Conservators are normally designated according to their field of specialization. For example, there are painting, furniture and textile conservators. Often these specialists are referred to by only one of the terms in their title, and for the sake of brevity they will be called conservators in the following pages. Archaeological conservators must have the necessary knowledge and experience to be able to work in collaboration with archaeologists and their teams. Every step of this work should reflect the professional guidelines first drawn up in Canada by members of the CAC in 1986. Published as the “Code of Ethics and Guidance for Practice,” these guidelines provide a frame of reference for professionals working in conservation.

While conservators may sometimes be needed in the field, most of their work generally takes place in a laboratory furnished with special equipment. Some of this equipment is of the sort found in science labs: microscopes and precision instruments, as well as exhaust hoods and trunks for evacuating fumes emitted by chemicals. Other equipment, such as scalpels and small tools for fine work, might also be found in a dentist’s office or surgery room. 

Figure 1: View of the archaeology and ethnology conservation laboratory at the Centre de conservation du Québec. Photo: Guy Couture, Centre de conservation du Québec.

Before conservators begin to work on a project, they are obliged by their code of ethics to consult with the person responsible for the object or collection. This means that the archaeologist who made the discovery is often involved. The conservator’s first objective is to ensure the object’s preservation while as much as possible avoiding the use of products that might alter its nature or structure irreversibly. Conservators are highly qualified professionals, whose work, in addition to the preservation of every kind of material heritage, involves the study of objects and their presentation. Like archaeologists, they must constantly keep up to date with new scientific discoveries in their field. 

Restoration is by no means the automatic application of formulaic recipes without prior study of the objects to be treated. A detailed examination of these objects is required to identify the material of which they are made, determine their possible functions and discover precious information that can advance archaeological research. Very often these objects require special conditions for their preservation. Conservators ensure such preservation through preventive conservation, seeing that certain collections are kept in controlled climates and that the appropriate means are used when collections are transported, placed in reserves and presented.

Here are a few examples of conservation work on archaeological objects.

Figure 2-A-1: A piece of Amerindian pottery, found in multiple fragments, before restoration. Collections of the Laboratoire et Réserve d'archéologie du Québec/MCC. Photo: Michel Élie, Centre de conservation du Québec.	Figure 2-A-2: A view of the same object after restoration, with its presentation mount. Photo: Michel Élie, Centre de conservation du Québec.
Figure 2-B-1: A 16th-century iron fork (fragmentary), before restoration. This object, a rarity in Québec for this period, was discovered at the Cartier-Roberval site at Cap-Rouge (Québec). Photo: Ariane Lalande, Centre de conservation du Québec.	Figure 2-B-2: A view of the same object after delicate removal of corrosion, revealing several previously hidden decorative elements. Photo: Guy Couture, Centre de conservation du Québec.

Archaeological research makes use of input from a number of other disciplines, including geology, geomorphology, metallurgy and the science of materials. Conservation belongs on this list as well and contributes to the discovery of unexpected information, the preservation of ephemeral information and the safekeeping of fragile examples of material culture.

André Bergeron, Blandine Daux, Jean Dendy, Ariane Lalande, Kateri Morin et France Rémillard, conservators, atelier archéologie et ethnologie, Centre de conservation du Québec.

For more information on the work of the conservator, view the video: 

André Bergeron : Restaurateur spécialisé en archéologie www.archeoquebec.com/fr/file/798