Wood in cultural Heritage. Properties and conservation of historical wooden artefacts

Abstract

Wood is one of the most used materials in the human history for the production of artistic works, evidence that reflects not only the availability of wood but also its natural aesthetic qualities. The investigation of wooden artefacts supplies an interesting reference framework for better understanding the technical construction skills of the past and provides concurrently information on the significance of the artefacts, on their values and also on the historical period during which they probably were created. Changes in the structure of the wood can help conservators to know the characteristics of the past storage spaces, giving so indication for better understanding the conservation state evolution during time and to plan the optimal maintenance activities. Anamnesis and diagnosis are indispensable phases in wood restoration and conservation: they should become routine activities. The main aim of this approach is to choose the best intervention as possible in order to allow maintaining the cultural values of the artefact and, at the same time, preserving, valorising and transmitting it to the future generations. This paper provides a short review of case studies based on scientific investigation of wood artworks in order to increase their knowledge through objective data.