Conserving Waterlogged Rope: A Review of Traditional Methods and Experimental Research with Polyethylene Glycol

摘要

The excavation of Sieur de la Salle's ship, La Belle, yielded a large amount ofwaterlogged rope requiring conservation. A history of hemp and rope manufacture isreviewed to assist in the identification of the materials and rope-work recovered from theLa Belle, as well as to assist in selecting an appropriate conservation treatment.A summary of several methods used to conserve cordage is presented. Time hasshown that not all of these treatment methods have remained viable options, and thatcontinued study and experimentation are needed so that the conservator has the tools todevelop an appropriate conservation plan for each artifact.The majority of La Belle's cordage was conserved using the passivationpolymers method developed by Dr. C. Wayne Smith and Dr. Donny L. Hamilton, bothof Texas A&M University, in conjunction with Dow Corning Corporation, Midland,Michigan. An experiment applying knowledge gleaned from the passivation polymersprocess to polyethylene glycol (PEG) impregnation was conducted in an attempt tostabilize the PEG within the rope. The results were good; the rope retained someflexibility and appears stable with a slightly darker color than with silicone oil.