The Formation of Chemical Degraders during the Conservation of a Wooden Tudor Shipwreck

Abstract

Determining the nature, evolution, and impact of acid‐generating sulfur deposits in the Mary Rose wooden hull is crucial for protecting Henry VIII's famous warship for generations to come. Here, a comprehensive X‐ray absorption near‐edge spectroscopy (XANES) and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) study sheds vital light on the evolution of complex sulfur‐based compounds lodged in Mary Rose timbers as a function of drying time. Combining insights from infrared spectroscopy correlates the presence of oxidized sulfur species with increased wood degradation via the loss of major wood components (holocellulose). Intriguingly, zinc is found to co‐exist with iron and sulfur in the most degraded wood regions, indicating its potential contributing role to wood degradation. This study provides crucial information on the degradation processes and resulting products within the wood, which can be used to develop remediation strategies to save the Mary Rose.

The “Historical Materials BAG”: A New Facilitated Access to Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction Analyses for Cultural Heritage Materials at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

“…In turn, iron species may lead to the formation of iron sulfide and pyrite or act as catalyzers and contribute to the degradation of wood components and PEG polymers into small organic acids (cf. [ 55 , 56 ], and references within).…”

“…Further analysis will help ascertain whether these compounds are ubiquitous and/or homogeneously distributed in the vessel (similar to the Mary Rose ship [ 56 ]) or if they tend to accumulate near the surface, as in the Baltic ships Vasa, the Crown and Riksnyckeln [ 58 ], all of them extensively studied hulls.…”

The Preservation of English Oak in Marine Environments

“…The edge subsample will have received more PEG2000, whereas the core sample will have received only PEG 200 if any (35). These effects have been confirmed using various diagnostic techniques (36). Within the treated sample, the edge subsample from the outside of the hull would have been exposed to seawater and burial after sinking, while the core subsample deeper within the beam was less directly exposed to the effects of continuously refreshed deep seawater.…”

The Preservation of English Oak in Marine Environments

“…The edge subsample will have received more PEG2000, whereas the core sample will have received only PEG 200 if any (36). These effects have been confirmed using various diagnostic techniques (37). Within the treated sample, the edge subsample from the outside of the hull would have been exposed to seawater and burial after sinking, while the core subsample deeper within the beam was less directly exposed to the effects of continuously refreshed deep seawater.…”