Scope and History of Archaeological Wood

Archaeological wood may be defined as dead wood, used by an extinct human culture, that may or may not have been modified for or by use, and that was discarded into a specific natural environment. Such wood has now been removed from this environment, taken out of the sequence of chemical and physical changes that would ultimately have transformed the wood either to a fossil or to dust. The condition of archaeological wood could be near normal or extensively altered. Age alone is meaningless in terms of deterioration, which depends on the type of wood, the environment, and time. Twentieth century society, with a new awareness of the value of the objects of the past and with new technology for handling them, is preserving this wood for posterity. This chapter will present a brief overview of the variable environments of discard, their effects on the properties of the wood, and 20th century attitudes toward technology of wood preservation.