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Historic Preservation Home > Syllabi > 200 Level Courses > HISP 208 - Introduction to Conservation

UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION
HISP 208- Introduction to Conservation

DATE, TIMES AND LOCATION:
Fall Semester 2009
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 AM TO 12:15PM
Location: Combs Hall 012, Basement laboratory

INSTRUCTOR:
Lisa Young
Objects Conservator
Alexandria Conservation Services, ltd.
Cell phone: 703-328-1170

OFFICE HOURS
Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 AM TO 11:00 AM; or otherwise by appointment

OFFICE
121 Combs Hall; Phone: 540-654-1312
E-mail: lyoung@umw.edu
Preferred to be contacted by email

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  This class provides an overview of conservation as a professional discipline. The class will have no scientific laboratory component.  The course will combine the theory of conservation practice, history and ethics of the profession with hands-on practical exercises carrying out what is learned in lectures. Students will learn how to identify decayed materials and learn about their degradation during burial.  Basic field conservation pertaining to lifting, packing, transport and storing archaeological finds will be examined.  Conservation assessment and treatment of objects in terms of proposing a treatment plan, documentation, stabilization and remedial treatment techniques will be discussed.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

  • Provide an understanding of the nature of conservation and conservation as a profession; define a conservator’s role and examine the discipline 
  • Introduce fundamental conservation techniques and documentation methods, especially with reference to archaeological materials
  • Examine current ethical debates in conservation
  • Generate awareness of what the range of conservation specialists do
  • Become familiar with conservation terminology, ethics, conservation resources, and collaboration with conservation and other disciplines

CLASS REQUIREMENTS-

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:
The following books are required and will be available in the University Bookstore:

Elizabeth Pye, Caring for the Past, James & James (2000) ISBN: 1902916107

Landry et al, The Winterthur Guide to Caring for Your Collection, The Winterthur Museum (2000)
 ISBN: 0912724528

Additional required and suggested readings will be provided and will be posted on Blackboard.  Others will be handed out in class.

ASSIGNMENTS AND TESTS:
The student is responsible for all required readings and lecture materials. Additional handouts for class will be made available on Blackboard. All provided materials should be considered materials that will be used to complete both in-class and out of class assignments.  There will be one written assignment, five in-class practicals and a final exam to form a final grade in the following way.  Out of class assignments are due at the beginning of the class they are due, and in class practicals must be finished in class and turned in before leaving.  Late work will be marked down a full ten points.

Assignment 1:  Position paper on Ethics, 1 page, Due Tuesday, September 8th- Discussion in class (10%)

Assignment 2:  Practical in class, Interpretation of X-rays, Due Thursday, September 24th (15%)

Assignment 3:  Practical in class, Lifting Fragile Pottery, Due Thursday, October 8th (15%)

Assignment 4: Practical in class, Recognizing Metal Corrosion and Decay, Due Thursday, November 3rd (15%)

Assignment 5: Practical in class, Plastics Testing, Due Tuesday, November 17th (15%)

Assignment 6: Practical in class, Adhering Broken Ceramics, Tuesday, December 1st (10%)

Final Exam –essay and short answer (20%)

EXAM:
The final examination will be on Thursday, December 10th, 2009  at Noon to 2:30pm

GRADING:
Letter grade descriptions quoted below are taken from the Academic Catalog. This and the Dictionary of Academic Regulations should be consulted for further explanation of these and all other grading details and other academic regulations. When numerical grades are used in computation, I use the following equivalents:

below 60 F

80-82 B-

60-66 D

83-86 B

67-69 D+

87-89 B+

70-72 C-

90-93 A-

73-76 C

94-100 A

77-79 C+

FINAL GRADE:
Please note: No passing grade can be achieved in this course without completion of all practical exercises. You must be present in class and participate in the exercise to receive a grade. All out of class assignments and readings are required.  Although attendance will not be taken, participation and absences will be considered for borderline grades.

UMW Honor Code - all assignments and in-class practicals will follow the UMW Honor Code.  This includes group practicals and in-class exercises.

Office of Disability Services- The Office of Disability Services has been designated by the University as the primary office to guide, counsel, and assist students with disabilities. If you receive services through that office and require accommodations for this class, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your approved accommodation needs. Bring your accommodation letter with you to the appointment. I will hold any information you share with me in the strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise. If you need accommodations (in note taking, extended time for test, etc.), I would be happy to refer you to the Office of Disability Services. They will require appropriate documentation of a disability. Their phone number is 540.654.1266.

COURSE SYLLABUS:

Week 1: Reading: Pye Chapters 1-2 (pgs. 22 to 31)
Conservation: An Introduction to the Practice of Conservation
Tuesday 25 August 2009 An Introduction to Archaeology and Heritage Conservation
Thursday 27 August 2009 Conservation Terminology; Restoration vs Conservation

Week 2: Reading: Pye Chapter 3 and Ethics (pgs 32-35; and 142-148)
History and Ethics of Conservation
Tuesday 1 September 2009 Conservation Ethics; Restoration vs Conservation
Thursday 3 September 2009 History of conservation- Guest Lecturer Emily Williams

Week 3: Reading: Pye Chapter 8, HSMC Brochure handout
Ethics continued- The Role of the Conservator
Tuesday 8 September 2009 Discussion of Ethics position papers (10%)- in class
Thursday 10 September 2009 Bench work and Beyond- Conservation and Collaboration

Week 4: Reading: Pye Chapter 6 (pgs. 99-111)
What Conservation is Really all About
Tuesday 15 September 2009 Planning /Conservation Decisions/ Preventive Conservation
Thursday 17 September 2009 Documentation – Introduction to X-radiography

Week 5: Reading: Pye Chapter 6 (pgs. 99-111) and Landry Chapter 2
X-radiography and Non-Destructive Analysis
Tuesday 22 September 2009  Discussion of x-radiography and Non-destructive Analysis- Testing
Thursday 24 September 2009  Interpretation of X-rays practical (Grade #2-15%)

Week 6: Conservation Laboratory Safety and Equipment check list (Handout)
Conservation Laboratories and Safety
Tuesday 29 September 2009  Conservation Laboratories/ Health and Safety
Thursday 1October 2009   Archival Materials in conservation

Week 7: Field Conservation and Lifting Artifacts (handouts)
Conservation Strategies for the Field
Tuesday 6 October 2009  Recovery, storage and transport of artifacts from field to lab
Thursday 8 October 2009  Lifting Techniques and Lifting Fragile Pottery Practical (Grade #3-15%) 

MID-SEMESTER VACATION BEGINS AT 5 P.M. FRIDAY OCTOBER 9th AND ENDS AT 8 A.M. WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14th.

Week 8: Reading: Pye Chapter 5
Thursday 15 October 2009 Decay Mechanisms of Artifacts

Week 9: Reading: Landry Chapter 8, Handouts provided
METALS- Technology and Decay
Tuesday 20 October 2009 Iron and Copper Alloys
Thursday 22 October 2009 Lead alloys, white metal alloys and composites

Week 10: Reading: Landry Chapter 5, Handouts provided
INORGANICS
Tuesday 27 October 2009  Ceramics and Glass
Thursday 29 October 2009 Brick, Stone-  Finishing metal/ review for practical

Week 11: Reading: Landry Chapter 4 and 6, Handouts provided
Practical and ORGANICS
Tuesday 3 November 2009 Practical Recognizing Metal Corrosion and Decay (#4-15%)
Thursday 5 November 2009 Waterlogged Wood, Leather and textiles

Week 12: Reading: Landry Chapter 4, Handouts provided
ORGANICS (cont)
Tuesday 10 November 2009  Bone, ivory, tortoiseshell and unique materials
Thursday 12 November 2009  Polymers and plastics, identification and decay

Week 13: Reading Pye Chapter 6 (pgs 111-120); Chapter 7
Plastics and Conservation Risk Assessment
Tuesday 17 November 2009 Testing Plastics Practical (Grade #5-15%)
Thursday 19 November 2009- Conservation condition and risk assessment, surveys and investigative cleaning

Week 14: Reading Landry et al Chapter 1
Preventive Conservation
Tuesday 24 November 2009 Preventive Conservation and Storage

THANKSGIVING VACATION BEGINS AT 8 AM WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 25th AND ENDS AT 8 AM MONDAY NOVEMBER 30TH

Week 15:  PYE Chapter 10 and Handouts provided
Conservation Treatment and Beyond
Tuesday 1 December 2009 Adhesives in conservation; Adhering pottery together (Grade #6-15%)
Thursday 3 December 2009 – Public Outreach and Communicating Conservation
COURSE REVIEW- Exam review

Thursday 10th December 2009
FINAL EXAMINATION Noon to 2:30pm