Table 1 Description of alum-treated wood samples from the Oseberg collection. Wood type given where identified (the objects were too degraded to identify the genus)
From: Ammonium alum in alum-treated wooden artefacts: discovery, origins and consequences
Sample prefix | Description | Wood type |
|---|---|---|
185 | Samples from fragments from object 185, a loom. Fragments do not contain linseed oil or varnish, and have been sampled from the alum-rich layer. The fragments labelled 185-1 to 6, which originally fit together, are in increasing state of visual deterioration with increasing suffix number | Diffuse porous |
229 | Samples from fragments from object 229, a simple sled, without linseed oil or varnish. The fragments 5, 1B, 1C, 1D had distinct alum-rich and alum-poor areas, and were sampled from the “alum rich” (AR) part (close to the surface) | Diffuse porous |
203 | Samples from fragments from object group 203, pointed sticks for tents or horse tether | – |
206 | Samples from fragments of object group 206, from a stretcher | – |
207 | Sample from fragment from object 207, a large baking trough, that were not used in its reconstruction. Linseed oil coated. Previously cut up for analysis at different depths, and powdery residue was reserved for further study | Diffuse porous |
210 | Samples from object 210, which consists of fragments of an unreconstructed large barrel or vat, wooden parts of which have been treated with alum and thoroughly impregnated with linseed oil | Ring porous |
250 | Sample from fragment of object 250, a reconstructed carved board coated with linseed oil and varnish. Fragment 2 was from a broken off piece, sampled from inside to avoid contamination with linseed oil | Diffuse porous |
275 | Samples from fragments of object 275, a chest | – |
279 | Assorted fragments from different objects: coffin, nail, casket, plate, loom | – |
296 | Samples of fragments from unknown object 296 | – |
410 | Samples from fragments of object 410, a bed | – |