Description: (Formerly numbered Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials 264.) Lecture, three hours. Recommended preparation: basic knowledge of general chemistry and materials science. Introduction to materials and techniques of rock art, wall paintings (including painted surfaces on cement and composite decorative architectural surfaces), and mosaics. Archaeological and ethnographic context, techniques, and materials. Pigments, colorants, and binding media. Chemical, optical, and structural properties. Relationship between composition (chemistry), structure (crystals, molecular arrangement, and microstructure), and properties explained using basic concepts from physics and chemistry. Intrinsic attributes and resistance to weathering. Causes, sources, and mechanisms of deterioration (physical, chemical, and biochemical). Letter grading.

Units: 2.0