Date of Award
2019
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Honors Thesis
Department
Chemistry
First Advisor
Anne Wilson
Abstract
The study of cultural heritage objects requires reference materials for comparison in order to determine the identity of chemical compounds in historically/culturally significant artifacts. The reference materials available today can be inaccurately labeled, can contain inauthentic compounds, or can simply be formed differently than what the labeled material should be. Utilizing the laboratory at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, three case studies were conducted over three different potential reference materials in order to properly identify each of the three materials being focused on here. Based on the analysis, the labels for these materials often do not match the actual material. This mislabeling should be addressed as incorrect properties can result in misinformed conservation efforts that have potential to go awry.
Recommended Citation
Kastenholz, Heidi, "Case Studies of Potential Reference Materials in Cultural Heritage Science" (2019). Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection. 482.
https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/ugtheses/482