Page 182 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

The anchors are also hosed with freshwater on a regular basis to reduce salt build-up which occurs close to the sea.
submerged site and its artefacts are found, as well as an awareness of the juxtaposition of artefacts and structures throughout a site. Consideration should also be given to the significance of the artefacts according to the research objectives. A familiarity with the materials from which these objects were constructed or which are likely to be found, is also necessary, as is an understanding of the degradation processes they have most likely undergone. Their potential for future analysis should also be envisaged, along with their ultimate use in display or research.
The need for conservation
The aim of conservation is to preserve or rediscover the object’s original surface according to current professional standards. The main objective is to “make the artefact talk”, via its ornamentation, manufacturing marks, surface treatments, preserved organics and traces of use, about where it came from and how it was made and used.
The environment and its impact on the artefacts
As soon as a land site, a vessel or an object is sub- merged, it is subject to the impact of the new en- vironment by the infiltration of water in the porosities, corrosion, colonization by fungi and algae, deposition of calcareous species, sand erosion, hydrolysis, etc. A process of degradation begins which is directly linked with the immediate environment and dictated by physicochemical, biological or geological para-
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© B.Jeffery.The remains of a Yap Aech, Lubumow,Yap Islands, Federated States of Micronesia. The Aech Survey Project
began in 2008 with the aim of documenting the material remains of the aech in addition to their histories, how and when they were used, and their placement in context with the reef and coastal environments.The documentation of the aech provided a good understanding of the aechs and thereby enabled the conservation, restoration and sustainable preservation of the aech sites for future use and appreciation.
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Conservation and site management