Cultural heritage science - sometimes referred to as conservation science - is the scientific study of the materials associated with art and archaeology, including objects that can be moved and objects that must be studied on-site. Cultural heritage scientists study a wide range of materials that can include metals and corrosion products; textiles and dyes; mineral and organic pigments; gems; composite bio-materials, such as leather, velum, parchment and wood; paper and papyrus; natural and synthetic polymers; and even bio-films and bio-deterioration. Perhaps the materials of greatest interest to the ceramics community would include fired ceramics, glazes, adobe, enamels, mortar, glasses and ceramic nano coatings. In this article conservation scientists use familiar characterisation tools to discover the materials science secrets of art and archaeological objects.
