Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Reminder: 4/21 Info Session on Head of Book Conservation Position at Yale 2. RE: Reassembling a Roman hull from hundreds of fragments: the Iulia Felix project 3. Arrested Treatments ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Brenna Campbell Posted: Sunday April 19, 2026 2:41 PM Subject: Reminder: 4/21 Info Session on Head of Book Conservation Position at Yale Message: The search committee for the position of Head, Book Conservation <https://careers.yale.edu/us/en/job/YUCYUHUS132965WDEXTERNALENUS/Head-Book-Conservation> at Yale University Library will be hosting two virtual info sessions about the position: Tuesday, April 21 at 1 pm ET: https://yale.zoom.us/j/93981746977 <https://yale.zoom.us/j/93981746977> Wednesday, April 29 at 10 am ET: https://yale.zoom.us/j/99503908886 <https://yale.zoom.us/j/99503908886> Interested applicants are encouraged to attend one of the two sessions. (The same information will be presented in each session). Attendance is not required for consideration. Participant information will be visible only to the webinar host (Brenna Campbell) and search committee members. The webinar will include a Q&A where participants will have the opportunity to ask the search committee questions anonymously. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions. We look forward to seeing you there! ------------------------------ Brenna Campbell, Fellow Associate Director for Conservation & Exhibition Strategies Yale University Library New Haven, CT ------------------------------ 2.From: Ida Hovmand Posted: Sunday April 19, 2026 2:42 PM Subject: RE: Reassembling a Roman hull from hundreds of fragments: the Iulia Felix project Message: Hello Simone (and others interested in wet organics) Thank you very much for sharing the information about this project and your work. If you are interested to learn more about how others handle similar projects you could consider joining the ICOM-CC Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Working Group through ICOM. It exists among other things to disseminate research in the field of wet organic archaeological materials and to share case studies. You can learn more at ICOM-CC | International Council of Museums Committee for Conservation <https://www.icom-cc.org/> You can also visit the website ICOM-CC Publications Online (icom-cc-publications-online.org) <https://www.icom-cc-publications-online.org/> where you will find publications from ICOM-CC Triennial Conferences that contain papers from all ICOM-CC's Working Groups or the publications of the Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Working Group Interim Meetings from 2013 to 2025. The group's earlier publications are not available online so far. You may already know about these resources, but please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Best regards Ida Hovmand Coordinator ICOM-CC Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Working Group Venlig hilsen Ida-Christine Hovmand Ledende konservator Langelands Museum Langeland Kommune Tlf: 4563516312 Mob: 4551337092 www.langelandkommune.dk Nr du skriver til Langeland Kommune, behandler vi personoplysninger om dig. Se hvordan vi behandler dine oplysninger og hvilke rettigheder du har i vores privatlivspolitik <https://langelandkommune.dk/om-kommunen/kontakt-og-aabningstider/databeskyttelse/databeskyttelse-i-langeland-kommune>. ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 4/18/2026 10:17:00 AM From: Simone Morbin Subject: Reassembling a Roman hull from hundreds of fragments: the Iulia Felix project Hello everyone, I'd like to share a recent conservation project involving the Roman vessel Iulia Felix, which may be of interest to colleagues working with archaeological wood and highly fragmentary structures. Project background The ship was originally recovered about thirty years ago, and the surviving elements had undergone different phases of treatment and storage. The current museum team launched a comprehensive reassessment to stabilize, document, and reconstruct the material. Condition and preparation The hull survived as hundreds of fragments, in some cases dozens for a single plank (one element contained around 90). Many surfaces were still covered by thick PEG residues, so I developed an adapted cleaning method using controlled steam combined with mechanical action to safely expose the wood. All fragments were fully re‑catalogued, documented, and reorganized to prepare for reconstruction. Reconstruction process Using 1:1 overlays of the original planking, we matched and reassembled the elements. I acted as the technical link between the different specialists involved - archaeologists, conservators, and the engineer/architect responsible for the support - ensuring that documentation, interpretation, and physical assembly remained aligned. Conservation treatments Over 2024–2025 we carried out: final cleaning of PEG residues identification of missing pieces among dispersed fragments structural joins using epoxy resin gap‑filling and edge stabilization preparation of elements for mounting Mounting and interpretation During assembly, some initial hypotheses were refined as new correspondences emerged. Working with the architect and archaeologists, we adjusted the support structure to reflect a more accurate hull geometry while maintaining stability and readability. Outcome The reconstructed portion of the Iulia Felix was completed and inaugurated on 18 December 2025. The project offered valuable insights into the challenges of working with long‑stored PEG‑treated wood and with large archaeological structures surviving only as fragmentary elements. I'd be glad to hear how others have approached similar reconstructions or long‑term PEG treatments. More information about the vessel and the exhibition can be found on the museum's website: Museo Nazionale di Archeologia subacquea dell'Alto Adriatico di Grado <https://museoarcheologiasubacqueagrado.cultura.gov.it/> Museo Nazionale di Archeologia subacquea dell'Alto Adriatico di Grado remove preview <https://museoarcheologiasubacqueagrado.cultura.gov.it/> Museo Nazionale di Archeologia subacquea dell'Alto Adriatico di Grado Il Museo Nazionale di Archeologia Subacquea dell'Alto Adriatico custodisce un tesoro straordinario riemerso dalle profondità del mare. View this on Museo Nazionale di Archeologia subacquea dell'Alto Adriatico di Grado > <https://museoarcheologiasubacqueagrado.cultura.gov.it/> Below is one of the reconstructed sections of the hull, now on display at the museum. ------------------------------ Simone Morbin Conservator Freelance/Private Practice/Self-employed/Independent Belluno Italy ------------------------------ 3.From: Niccolo Caldararo Posted: Sunday April 19, 2026 10:36 PM Subject: Arrested Treatments Message: I have placed a report of my treatments and a discussion of some other work on the Research Gate regarding treatments that are started and then years later have to be reassessed and treated by other conservators. What happens when treatments are stopped and have to be abandoned, placed on hold or relegated to the storage unfinished? Here we discuss 3 such cases, two with European panel paintings and one a modern 50's oversize painting. Whatever the issues that impede completion, the conservator is placed in a difficult situation at the time of ending treatment. However, the problems that later conservators face is complicated not only by the length of time that has elapsed, the unfinished nature of the treatment, aging of materials, poor storage and changed values, but also the political residue of why treatment was ended and restarted and how this can effect planning for treatment goals. This differs from the problem of retreatment or reversibility (Appelbaum, 1987), though retreatment design and treatment development often shed light on methods and goals in conservation (Edmundson and Barger, 1993; Caldararo, 2004). I would like to hear from other practitioners who have had to address such problems. It can be found here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/403975439_Arrested_Treatments ------------------------------ Niccolo Caldararo Director and Chief Conservator Conservation Art Service Fairfax United States ------------------------------ You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to https://community.culturalheritage.org/HigherLogic/eGroups/Unsubscribe.aspx?UserKey=d16eaa87-0f69-494b-9f2f-303dbc1222e1&sKey=fab9aa4f27a04c5d876e&GroupKey=757a8f16-505f-4323-8e74-e376757aa9f7.
