Search this site

Wood is produced by the stems and roots of woody plants such as trees and shrubs. Structurally, wood is composed predominantly of cellulose polysacchharid fibers and lignin (a natural polymer chain). Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Wood Wood is produced by the stems and roots of woody plants such as trees and shrubs. Structurally, wood is composed predominantly of cellulose polysacchharid fibers and lignin (a natural polymer chain). Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

A photograph is an image which is captured using light, either electronically or on a photosensitive surface. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Photographs A photograph is an image which is captured using light, either electronically or on a photosensitive surface. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Used to glue or bind things together, biomolecule-based adhesives are incredibly wide ranging from proteins (hide or bone glues, egg, casein) to polysachharides (rice or wheat paste, plant gums) to lipids (beeswax) and more. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Adhesives Used to glue or bind things together, biomolecule-based adhesives are incredibly wide ranging from proteins (hide or bone glues, egg, casein) to polysachharides (rice or wheat paste, plant gums) to lipids (beeswax) and more. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Cellulose fibers, most commonly from wood or plants, are processed to produce the thin sheets of material known as paper. Processing can involve both mechanical or chemical modification of the raw material to create a pulp, followed by pressing, and drying. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Paper Cellulose fibers, most commonly from wood or plants, are processed to produce the thin sheets of material known as paper. Processing can involve both mechanical or chemical modification of the raw material to create a pulp, followed by pressing, and drying. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Dyes are substances used to impart color to textiles, paper, leather, and other materials such that the coloring is not readily altered by washing, heat, light, or other factors to which the material is likely to be exposed. Pigments, on the other hand, are finely ground solids dispersed in a liquid, such as paint or ink, or blended with other materials. Most dyes are organic compounds, whereas pigments may be inorganic compounds or organic compounds. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Pigments / Dyes Dyes are substances used to impart color to textiles, paper, leather, and other materials such that the coloring is not readily altered by washing, heat, light, or other factors to which the material is likely to be exposed. Pigments, on the other hand, are finely ground solids dispersed in a liquid, such as paint or ink, or blended with other materials. Most dyes are organic compounds, whereas pigments may be inorganic compounds or organic compounds. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Bone is made of a matrix of inorganic minerals (calcium and phosphate) and organic proteins. Nearly all protein in bone is collagen proteins, whose role is to form strong cellular structures. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Bone Bone is made of a matrix of inorganic minerals (calcium and phosphate) and organic proteins. Nearly all protein in bone is collagen proteins, whose role is to form strong cellular structures. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Similar to bone, ivory or dentin is comprised of a mineralized collagen matrix. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Ivory Similar to bone, ivory or dentin is comprised of a mineralized collagen matrix. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website. CITES Ivory Identification Guide This is the ivory ID bible. I use it every day in forensic casework. It's got a dichotomous key for determining species origin of ivory items seen in the trade. It's also been translated into Spanish (and some other languages I believe). Explore

0ff3bae3-9c2d-4ab5-9f4e-8679fbd9c5f3 RESOURCES Glossaries + Databases Glossaries + Databases Reference Materials Reference Materials Scientific Resources Scientific Resources Videos + Lectures Videos + Lectures Journals + Publications Journals + Publications Coming Soon Explore institutions that have the ability to carry out analysis of cultural heritage materials. This list is not exhaustive, but it is intended as a reference for current organizations with scientific instrumentation. SCIENTIFIC RESOURCES American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Explore Videos + Lectures Canadian Conservation Institute Explore Videos + Lectures Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) Explore Videos + Lectures Harvard Art Museums, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies Explore Videos + Lectures Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields Explore Videos + Lectures Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures Explore Videos + Lectures Library of Congress, Preservation Research Testing Division Explore Videos + Lectures Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Explore Videos + Lectures Metropolitan Museum of Art Explore Videos + Lectures Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Explore Videos + Lectures Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Explore Videos + Lectures Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Explore Videos + Lectures National Museum of Asian Art, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Explore Videos + Lectures Philadelphia Museum of Art Explore Videos + Lectures Rathgen-Forschungslabor (Rathgen Research Laboratory), Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (Berlin State Museum) Explore Videos + Lectures Smithsonian Institution (SI) Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) Explore Videos + Lectures The Art Institute of Chicago Explore Videos + Lectures The National Gallery, London, UK Explore Videos + Lectures Winterthur Museum, Garden, & Library Explore Videos + Lectures Yale University, Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage Explore Videos + Lectures

Cultural heritage is the material culture of mankind and its study requires the inclusion and partnership of its creators as well as careful deliberation as to its analysis. If you have ethics to post, please email info@artbiomatters.org. EDUCATION Materials Materials Ethics Ethics Analytical Techniques Analytical Techniques Sampling Topics Sampling Topics ETHICS Cultural heritage is the material culture of mankind and its study requires the inclusion and partnership of its creators as well as careful deliberation as to its analysis. If you have ethics to post, please email info@artbiomatters.org . Coming Soon Coming Soon

A wide variety of varnishes and coatings exist, generally with the purpose as acting as a protective coating or adding a specific sheen to an object. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Varnishes/Coatings A wide variety of varnishes and coatings exist, generally with the purpose as acting as a protective coating or adding a specific sheen to an object. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.