The Conservation of Lindow Man and Subsequent Changes

Abstract

ABSTRACT Lindow Man is the name given to a body excavated from a peat bog in Cheshire in 1984. After extensive scientific examinations were complete a conservation treatment was developed and carried out using parallels drawn from the conservation of water-logged wood and bone. It was decided that soaking in polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution followed by freeze-drying offered the best prospect of success and the optimum method of polymer impregnation was determined by experiments performed on artificially-aged pig skin. Following successful conservation, Lindow Man has been exhibited in various locations and some changes of the skin colour have occurred. This has been monitored and some experiments on accelerated light-ageing carried out on a detached sample. Several areas for future research have been identified; these include the stability of PEG, the change of appearance of conserved bog body skin, and new methods of conservation.