Hints to Travellers, Scientific and General, Vol. 2 / Tenth edition, revised and corrected

by Royal Geographical Society

It is impossible to make too many notes of a monument, and quite easy to make too few. The nature of the great majority of such notes must be left to the discretion of the traveller; but concerning all antiquities, from buildings to beads, it may be said that, at any rate, material, colour, dimensions, condition of preservation, arrangement of parts and character of ornament must be jotted down in the ever ready note-book. In the case of buildings, notes giving all dimensions are especially important, since the camera can seldom be brought to bear on all parts and details, and there is often not opportunity to draw out a plan on the spot. Of inscriptions certain facts must be recorded, viz., form of the stone; condition of its surface; the material and colour; on what sides complete, and on what not; actual dimensions; height of lettering; general character of lettering; whether well or ill cut, plain or ornate. Epigraphists’ notebooks are procurable in Germany and Austria containing divisions for the notes on all these points, together with a ruled space for the actual inscription. In the case of coins, the material, the ancient value, the weight (if possible), the state of preservation, and the images and superscriptions should be noted; of sculpture, the material, the dimensions, the degree of finish, and a minute analysis of the subject, the dress of the figure or figures, their gestures, attributes, and so forth.

B.—Cleaning and Conservation.

The traveller will not have occasion to render more than ‘First Aid’ to objects of antiquity, i.e. to clean them so that their true character may appear, and to consolidate them with a view to safe transport. He should do the least that is absolutely necessary, leaving all elaborate treatment to experts at home. The hints here given are therefore elementary, and concerned mainly with portable objects. In this connection these are best classified by the materials of which they are made.

(a) Gold.—Gold requires no immediate treatment, unless it be laid over a core of other metal, e.g. copper or bronze, which has oxidised out through cracks. This oxide can usually be removed by picking or by sharp scaling blows with a small hammer and chisel. If it is obstinate, use dilute hydrochloric acid laid on with a brush. The proportion of pure acid should not be more than one part to ten of water.

(b) Silver.—If in very much corroded condition, technically known as ‘dead,’ silver should be left alone. If there is only slight superficial corrosion, soak in a solution of common salt or lemon juice, or strong ammonia, and polish after a few hours. If there is a good deal of chloride on the surface, but the body of the metal seems sound, put zinc or iron in the solvent and the chlorine will pass over, leaving a powdery surface which can be brushed clean. Silver should never be packed in a tin box, even if wrapped up, or it will be found on arrival at home to be stained with a brown rust, very difficult to remove. Pack in wood or cardboard.

(c) Copper and Bronze.—Both copper and bronze objects are best cleaned, if possible, with hammer and burin. Bronze, however, which the traveller will meet with most often, is frequently covered with a corrosion which cannot be scaled off at once, and calls for an acid solvent. Diluted hydrochloric (1:10) will act most quickly and effectually, but it leaves a white oxy-chloride coat, not easily got rid of either from the metal or the fingers of the operator, which it stains deeply. On the whole, we recommend that (1) if the bronze be badly cracked it be left alone; (2) if not cracked, but covered with very hard corrosion, soaking in a weak solvent like lemon-juice be tried; and (3) after that (or before, if the corrosion will yield to a tool at all) every effort be made to pick or flake off the corrosion, after which the object should be rubbed well with oil in the palms of the hands.

(d) Lead and Iron, after oiling, are both best left alone by the traveller.

(e) Stone.—The traveller will seldom or never be under the necessity to treat stone surfaces, except in the case of inscribed marbles on which carbonate of lime has formed, or small objects attacked by salt. The former can be cleaned with strong acid; the latter must be soaked in water for long periods, and when drying laid with the most important surface downwards, so that evaporation into the air may take place through the less important surfaces.

(f) Pottery and Terra-cotta.—The same enemies, carbonate of lime and salt, attack pottery and terra-cotta, and are met in the same way as in the case of stone; but the hydrochloric or other acid solvent should be weaker, and where there is colour be very cautiously used, if at all. In packing vases, it should be remembered that if many are put into one case without partitions, and one collapses, this will probably entail the breaking of the lot. Large vases should be filled with tightly rammed packing. Nothing of heavier or more solid material, e.g., stone, should be put in a case with pottery.

(g) Wood, Ivory, and Bone.—These materials are generally found flaked, split, or scaly, and need consolidation before packing. The methods most likely to be open to the traveller are: (1) if the objects are not excessively tender, to dip them in melted vaseline, let this set, wrap in tissue paper and pack carefully in cotton wool; (2) if the objects are very tender or rotten with salt, to make a stiff jelly, drop them in before it sets, and convey them home in aspic. On the way the jelly will absorb the salt. In addition to either process, it is often well to bind the object in every direction and part with fine thread to keep it from splitting, or prevent the sections, if already split, falling apart and splintering or warping in different directions. If there is crystalline carbonate of lime on the surface of bone or ivory, it had better not be touched except by experts.