Laboratory for Documentation, Conservation, and Collection of Archaeological Monuments

The laboratory conducts research related to the documentation, preservation, and conservation of historical objects from archaeological research conducted at sites dating from the Paleolithic to the modern period. Conservation work is carried out on source materials made from raw materials such as metals, wood, leather, fabrics, bones, antlers, glass, and ceramics, by using modern conservation techniques and specialised equipment, including a vacuum chamber for the conservation of large objects.

The laboratory also provides a comprehensive service for digitising documentation, both archival and contemporary. A large-format scanner facilitates archiving maps, plans, and drawings up to 1 meter wide. A professional photography studio equipped with a high-quality camera, a large shadowless table, and flash lamps enables the creation of ultra high-resolution photographic documentation for historical monuments, the reproduction of books and engravings, and the scanning of archival colour and black-and-white negatives. The laboratory also features colour printers in various formats.

The laboratory’s collection activities include organising historical monuments in storage and monitoring their movement and condition within the Institute of Archaeology’s storage facilities and the Artefact Room, supported by detailed documentation in the form of records, reports, lists, and registers. In addition, archival historical materials held by the Institute of Archaeology are inventoried, and a systematic database of stored source materials is maintained.