A review of the corrosion of iron from terrestrial sites and the problem of post‐excavation corrosion

The mineral corrosion products on wrought iron artifacts in normal soils have been identified and are described in detail using in particular the Pourbaix diagram. After the excavation, radical changes may occur and methods of preventing deterioration are presented. The desiccation through a storage under extremely dry conditions, less than 15% relative humidity, is the most practical method of ensuring the stability of excavated iron. The artifacts are stored in perforated plastic bags in polyethylene boxes with snap-on lids, each box containing an equal weight of dried silica gel to that of the wrought iron objects themselves.