The Role of the Wasa in the Development of the Polyethylene Glycol Preservation Method

Abstract

The wreck of the Wasa, a Swedish 17th-century man-of-war, was the first of the ancient ship hutts salvaged from the sea to be preserved with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The history of PEG use in wet archaeological wood is related as a background to the choice of PEG for the Wasa. The hull was preserved by spraying, and about 15,000 disconnected wooden pieces received tank treatment. The percentages of PEG in samples from different parts of the Wasa hull and from one of the batches of tank-treated material after preservation are presented. PEG distribution in the samples made a starting point for a discussion about the possible mechanism of PEG uptake in the wood.

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