Heritage Microbiology and Science : Microbes, Monuments and Maritime Materials

Heritage Science is emerging as a discipline that brings together chemists, physicists, microbiologists, conservation scientists, archaeologists and conservators. Its scope, precise boundaries and the interfaces between its component disciplines may be in a state of flux but, above all, its interdisciplinary nature offers understanding of the causes, control and protection of heritage from ever-present environmental challenges. In particular, the activities of microbes play a central part in shaping the natural world of our planet but this awesome power constitutes a serious threat to the integrity of our most precious art, heritage artefacts, monuments and cultural treasures. Heritage artefacts that have been recovered from water, or that exist near the sea in maritime conditions, pose special conservation problems due in main to the combined effect of microbial activities and physical/chemical assaults that the environment can offer. This book is a result of the invited and updated papers from HMS2005: Microbes, Monuments and Maritime Materials and forms a comprehensive volume that addresses key topical areas of heritage science and discusses the threats to a wide range of heritage materials and monuments by biological and chemical agents of decay. Key features of the book include: "Up-to-date summaries on the conservation of internationally-important artefacts and monuments "Clear outline of molecular techniques to identify microbes in environmental heritage samples "Wide range of case studies covering wood, stone, cave and cave paintings "Contributions presented as fully referenced research publications giving useful technical details and identification of areas for future study "Informs conservators about the threats from microbes to a range of materials "Extensive range of case studies of important world heritage artefacts and monuments as well as an overview of in situ preservation of historic ships "Provides background knowledge on the use and application of