CONTENTS: Preface viii List of Illustrations xii 1. Indroduction 1 1.1 History of use of wood 1 1.2 Literary evidences 2 1.3 Location of wooden artefacts 13 1.4 Need to review our policy of acquisition of artefacts 17 2. Wood as material for art objects 19 2.1 Source of wood 19 2.2 Field identification of wood 21 2.3 Material of wood 26 2.4 Properties of wood 27 2.5 Water in wood 28 2.6 (i) Physical structure 29 (ii) Chemical structure 31 2.7 Technique of making wooden objects 32 3. Deterioration of wood 37 3.1 Environmental degradation 38 3.2 Mechanical degradation 41 3.3 Biological degradation 42 3.4 Chemical degradation 44 3.5 Inherent structural Defects in Wood 46 3.6 Examination and documentation 47 3.7 Treatment record of wooden objects 49 4. Conservation of wood 51 4.1 Steps in conservation 52 4.2 (A) Eradication of biodeterioration 52 (B) Cleaning 56 (C) Conservation 57 (D) Waterlogged wood 60 (E) Physical repairs 65 (F) Restoration / Retouching 67 (G) Preventive measures 68 Bibliography 69 Plates and figures 81 Index 113