The department of Conservation and Archaeometry is responsible for the conservation, preservation, scientific investigation, storage and display of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki (AMTh) collection of antiquities.
It houses fully equipped conservation and scientific research facilities along with a photographic studio, a study for accommodating visiting scholars and a conference room.
By combining an expert knowledge of conservation and material science with excellent practical expertise both supported by scientific analysis and research, staff are able to provide remedial and preventive conservation services, pursue novel research in conservation science methodologies and analytic techniques and safeguard the museum's collections for future generations.
The department provides training and development within conservation science through internships and work placements. It shares expertise with colleagues from around the world and has beneficial collaborations with external institutes. Along with organizing the biannual AMTh Conservation Conference and publishing the proceedings, many of our team also publish innovative work in domestic and international journals.
Head of Department: Dimitris Karolidis
Physico-Chemical Studies and Archaeometry Laboratory
1. P/C study of gold Macedonian wreaths
The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki stores and exhibits the largest collection of gold Macedonian wreaths. They were personal items of the Macedonian aristocracy found in burials. Through the application of non-destructive analysis, XRF, their construction technology is investigated. The alloy composition used by the ancient metalworkers is examined, along with their differentiation in various parts of each wreath (shafts, leaves, grapes). A database is also compiled, offering comparative data for looted artefacts. This programme is part of a wider programme of physico-chemical analyses of gold artefacts in the A.M.Th. collections that began in 2011. The first stage was completed and announced in 2013 (Thessaloniki, AEMTh, 20-22 March 2013).
2. Colour identification on scuplture from the A.M.Th. Collections
Many scupltures in the A.M.Th. collections preserve traces of colour that denote their decoration in ancient times. The programme for the study of identification of those colours began in 2012 with the collaboration of various specialists (archaeologists, chemists, conservators, photographers etc.). Initially, specialised photographic techniques were used (fluoressence uv, reflective uv and infrared), which served as the guideline for the choice of the spots under investigation, some of which could not be macroscopically determined. Through non-destructive analysis, the presence of inorganic mineral colours was determined. The programme began in 2013. The first part of the study has already been completed and announced (Athens, Acropolis Museum, 7 & 8 November 2013 and Thessaloniki, AEMTh, 5 – 7 March 2015) with the remaining stages undergoing for the determination of organic traces and connective means.
3. Alloy composition determination on bronze vessels from the A.M.Th. collections
The Museum stores and exhibits a large collection of bronze vessels from Macedonia and Thrace. The aim of this programme is to determine the composition of their alloys and study the construction technology of those ancient metal artefacts. A database is being formed for the first time, for alloys used in ancient Macedonia. The programme's first stage began in 2014 and has already been completed and announced (Thessaloniki, AEMTh, 5 – 7 March 2015). What follows is the determination of micronutrients that will offer valuable clues on the provenance of the raw materials. This programme is conducted in association with the Metallurgy Department of the A.U.Th. and the analytical chemistry laboratory of the Chemistry Department of the A.U.Th.
4. Determination of the composition of ceramics from the A.M.Th. collections, with statistical grouping based on their chemical composition.
The A.M.Th. stores and exhibits a large number of ceramics from Macedoia and Thrace. This programme, which began in 2009, aims to determine the chemical composition in order to group the results and compare them with the archaeological grouping of ceramics. The specification of the provenance of raw materials is attempted for ancient Macedonian ceramics. Part of the study has been published (Workshop: Ceramic workshops in the northeastern Aegean (8th - early 5th c. BC), on A.U.Th. 2010.
