minority cultures. The keynote address, A Needle Woman, by Korean-American textile artist Kimsooja, covered the history of her work, which explores her experience as an immigrant. For the Plenary Session ‘Ili Iho: The Surface Within, Maila Andrade explained the concept behind an exhibit of four textile treasures from the Bishop Museum collection: a Ahu’ula (feathered cloak), a woven makaloa mat, kapa (barkcloth), and an infamous protest quilt, alongside work by eight contemporary Hawaiian artists. “In this case”, she explained, “the küpuna (elders) are revered objects, our treasures from antiquity, and the contemporary artists go beyond the ‘Ili (surface) to examine the thin veil between past and present, traditional and contemporary”. At the Plenary Session Makaloa Mats: The Treasured Art of Hawai’i, Marques Marzan, a Native Hawaiian fiber artist, shared his knowledge of plaiting makaloa (Sedge family) using the plant’s stems. This is an art practiced only by the weavers at Ni’ihau, the smallest of Hawaii’s inhabited islands. The making of makaloa mats ceased in the 1880’s and Marques seeks to learn as much as possible and restore this lost indigenous skill. In the panel session, Bark Cloth in Uganda; An Ancient Craft in Modern Times, a paper by Venny Nakazibwe assessed the role of bark cloth in Ugandan society from traditional use in royal and ritual objects to contemporary appropirations by artists. A paper by Celia Nyamweru evaluated the economic viability and sustainability of fair trade production of bark cloth in Uganda. Subsequent discussions touched on two concerns; do tourist markets create enough demand to make fair trade crafts financially viable occupations; and what impact does production of bark cloth have on the environment. Ultimately it was concluded that the spiritual health and continuity of the culture were

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overriding factors that compelled the continuation of this craft technology. In the session Colonialism and First Nations People, papers explored the role that making textiles plays in the preservation of heritage, and reconciliation with the colonial past. Cynthia Fowler investigated the act of sewing in the art of contemporary American Indian women’s work as a way to examine the history of colonialism. In her paper Collaborative Expressions: Replicating the Pukoro, Maori weaver and scholar Kahutoi Te Kanawa discussed the collaborative process of working with a curator and conservator to replicate a kete pukoro (woven bag) constructed using a complex prehistoric weaving technique not well known to contemporary Maori weavers. Her paper was enhanced by a demonstration of the preparation of the harakeke (New Zealand flax) fibers used extensively in traditional Maori clothing, and highlighted the importance of the kuku (mussel shell) as a tool to strip the fibers from the plant. Christina Hurihia Wirihana’s paper, Kahaku- Cloak of Identity, focused on the traditional Maori cloak Kakahu. She noted the negative impact of colonialism on traditional Maori culture and clothing and her role as kaitiaki (guardian) in preserving Maori cultural traditions. Site seminars were hosted at ten different venues around Honolulu, making effective use of the locale rather than limiting sessions to the symposium hotel. At ‘Iolani Palace, the session included papers presenting the restoration of textile furnishings from the palace and the historical significance of some of those textiles. One such textile, Queen Lili`uokalani’s quilt, documents her imprisonment in the palace after the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. After the presentation we were given a tour of the palace, including the quilt, which is displayed in the room in which it was made.

Another session was entitled Microcosm of a Textile World: A Close Examination of Material Culture of the Miao in Guizhou, China. The papers in this session explored various aspects of Miao dress, including the mnemonic function of embroidery patterns (the Miao have no written language and use their textiles to record their history and beliefs), and the materials used in textile production and weaving techniques, such as cotton, ramie and hemp, and the plants used for making dyes. At an evening reception hosted at the University of Hawaii Art Gallery, we viewed the exhibition Writing With Thread: Traditional Textiles of Southwest Chinese Minorities, which examined these complex textiles.

The final session, Textile and Identity, included a paper by Fran Reed, Feather Fibers and Fur:

Embellishments for Gutskin Parkas, which was read by Fran’s friend Audrey Armstrong (Fran passed away on September 11, 2008). For the closing event, Dressing for the Hula: Textiles as Cultural Expressions in Hawai’i, the Halau Hula Ka No’eau (hula school) performed several different dances, taking us through the history and dress of hula from its origins to the impact of colonialism and the post-colonial resurgence of hula among Native Hawaiians. The post-symposium tour Hawaiian Fibers, began at the Bishop Museum where we viewed kapa and lauhala mats in the museum’s collection and native dye plants in the museum’s gardens. We then travelled up the coast to learn how to make kappa at the Cultural Learning Center. Ka’ala, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating people about life in the ancient traditional land system or ahupua’a, is located in Wai’anae Valley, once a center of taro cultivation. At the center, ancient terraces and a prehistoric irrigation system have been restored. We learned an oli (chant) on the bus ride to the center, which we then offered upon arrival in order to gain permission to enter. The afternoon was spent stripping bark from mulberry tree trunks and pounding the bark into cloth over stones. Though it took a great deal of effort to organize sending hundreds of attendees to ten different sites, attendees left Honolulu feeling they had had an inside look at the city’s cultural institutions, rather than feeling they had never left the meeting venue, as happens at many conferences. The well-organized symposium was an affirmation of the importance of preserving indigenous material culture, not only for conservators seeking to understand the cultural context of the objects treated, but because of the vital contribution this continuity gives to society; evidenced by the many examples of enthusiastic contemporary practitioners whose work is influenced by their connection to the past. Meetings such as this, which bring conservators together with other areas of cultural research, are very relevant and inspiring as they help place conservation in context within preservation of cultural heritage in the broadest sense. Acknowledgements: I would like to thank the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for making my attendance at this symposium possible. Sarah L. McNett Andrew W. Mellon Fellow National Museum of the American Indian/Smithsonian Institution

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4220 Silver Hill Road Suitland, MD. 20746 mcnetts@si.edu

“Art and Agency: Ten Years On” Held at the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, CRASSH,

Cambridge University, UK. 15th November 2008.

Figure 1: Art and Agency Conference Poster. “We are all reading slightly different books...” (Chris Gosdon). In 1998 the unfinished book “Art and Agency,” by Alfred Gell, was posthumously published. Over the last ten years this book has taken on a life of its own, exerting significant influence, although not without some criticism within anthropology, archaeology, material culture studies, and to a lesser extent within conservation. To mark the tenth anniversary of its publication, and in so doing also remember the pioneering work of Alfred Gell, a conference was convened bringing over eighty people from a range of institutions and disciplines together to reflect on the book and its significance. Presenting an anthropological theory of art the book started from the basic notion that: “Art from non-Western cultures is not essentially different from our own, in that it is produced by individual, talented, imaginative artists, who ought to be accorded the same degree of recognition as Western artists” (Gell 1998:1). This idea, although simple was revolutionary, breaking away from the contemporary

theories of art criticism and concepts of aesthetics, and the problems inherent therein. The solution Gell developed involved building a theoretical framework built on Maussian logic, in which all relations were seen as social relationships, and therefore necessitated the viewing of art objects as persons, a proposition that will of course seem entirely sensible to readers of this newsletter. Developing such a theory is one achievement of the book, however, the book itself does this and much more. I don’t want to exclusively review the book as such - although it will become obvious that I consider it essential reading. I want to look at this conference, and to suggest that Gell’s ideas, particularly the “Art Nexus” (see figure 2), could be a useful tool for ‘ethnographic conservation’ as we continue to decolonize our professional praxis.

Figure 2: The Art Nexus. (source: Gell, 1998. Art and Agency. p.29) The conference was split into three themed panels: “Reflections,” “Art” and “Agency,” with two papers being presented under each heading, and a chaired/moderated discussion following. The conference was an excellent affair, as well as being well organized (both before, during and after the event itself); the speakers were informative and highlighted the all-important interdisciplinary approach that was further reflected in the following discussions. The conference was useful in gaining a greater appreciation for the wide scope of influence this book has garnered, as well as the range of uses and interpretations taken. The conference also ably demonstrated that fascinating insights can be gained by applying ideas from one discipline to another for which they were not originally intended, or even explicitly rejected! I’d like to suggest that as conservation dusts itself off from the back rooms in which it has been hiding for so long, and begins to develop a theoretical discourse of its own, ideas such as those developed by Gell could potentially be of great use.

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The first panel: “Reflections,” chaired by Marilyn Strethern, included two papers. The first ‘Beyond Objects: Art and Agency and the Emerging Theorization of Materiality’ by Suzanne Küchler and the second: ‘What Time do (Art) Objects Embody?’ by Eric Hirsch. This panel set the tone of the conference, as well as explicitly situating the work of Gell historically, and academically. Suzanne Küchler did an excellent job in describing just how influential ‘Art and Agency’ has been, in essence describing the field of material cultural studies in anthropology as developing in the wake of Gell’s work. She described how one of the legacies of Gellian ideas has been to encourage mistrust in received assumptions, and a realization of what art allows us to understand. In the second paper Eric Hirsch applied Gellian ideas to the concept of “epoch” and “organic time” using several captivating case studies from Papua New Guinea, firstly involving the Fuyuge people and a ritual dance, and secondly, of Alphonse Hega’s entries for the 1998 Coca-Cola PNG national calendar competition. The second panel: “Art”, chaired by Martin Holbraad, presented two more papers, firstly: ‘Alfred Gell and Comparative Art History’ by Jeremy Tanner, followed by ‘Literary Art and Agency? Gell and the History of Renaissance Texts’ by Warren Boutcher. The first paper by Jeremy Tanner described two archaeological sculptural case studies; the Mausolus of Caria, and the tomb of the first Emperor of China. Through applying Gellian methods of analysis Tanner was able to show that the same relationships between client, artist, and audience, whilst producing similar works of art, actually hid two very different intentions. The first intending to inspire awe in following generations, the second terror in spiritual enemies. In the second lecture, Warren Boutcher starts from the premiss that “Books collect the distributed mind” and as such discursive records themselves becomes artefact. Of the many interesting case studies, a stand out would be the highly entertaining study of the Harry Potter film/books, in which the idea that the Tom Riddle character/plot line was a pop culture relic of the medieval “magic of letters” ideas, in which writings bring the reader into a more real version of reality. The third and final panel of the day “Agency” was chaired by Graeme Were. This panel presented ‘Music, Ontology, Agency, Creativity’ by Georgina Born, followed by ‘Ontologies and Objects’ by Chris Gosden. Georgina Born asserted that Gell’s book lacked a theory of ontology, and that combining Gell’s theories with theories of ontology would allow a greater ability for analysis in musicology. Her specific case study compared, through applying

Gellian methodology, musical ontologies of 19th and 20th century idealist music (hierarchical, vertical) with the ontologies of mid to late 20th century African-American Jazz (lateral, horizontal). The final speaker of the day was Chris Gosden, after revisiting the ‘take up’ of Gell’s ideas, he focused on ontology, defining ontologies as being about “becoming” rather than being, and reliant on human and technological possibilities. He used several case studies to illustrate his point, one of which involved comparison of discard patterns of differing technologies of metallic artefacts. He posited the idea that the significance of the place of deposit was related to their materiality, and the thoughts and feelings vis-à-vis that manufacturing process. In all but one known case ‘cast’ objects are not discarded into water, thus providing evidence to support his argument. Having learnt something about how other disciplines have applied Gell’s ideas, in closing I’d like to briefly return to the book itself, and the one reference to conservation practice. Although only a brief mention, it should of course be remembered that conservation was neither the focus nor the concern of the book. In the book Gell describes the painting “Mrs. Pankhurst” (or the ‘slashed Rokeby Venus’) (see Figure 3) produced when suffragette ‘artist’/activist Mary Richardson took a knife to the Velázquez painting in the National Gallery, London, producing an object of art that lasted only a few months before the restored Velázquez took its place. The significance of Gells theory is that he recognizes that there are two works of art being discussed. The original painting as produced by Velázquez, and the altered (or damaged) work of art by Richardson. “Here we have a complete duplication of prototype artist and index and recipient; the two prototypes are Venus and Mrs. Pankhurst, the two artists are Velazquez and Mary Richardson, the two indexes are the Rokeby Venus in its intact and slashed state, the two recipients are Mary Richardson and the outraged art public.” (Gell 1998:64)

Figure 3: Mrs. Pankhurst. (source: Gell 1998. Art and Agency. p.63)

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Gell unfortunately does not extend his logical method into conservation practice. He describes the conservation process thus: “The restoration of the picture to its original condition, though of course necessary and desirable, was also a means of re-erecting the barrier which prevents such images troubling us unduly, politically, sexually, or in any other way.” (Gell 1998:64) Interestingly although he recognizes the political, social, and sexual implications of the act of conservation he does not recognize the resulting work of art as being a third work of art. This it would seem prevents him taking the logical step of extending his descriptive terminology to the agents acting on Helmut Ruhemann, the National Gallery’s restorer, to undertake the conservation effort. It is my suggestion then that it would be an interesting exercise for conservators to explore, and extend, Gell’s ‘Art Nexus’ as a means of describing conservation treatments and decision making protocols. To do so could possibly be an interesting exercise in and of itself, but moreover may provide simple graphical representations of what it is we do, and why! Selected Further Readings: Gell, A. 1998. Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory. Clarendon Press. Oxford. Gell, A. 1999. The Art of Anthropology: Essays and Diagrams by Alfred Gell. Athlone. London. Daniel Cull Conservation Consultant UK. dan2cull@yahoo.co.uk

BOOK REVIEWS Protein Facts: Fibrous proteins in cultural and natural history artifacts, Mary-Lou E. Florian, Archetype Publications, London, UK, 2007; 168 pages, paperback, US$55.00, CA$54.95; ISBN-1873132344. (Review reprinted from the Journal of the Canadian Association for Conservation, vol. 33 (2008).) Protein Facts was designed to assist conservators, collections managers, curators and students of materials and material culture “in developing new approaches to care, conservation and research of objects and understanding conservation treatment interactions” (p. vii). The book begins with a catalogue of collagenous tissues found in heritage collections. An introduction to the skin structure and properties of vertebrates leads to a discussion of the dermal structures of fish,

reptile, bird and mammalian skin. Each section presents dermal features, then their gross structure, and finally their cellular and molecular structure, all illustrated with drawings and photomicrographs. Materials include: fish and reptile scales, turtle shell, feathers, hair, horn, hoofs, claws and nails. Dermal structures are followed by the connective tissues — gut, ligaments and tendons — and then by the mineralized dermal tissues — bone, antler, teeth and tusk. Florian then takes the reader down to the molecular level of understanding proteins and their behavior. Three chapters, comprising about a quarter of the book, examine the amino acids that are the building blocks of fibrous protein, the agents of deterioration of proteins, and the interaction of water and fibrous protein material. Water, as a major factor in the environment of proteins, significantly influences the behavior of proteins. The behavior of water and its interaction with proteins are discussed in detail that builds an understanding of water interactivity applicable to a much broader range of organic materials. The primary polypeptide found in collections, collagen, is examined in the next 3 chapters. The structure of collagen is presented from the amino acid, to the protein molecule (polypeptide), to the triple helix of the tropocollagen molecule, to the secretion of tropocollagen from fibroblast cells and its alignment into native collagen, to the grouping of native collagen to form collagen fibers and bundles. Pre-tanning, tanning and finishing processes (including smoking, oil and chamois tannage, alum tawing, vegetable and chrome tanning, and chewing) are outlined. The tanning procedures’ interaction with collagen is examined and observations are made on characteristics and durability of the resulting leather. The chapter on deterioration of collagen details protein depolymerization and amino acid change through hydrolysis and oxidation, and the effect of heat, pollutants and light on these reactions. The effects of hydration on the physical properties of collagen and the influence of other chemicals on the hydration process are discussed. Shrinkage temperature is discussed as a means of assessing the degree of deterioration of collagen. Finally, the effect on collagen of the methods of preparing and preserving wet and dry natural history specimens is presented. The chapter on keratin includes: the structure, growth and properties of keratin and keratin tissues like hair, horn, claws and scales; keratin interactivity with water; the interaction of keratin with solvents, alkalis and acids used for processing keratin tissues and found in the environment; and biodeterioration. The

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chapter on silk presents the structure and reactivity of fibroin and the effects of manufacturing processes such as metallic weighting. The final chapter on the muscle tissue and other body oils and fluids found in fluid preserved natural history collections, complements the earlier information on collagen in natural history specimens. Key to the success of the presentation of material in Protein Facts is the generous and apt illustration of information with excellent tables, diagrams, graphs, drawings, photographs, and micrographs. Drawings are not just used to present structural detail, but to aid the readers’ conceptualization of behavior. For example, the molecular structure of silk fibroin is presented in three forms — the molecular formulation, three dimensional pleating, and schematic packing structure. Boxes throughout the book offer handy summaries and definitions. As a very minor point in an excellent layout, it would have been useful to include a list of Boxes in the table of contents for quick reference. The sixteen page bibliography is made very accessible by presenting the citations alphabetically within major categories: Amino acids; Animal structures; Biodeterioration; Body fluids; Collagen in artifacts; Collagen deterioration; Collagen - general; Collagen reactivity; Collagen structure; Colloids; Connective tissue/gut; Conservation care/treatment; Conservation research; Fish; Free radicals; Gelatin; General; Keratin - containing artifacts; Keratin - general; Keratin reactivity; Keratin structure; Leather conservation; Leather deterioration; Leather - general; Leather manufacturing processes; Mineralized tissue - teeth, bone, ivory, horn; Myosin - muscle tissue; Natural history specimens; Oil, fat; Organic chemistry - general; Parchment; Photolysis, photoxidation, light damage; Protein reactivity; Proteins - general; Silk; Tannins; Water; Wool. Having separate sections for closely related subjects, deterioration and reactivity for example, could make searching for a citation more time consuming, but the bibliography size and layout make skimming easy and fast. A four page index completes the publication. Mary-Lou Florian, Research Associate and Emerita Conservation Scientist at the Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, is a biologist and conservation scientist with a lifetime of experience with collections, research, teaching and preparing didactic material for conservators and others responsible for cultural heritage. With Protein Facts, Florian fills a major gap in the conservation literature – a concise and accessible introduction and compilation of information on proteins found in artifacts and specimens for conservators, material

scientists, material culturists and anyone else responsible for the care of these collections. As both an excellent introduction for the student and a reference for the experienced professional, and as applicable to both collection and conservation materials, Protein Facts will readily become a standard reference in every conservator’s library. As with her earlier Heritage Eaters and Fungal Facts, Florian once again draws on her extensive experience to offer the profession a concise and comprehensive overview of a critical topic. And all this after she ‘retired’! Ruth E. Norton Chief Conservator The Field Museum 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago IL 60605, U.S.A.

UPCOMING CONFERENCES

Conference on Natural Fibres. 15-17 April 2009, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2009 is the United Nations International Year of Natural Fibres. To celebrate, The Textile Institute is holding a joint Australian and New Zealand branch conference on Natural Fibres in Australasia. One day of the conference program is dedicated to artefacts made from natural fibres. For further information please refer to: http://www.otago.ac.nz/textiles/naturalfibres09/

35th Annual CAC Conference 29 – 31 May 2009,

Vancouver, British Columbia. The theme of this year’s conference is sustainability. We are interested in exploring how the field of conservation can meet the goal of creating a more sustainable workplace and environment. Three training workshops will be held in conjunction with the conference. The primary workshop “Digital Documentation for Conservators” will be held from the 27th to the 28th of May 2009 at the Vancouver Art Gallery. This workshop is designed for all conservators wanting to learn more about digital cameras, workflow, file storage etc. This workshop will be taught by Jessica Bushey, Head of Digitization, at the UBC Museum of Anthropology. The second workshop “Making Museum Mounts” is a one-day workshop and will be offered twice; once

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on the 27th and again on the 28th of May 2009 at the UBC Museum of Anthropology. This workshop will be lead by Carl Schlichting. This workshop will be open to a limited number of participants due to the hands-on nature of the workshop. “Digital Documentation for Conservators and “Making Museum Mounts” will run concurrently on the 27th and 28th of May 2009. The third workshop “Natural Dyeing” will be offered through Maiwa Handprints (www.maiwa.com). This hands-on workshop will take place at the Maiwa studio in East Vancouver and will run following the Conference on the 1st and 2nd of June 2009. For further information please refer to: http://www.cac-accr.ca/english/e-CAC-conference.asp

Sharing Cultures 2009. 30 May - 1st June 2009, Pico Island, Portugal.

International Conference on Intangible Heritage aimed at experts and scholars interested in Cultural and Intangible Heritage. Now that the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Operational Directives have been approved by UNESCO, one of the main goals of this conference is to promote discussion on these relevant issues. For more information and registration see: http://sharing.cultures2009.greenlines-institute.org/index.php

SPNHC: Bridging Continents – New Initiatives and Perspectives in

Natural History Collections. 6 - 11 July 2009, Leiden, The Netherlands.

24th annual meeting of the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections. For more information and registration see: http://www.spnhc2009.org/

ICOM Triennial Conference 7-13 November 2010, Shanghai, China.

Theme: Museums and Harmonious Society From the Editor: It is an honor to serve as your new editor and I look forward to working with you to continue to make this newsletter a vital tool for disseminating timely

information and ideas concerning our profession. This newsletter provides individuals and institutions in our international community with a forum for sharing thoughts and ideas, debating questions important to our profession and discussing concerns of mutual interest. To ensure that our coverage continues to reflect the broad and diverse perspectives of our membership we are actively seeking to expand the number of reporters who gather news and information for this publication. The following is a list of our current reporters: NORTH AMERICA Krysia Spyridowicz & Ann Howatt-Krahn Eastern Canada Heidi Swierenga Western Canada Christine Del Re Eastern USA Molly Gleeson Western USA EUROPE Renata Peters UK Colleen Healey Ireland Anne Lisbeth Schmidt Scandinavian countries, PACIFIC Marcelle Scott Australia ASIA Wing Fai Lai Hong Kong and area Ita Yulita Indonesia Hyun Sook Lee South Korea If you would like to make a submission to this newsletter please send it to: Kim Cullen Cobb Assistant Conservator Anchorage Loan National Museum of Natural History MSC - Anthropology Conservation Laboratory 4210 Silver Hill Road Suitland, Maryland 20746 Tel: 301.238.1303; Fax: 301.238.3109 cobbk@si.edu Subscription Information: To subscribe to the listserv, email: carole.dignard@pch.gc.ca with ICOM-CC-Ethno listserv in the subject box.

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