The conservation of stone inscriptions is applied in the laboratory of conservation of the Epigraphic Museum, by experienced conservators under the supervision of the Museum Sculptor Mr. Stergios Tzanekas.
The incriptions’ collection is consisted of antiquities placed in the open air spaces of the Museum, as well as indoors. This means that different corrosion issues of the stone occur, that have to be confronted in different ways.
The interventions that are taking place aim to the detection of the mechanical, chemical and biological corrosion of the stone. The working method is the following: Mechanical clearance (obtained with special ultrasonic insert tips and/or with steam and/or with ultrasonics), chemical methods (especially with sepiolite) and replacement of corroded iron joints that through their intumescence create breaks on the stone. Moreover, a recover work of the cement supplements and supports is taking place, for the better underpinning of the inscription’s brashes.
The Museum’s laboratory conserves a number of inscriptions every year. The work has led to the conclusion that the most effective and managed method of intervention is still the mechanical clearance under the precondition that the conservator is experienced. For the support of the corroded surface, acrylic resins, supporting and impregnation materials were used. The layers and black crusts that were related with the atmospheric polution were removed with the help of absorbing clay, cleaning neutral soap and paper pulp packs. The corroded dowels were replaced by titanium ones.
There has been paid a great attention to the choice of the fillers for the completion of the cracks and gaps between two joined fragments of stone.
The conservation work is based on the rule that the of the inscriptions’ text is not related only with the effortless reading of the letters, but also with the holding of all of the information on the stone’s surface, that contribute to the further study of the inscription, such as color marks and carving tool traces.