AIC 53rd Annual Meeting

In the spring of 2024, a fire at the Archaeology Lab at James Madison's Montpelier caused significant damage to collection materials, many of which were housed in polythene bags that melted under the intense heat. These recently recovered collections were in the initial phases of processing. Much of the contextual information and inventory that archaeological research depends on was recorded solely on artifact labels and paper lists that were also affected by fire. This paper outlines the development of a preservation strategy to address the state of the collection. The conservation methods tested include a combination of mechanical, thermal, and chemical techniques.The focus of the tests is twofold: first, to develop an effective approach for removing the melted polythene from the archaeological materials without causing additional damage; and second, to recover as much of the original inventory and contextual information as possible from the charred and melted labels. In collaboration with local public safety offices and archaeological repositories, further research is taking place to assess how the choice of storage materials may impact artifact preservation and recovery in fire events.