Evaluation of some pastes used for gap filling of archaeological bones

Abstract

Transmitted and non-transmitted bores, fractures and sometimes holes are the common aspects of deterioration that can be found in archaeological bones in excavations and storehouses. The factors that cause these forms of deterioration may include biological factors, improper storage, human errors, etc. This study focuses on the evaluation of some pates used in gap filling of bones in order to verify their effectiveness in the treatment of bone artifacts and to develop them in the future. Change of color, change in the chemical structure, mechanical properties measurement (compressive strength, tensile strength and elongation), wettability, density, porosity, water absorption and investigation of the surface morphology were used to evaluate the pastes used. The results revealed that the paste No. 2 (Paraloid B-72 with glass micro-balloons) was better than the paste No. 1 (Paraloid B-72 with CaCo3) and the paste No. 3 (beeswax, shellac, sawdust, turpentine and 6 ml of tea tree oil) in most properties.