Dubai Archaeologial Conservation Laboratory

• 
  SAVE
• 
  SHARE
• 
  TEXT SIZE
• 
  PRINT
• 
  COMMENT
• 
  PDF

. October 14, 2008

August 8, 2007. The Conservation Laboratory of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is seeking to build strong and valuable cooperation with other local labs to promote conservation of archaeological artifacts by exchanging information and presenting new concepts of teamwork with other labs in the country and also to increase public awareness.

Mr. Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, DTCM Executive Director for Convention and Heritage Division, said the conservation laboratorywas transferred from Dubai Museum to Jumeirah archaeological site in 2003 to meet the growing needs of the conservation and restoration of the huge numbers of archaeological artifacts discovered over the years during the excavation field works due to the importance of preservation of historical resources of Emirate of Dubai.

The DTCM manages heritage sites in the emirate including Dubai Museum , Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, Al Ahmadiah School and Heritage House, Heritage and Diving Village , Hatta Heritage Village , Naif Museum and Jumeirah Archeological Site. The department is also responsible for excavation works at Sarouq Al Hadeed, a rich archaeological site situated 100 kilmetres south of Dubaii.

The Sarouq Al Hadeed site, buried under the desert sands, was accidentally discovered by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, when he noticed abundant metallurgical remains (slags) covering the surface.

Following his directions, the DTCM in collaboration with the Department of Antiquities of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan initiated the project. Six seasons of excavations have been carried out since 2001.

Sarouq Al Hadeed is one of the five archaeological sites in the emirate of Dubai . Stretching 13.75 square kilometers, the finds here date back to the Neolithic Period (7000-4000 BC) and the first millennium BC.

The laboratory, considered to be one of the most-fully equipped laboratories in the country, carries out most of conservation and stabilization of all sorts of archaeological remains. These include basic equipments, tools and materials such as fume extraction for solvents, chemical storage cabinet, a freeze drier for the conservation of organic materials, microscopes,air abrasive unit, and vacuum oven.

The main focus of the Conservation / Restoration Laboratory is nevertheless on the conservation and restoration of archaeological objects, as well as on their long-term preservation. The space is divided into four working stations, which include photographing, documentation, conservation stabilization and treatment, and a wet area for the water cleaning of artifacts.

The lab's primary responsibility is the conservation and preservation of discovered artifacts from archaeological sites in Dubai . The conservation laboratory also has responsibilities beyond the treatment of individual artifacts. In addition, the laboratory assists Dubai Museum in planning, and implementation of new methods and techniques of preservation and conservation of Museum's artifacts, and undertaking conservation/ restoration of museum's collections.

Conservation is identified as the process of preserving historical or archaeological objects and the information they contain. The conservators' main goals are to clean the objects, stop or slow the chemical and/or biological deterioration, and protect the objects from further damage. The methods used by conservators depend on the material of the object, the environment in which it was found, and its physical condition.

Sometimes objects are best preserved by simply creating a safe and stable storage or display environment for them. Usually, however, long buried artifacts discovered from sites need further treatment.

This might include the removal of soil concretions to reveal the surface of the object, the removal of excess chlorides from the object in order to slow chemical deterioration, the removal and/or the reduction of corrosion products, and the impregnation of some organic objects with chemicals designed to minimize damage when they are dried. Conservation treatments are unique to each object and a conservator must have a wide range of knowledge and experience to make good treatment decisions.

The work of conservators is important not only because it preserves artifacts, but also because the careful examination and cleaning can reveal information that helps to understand artifacts more fully.

Conservator Ahmad Fawaz said conservators use observation and scientific testing to reveal the material composition of an object, which helps to date the object and to understand the technology and technical innovations of the time period. Also, during cleaning, a conservator might uncover features such as tool marks, inscriptions, or decorations that help to understand how, when, and where an object was made and used. All of this information helps to illuminate the material culture, and indicate much information about the people's live at that period.The conservation laboratory treats a wide variety of archaeological artifacts. These artifacts range from pottery, glass, wood, and metal objects.