Innovative, versatile, and economical technology for preserving cultural heritage

As its name suggests, the Conservation Soft Box is a flexible plastic case made up of tubes that hold a sheet in place around the object to be protected. It is airtight, and the internal conditions are controlled. An activated carbon filter absorbs any gases emitted by organic matter. Humidity is kept constant thanks to specially prepared silica gel bags which absorb the ideal percentage of humidity for preservation in that specific environment. Once enclosed in a Conservation Soft Box, any mummy or other artefact is safe for prolonged periods following which minimal maintenance is required.
Assembly takes little time, but choosing and calibrating all the components took years and involved various collaborations, such as one with Eco Research, a center in Bolzano that specializes in chemical analysis.
“I evaluated many materials before finding the most chemically stable ones,” explains Marco Samadelli, an expert in the conservation of organic remains at Eurac Research who coordinated the research team. “The result we have achieved now guarantees the same level of protection as the most sophisticated and expensive display cases. It has enormous potential for the conservation of mummies and other remains such as textiles or ancient artifacts.”

In addition to protecting and preserving, the Conservation Soft Box is also very well suited for transport, for disinfecting artifacts contaminated by mold and bacteria, or for new research. The elimination of external contamination allows for the isolation and in-depth study of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted directly from human remains, such as the odors emitted by Egyptian mummies, which are the result of the resinous substances used during embalming.

About ten years ago, Eurac Research obtained a patent for a passive display case capable of preserving cultural assets from contamination by fungi and bacteria without the need for electrically powered equipment. The Conservation Soft Box achieves very similar results but at a much lower cost. “With a Conservation Soft Box, we can save a cultural asset for a few hundred dollars, compared to the thousands needed for a glass case,” continues Samadelli. “Imagine what this could mean for countries with rich cultural heritage but limited resources to invest in their preservation. I really hope this is the way to give them the opportunity to enhance the value of these artefacts.”

The Conservation Soft Box was recently presented at the 11th World Congress of Mummy Studies in Cuzco, Peru, and in the near future, Samadelli hopes to share his work with as many people as possible: “We are thinking of workshops for conservators around the world to teach them how to build their own Conservation Soft Boxes and contribute to improving the conservation of the most vulnerable cultural heritage.”

Link to the scientific article published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage: https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S1296207425001529