Conservation science is a broad church and a rapidly developing discipline. The aim of this book is to provide, in one volume, an account of the composition and conservation of historic materials. It brings together recent information on decay and degradation that are unusually scattered in journals and not readily available to many practising conservators. By doing this, it is hoped that the potential of materials conservation, together with the processes that are necessary to maximise it, can be made more understandable to all those interested in historic objects. We believe that a clear understanding of the deterioration mechanisms of historic and artistic works will help conservators make informed decisions about their care and treatment.

At the time of writing, there is concern throughout Europe about the fragmented nature of research funding in conservation science, despite the fact that heritage generates considerable income through tourism for national economies. There is parliamentary activity at national and EU levels as we move to the 7th European Research Framework. This book demonstrates that a very wide range of accumulated deterioration problems affect materials that are part of our movable and immovable heritage. The threat of environmental climate change now compounds those problems and seriously extends the scale and nature of the challenge that conservators and conservation scientists face. The wealth of knowledge offered by specialists in this book illustrates the commitment to good science and reinforces the need for on-going research to meet the new challenges.

The book is intended for graduates and professionals who are involved in the understanding and care of historic materials, whether conservators, finds specialists, museum curators or administrators. It is also of interest to undergraduates studying archaeological conservation at university, or scientists taking subsidiary courses in conservation. It should also prove useful to those involved in the training of students in material conservation. Inevitably, when describing deterioration (decay), material composition and treatment methods, science is essential for the explanation. However, the general reader with basic science knowledge should have no difficulty in following the text. It should provide a good introduction to the subject and we hope that it will be a valuable reference work and precious reading companion for both students and professionals.

The text is divided into chapters covering analytical aspects, organic materials, inorganic materials, wall paintings and in situ preservation. Contributions are from a wide range of practising international experts from leading research institutes who outline the problems and provide many interesting and exciting case studies. The text offers a basic introduction to the science of heritage materials, their deterioration and restoration processes. The complexities and problems faced by conservators and scientists are addressed together with the processes of decay and degradation that affect ancient materials. It describes in detail the processes of decay and degradation for each major category of material (paper, wood, stone, glass, metals, leather, plastics etc.). The chapters on plastics and in situ conservation provide insights into the rapidly developing new areas of conservation science.

A word here about topic coverage and our policy on referencing. These are generally full with topics where there exists no adequate books or review articles – metals and wood are cases in point – and, as a consequence, there is no necessary correlation between length of a chapter and the practical importance of the subject. In relation to the references, we have adopted a nonreferenced style and provided reference sources and further reading at the end.

This book is clearly the product of many specialists and the editors are conscious that without their input it would not exist. It has had a very long gestation period. There is never a good time to edit a book; it is a labour of love that surpasses all understanding and common sense, measured against the increasing pressures of academic life. The contributions have come in over a long period and in that sense we are grateful for the understanding of not only the authors, but the RSC, particularly Janet Freshwater and Annie Jacob, who have cajoled, but mostly supported, us throughout a prolonged delivery. We are also grateful for assistance and help from our organisations, namely, the Mary Rose Trust (MJ) (notably Andy Elkerton with the index) and the University of Portsmouth (EM). This could not have happened without the support of our families, especially Helen and Jeannette. We hope you enjoy the final product.

Eric May

Mark Jones