Posted on 02/09/2007 10:54:17 AM PST by blam
Ten-year clean for iron age boat
The log boat has been dried after a decade soaked in sugar
A 2,000-year-old log boat discovered buried in mud is to be put on display after a 10-year restoration project. The Iron Age vessel was found in 1964 during dredging work in Poole Harbour and members of York Archaeological Trust restored the water-logged timber.
The log boat, which is thought to have been used for continental trade, is estimated to have weighed 14 tonnes.
A glass case has been designed to house the ancient timber, which is due to be displayed in Poole museum in June.
The final cleaning of the vessel has been scheduled to finish this month.
Sweet cleaning
The log boat, which carried up to 18 people, would have been based at Green Island in the harbour.
After it was found it was kept submerged in water for 30 years while archaeologists decided what to do with it.
As part of the conservation project, the boat has spent a decade soaked in a sugar solution before being dried out at Poole's Scalpel's Court museum.
Councillor Elaine Atkinson said: "The log boat has international and major historical importance.
"It is more than 2,000 years old and represents an important part of Poole's maritime history."
GGG Ping.
Uh, that picture doesn't look like a 14 ton boat capable of carrying 18 people. Maybe its just me.
Hmmmm.... why sugar?
Because an equivalent amount of sweet-n-low would bankrupt the museum? :)
It looks like a severed whale tongue.
I'm thinking the same thing. It looks quite small.
I don't know if it will float any better but it sure will attract flies.
People were a lot shorter then.
LOL. No kidding.
Doesn't look like iron to me!
Note to self: sugar causes severe shrinkage...
Stops oxidation.
Because an equivalent amount of sweet-n-low would bankrupt the museum? :)
Apparently because an equivalent amount of PEG would bankrupt the museum. Polyethylene glycol is the standard treatment but expensive for a project of this size. Sucrose is much cheaper. See this
That picture can't be of the boat, it's way too small.
Bread!
Apples!
Very small rocks!
Cider!
Great gravy!
Cherries!
Mud!
Churches -- churches!
Lead -- lead!
A duck.
Oooh.
Exactly! So, logically...,
If... she.. weighs the same as a duck, she's made of wood.
And therefore--?
A witch!
safer for dogs too ... no, that would be MEG. Nevermind.
Sweet boat
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