Nimrud ivories: a condition report

It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about ivory that the ancient ivories of the Nimrud hoard have not benefited from being soaked in sewage. The Art Newspaper reports:

. . . the exquisitely carved Nimrud Ivories have been suffering from dampness, following flooding by sewage-contaminated water last April, during the fighting. It is now clear that this has already caused some fragmentation and mould. . .

At the time of the first Gulf War in 1990 they were moved from the National Museum in Baghdad to the central bank, along with the Nimrud Gold, for their protection. After the vaults were opened last June, the tin trunk containing the boxed ivories was immediately moved to a drier room within the underground complex. Baghdad museum staff then spent several days cleaning and air-drying the ivories. However, the ivories were only superficially dried before they were repacked in fresh cardboard boxes.

Unfortunately, environmental conditions in the vaults remain poor, since it is cold in winter and hot in summer. It also still a damp environment. The ivories are, therefore, drying extremely slowly, a process which, from a conservation point of view, ought to have been completed many months ago because damp conditions often lead to the growth of mould.

Posted by David on April 12, 2004 10:18 PM