The Conservation Research Laboratory (CRL), directed by Dr. Donny L. Hamilton, is one of the oldest continuously operated conservation laboratories that deals primarily with archaeological material from shipwrecks and other underwater sites.  Operating under the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation, CRL plays an important role in the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University (TAMU), and works closely with all of the excavation projects of the TAMU-affiliated Institute of Nautical Archaeology.  In fact, students are a big part of the work done at CRL.  It is a great place to gain practical experience in conservation science.

CRL deals with archaeological projects year-round and consists of two laboratories: one is used primarily to teach conservation classes to students at TAMU; it is also equipped to conduct conservation of small inorganic and organic artifacts.  The second laboratory has recently been enlarged to accommodate bigger projects.  In 1995, we established the Archaeological Preservation Research Laboratory, which is devoted to developing new conservation technologies.

All kinds of artifacts are treated at CRL, from those made of iron, copper, brass, or pewter to those of wood, leather, glass, or ceramic.  We are currently conserving an extensive collection of material recovered from the 17th-century sunken city of Port Royal, Jamaica.  The laboratory has also undertaken the monumental task of treating all of the material recovered from the Belle, a 17th-century French ship that wrecked in Matagorda Bay on the Texas coast in 1686.  In addition to these large projects, CRL conserves artifacts for small archaeological organizations.  We also treat artifacts recovered from terrestrial sites.  To find out more about these projects, check out the links below.

Need artifacts any archaeological site - on land or underwater -- conserved?? 
Check out our SHIPWRECK ARTIFACT AND OTHER CONSERVATION SERVICES.

Information on how to conserve archaeological material can be found here on-line in Dr. Hamilton's
conservation class CONSERVATION MANUAL.

	CRL PROJECT REPORTS: CHRONOLOGICAL LIST
	CRL PROJECT REPORTS: WEB CAM SITES
	CONSERVATION U.S PATENTS

A WOOD / IRON CARPENTER'S CHISEL

LA SALLE SHIPWRECK PROJECT
When the Texas Historical Commission arranged for CRL to conserve all of the excavated material from La Salle's 17th-century ship, the Belle  - INCLUDING THE SHIP HERSELF- we knew it would be a great challenge.  Few, if any, shipwrecks excavated in the United States have contained the quantity and variety of material found on the Belle.  New conservation procedures have been developed for this project, and a new conservation vat was built especially for treating the ship's hull.  This vat is the largest wood conservation facility in the United States.

The following research reports illustrate some of the problems we have encounterd while conserving the Belle and her hold.  More will be added as work progresses.
 
 

	NEW CONSERVATION METHODS: SILICONE OIL AND ORGANIC CONSERVATION
	COMPOSITE WOOD/IRON ARTIFACTS: POLE ARMS AND PARTISANS
	CONSERVATION OF THE SKELETON
	CONSERVATION OF A WOODEN CHEST
	CONSERVING AND REASSEMBLING THE HULL
	MODELING LA BELLE

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS

INSTITUTE OF NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECTS
Over the past decade, the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, in conjunction with the Nautical Archaeology Program at TAMU, has excavated some of the world's most significant shipwrecks. The projects include a 13th-century B.C. wreck at Cape Gelidonya, Turkey; a 14th-century B.C. wreck at Uluburun, Turkey; a 4th-century B.C. Greek merchant vessel in Kyrenia, Cyprus; an 11th-century A.D. shipwreck at Serce Limani, Turkey; as well as a variety of other ships and ports, including the 17th-century town of Port Royal, Jamaica.  Various conservation problems encountered in these excavations will be presented from time to time at this web site. The following report is an interesting case of a possible ceramic fire pot found on the Santo Antonio de Tanna, a 17th-century Portuguese ship excavated by the Institute in Mombasa, Kenya, in cooperation with the Fort Jesus Museum.
 

A CERAMIC FIREPOT FROM A 17TH-CENTURY PORTUGUESE SHIP

OTHER PROJECTS
In addition to the projects of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology and the Nautical Archaeology Program, CRL conserves artifacts from projects sponsored by other organizations.  The first report presents the conservation of a 3-lb. Union field cannon captured by Confederate forces at the Battle of Mansfield, Louisiana, and brought to Texas.  It was buried near Fairfield, Texas, just after the Civil War by the Confederate forces to keep from handing it over to the Union. When Grover Cleveland was elected president in 1885, the cannon was dug up and fired at inaugural celebrations held in Texas. The gun has played a prominent role in 4th of July celebrations for decades in Fairfield Court and was even fired until recently. The cannon was in need of some conservation to stabilize it after decades of being displayed on the courthouse lawn in Fairfield.

Another interesting report documents the conservation of select artifacts recovered from an 18th-century British sloop that was found in waters off the Florida coast.  The excavation of the ship and the conservation of the artifacts are being undertaken at CRL by Southern Oceans Archaeological Research, Inc., an organization based in St. Augustine Florida.

A redwood irrigation pipe section was found on a golf course near San Francisco, California.  More on that later.

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This page is maintained by the staff of the Conservation Research Laboratory, Nautical Archaeology Program (crl@tamu.edu).
Last update: January 16th 2008.

The contents of this site - text, images, and data - are intended for personal information only. Downloading of information or graphic images contained herein for private use is not discouraged; however, written permission from the Nautical Archaeology Program is required for the publication of any material. Any use of this material should credit the Nautical Archaeology Program, Texas A&M University. For additional details, contact Donny L. Hamilton (dlhamilton@tamu.edu).

For prices for publishing rights to photographs and video from the Conservation Research Laboratory and the Port Royal Project, click here.

All La Salle shipwreck images and data contained within this web site are copyrighted ©1999 Texas Historical Commission. You are free to use information or non-copyrighted images from these pages for any non-commercial purpose. Any use of this information should credit the Texas Historical Commission.