Analytical Pyrolysis: A Useful Tool to Analyze and Evaluate Consolidated Archaeological Wood

rchaeological wooden objects can be preserved for millennia in waterlogged environments where the action of primary biodegradation agents is limited. When wooden artifacts are removed from the waterlogged environment specific stabilization or consolidation treatments are needed to prevent damage during drying. The consolidant fills the gaps of cell lumen and supports the entire structure, improving its stability and load capacity to keep the object in shape. A large assortment of consolidation materials have been used and tested for this scope, and others are object of investigation and research, including green biomaterials as consolidants derived from lignin. Py-GC-MS is here described as a useful and promising technique to investigate complex composite waterlogged wooden objects.