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Salty Bricks and Varnished Spouts: May 2025 Conservation Updates

Leave a Comment / Conservation / May 22, 2025

With the winter semester now wrapped up, the Kelsey Museum’s conservators are enjoying a brief respite from assessing objects for class visits, but that doesn’t mean the lab is any less busy! Read about the projects that Carrie Roberts and Kathryn Peneyra—conservation fellow at the Kelsey—have undertaken over the past few weeks.

Conserving a Horse-Head Spigot

The Kelsey Museum will soon open its next Crossroads of Culture Object Spotlight, curated by members of the Kelsey graduate student community. This exhibition, exploring the interplay between humans and nature in the Middle East and North Africa, will display nearly 70 objects—all of which need to be evaluated prior to installation.

One artifact that Carrie investigated was a Roman-period spigot (KM 4975) from Fayum, Egypt. This bronze water spout is shaped like a horse head, with circular openings at both ends. In addition to its visible corrosion, the object’s condition was exacerbated by a varnish placed on it in the 1970s.

To address these issues, Carrie soaked the object in three successive baths of acetone. Between baths, she was then able to remove the powdery, pale green corrosion from the spigot’s interior surface using bamboo skewers, a scalpel, and ethanol swabs. A final acetone soak and an overnight bath in a corrosion inhibitor have ensured that the object can safely be displayed in the temporary Crossroads spotlight.

Carrie, wearing gloves and a lab coat, smiles at the camera while holding a small, light green water spout in both hands. On the counter behind her are jars and bottles containing various solutions, as well as a tray and forceps. — Carrie Roberts holds the horse-head spigot in the lab hood of the Conservation Lab.

The spigot, which is corroded and mostly green in color, sits on a piece of paper towel on a tray in front of chemicals and solutions. A pair of plastic forceps sits open beside the object. — Carrie Roberts holds the horse-head spigot in the lab hood of the Conservation Lab.

Investigating the Kelsey’s Salty Bricks

In the 1920s, Francis Kelsey purchased a collection of hundreds of stamped Roman bricks that are now part of the museum’s permanent collection. The bricks were stored in wooden cabinetry from then until the 1990s. During these 70 years of storage, organic acid vapor was slowly released by the wood the cabinets were made of, and this caused a chemical reaction with the salts already present in the bricks, resulting in efflorescence of big, fluffy salt crystals on the bricks’ surfaces. “In other words,” Kathryn described, “the bricks are salty! Very salty.”

The salt crystals present in the stamped brick collection cause some problems: when the salt crystallizes, it can damage the structure of the bricks; the crystals also conceal the bricks’ stamped surfaces, limiting their usability for research, classes, and exhibitions.

Kathryn characterized the salt thanks to the helpful conservation staff at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), including Conservation Scientist Christina Bisulca. Kathryn used the DIA’s Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer to analyze the chemical composition of the salts, allowing her to conclude that they were formed as a result of their past storage conditions.

Kathryn’s research on the bricks continues as she tests different treatment methods to remove the salt. She will ultimately write up a protocol for the Kelsey detailing how to treat the bricks going forward.

Three Roman stamped bricks laid out on white paper in a cart. The central object is the largest and has a faint stamped circle visible on its surface. It is flanked by partial views of two smaller bricks; to the left is a brick with a very faint circle, and to the right is a larger rectangular example with part of a Latin inscription visible. — Kathryn Peneyra gives a water bath to a Roman stamped brick (KM 1744) in the Conservation Lab.

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Meet Thea, Hannah, and Philippe: Ushering in the Next Phase of DiSKO

Leave a Comment / Students / April 23, 2025

The Kelsey Museum launched its DiSKO (“Digital Study of Kelsey Objects”) website—an initiative five years in the making—in August 2024, allowing students, researchers, and the public to gain up-close looks at artifacts in our collection through 3-D models. But now that the website is live, what’s next for the project? Leading the charge are Manager of Digital Assets Chris Motz and a team of dedicated students: Theodora Bilich, Hannah Edwards, and Philippe Kame. Together, these individuals are expanding and refining the project, as well as adding models to the 3-D asset website Sketchfab.

Theodora (Thea) Bilich is a dual-degree major at the University of Michigan. She studies anthropological archaeology and the fine arts in the hope of becoming an archaeological illustrator. Thea grew up in Ann Arbor, with the Kelsey Museum serving as a home away from home.

As a research assistant in the Archaeobiology Lab, Thea works with Kelsey curator Laura Motta on the AGROS project, which seeks to reassess assumptions on ancient sustenance, food processing, and malnutrition in Graeco-Roman Egypt. Thea’s work in the lab and with the DiSKO project involves creating 3-D models of crop remains from Karanis—objects that, as it turns out, are very challenging to scan because of their small size!

Hannah Edwards is a fifth-year PhD candidate in ancient history and a student in the Museum Studies Program. She is currently writing her dissertation on Macedonian identity and culture in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Hannah began working on the DiSKO project in the winter of 2024, when she was tasked with writing object labels and descriptions for the artifacts chosen to be modeled.

In the fall of 2024, she not only continued writing object labels but also began learning how to make 3-D models through photogrammetry—allowing her to learn how to use several software programs, including Agisoft Metashape and Blender, and different photogrammetry techniques such as focus stacking. Hannah is also employing these skills to photograph objects collected from an archaeological survey project in Pella, Greece, this summer. “Being a part of the DiSKO team at the Kelsey has given me the opportunity to work alongside and be mentored by faculty such as Cathy Person and Chris Motz,” Hannah said. “My favorite part has been sharing the final results with other professors, faculty, peers, and undergraduate students!”

With a background in art history and studio art from Swarthmore College, Philippe Kame is currently pursuing a master of architecture at U-M’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. His graduate work builds on this foundation, bridging historical understanding with contemporary design practices. He is currently working on a research project exploring the potential of 3-D printing with earthen materials, supported by funding from the Arts Initiative.

Outside the classroom, Philippe also enjoys designing and building furniture—an engaging and accessible way for him to apply architectural thinking through hands-on practice. At the Kelsey Museum, Philippe contributes to the ongoing digitization of the museum’s collection, a role that aligns closely with his interests in history and the use of emerging technologies to preserve and celebrate cultural heritage. Working with ancient artifacts that trace human origins has been one of the highlights of his experience, particularly the collaborative nature of the work, which involves troubleshooting and problem-solving as part of a team.

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From the Archives #64

Leave a Comment / From the Archives / March 29, 2021

By Sebastián Encina, Collections Manager

The “From the Archives” blog post from this past January featured the Kelsey Museum’s first method to track newly acquired materials. The ledger, very similar to ones used at other museums, is a line-by-line book of every item the museum accessioned, whether the item came via donation, excavation, or purchase. The ledger, though limited, provided a wealth of information. Each item was given its own unique inventory number, under which was listed as much information as was known: collection date, acquisition date, source, and any other relevant information. In some cases, ledgers would include drawings of the item, or drawings of special features.

As useful as a ledger is, there are several downsides in using this as the primary means of tracking objects. For one, the information captured is based on the time someone has to enter the information by hand. Second, it does not afford a researcher a way to search the collections. Since everything is entered as it was acquired, there is no way to search across or see a grouping of similar items. In time, a card catalogue was created at the Kelsey to help with searching and grouping, but these functions were limited.

These days, museums employ many tools to track their collections. At the heart of this for most museums is a database. There are many options, and a museum can choose a system depending on its own set of needs. Even these evolve over time; the systems available in the early days are not as powerful or sophisticated as newer systems.

For this month’s “From the Archives,” we present an early version of the Kelsey Museum database. Though not the first database used here, this FileMaker Pro database from 1996 still represents an early foray into the digitization of our collections. At this time, much of the database was text-based. Interns, volunteers, and staff would enter basic information from the ledgers or card catalogues into the database. As computers back then were so limited in space, it was difficult to include more information, let alone images. The pages of the Registry Database Manual presented here show how limited the database was in terms of information and presentation. Reports had to be written into the system, as customization was not possible.

Though databases now are faster, more powerful, and capable of so much more, it is important to acknowledge where we started and how we used to work with our information. In much the same way that excavation records dictate future research, so too does the way a museum captures information inform future research. Non-standardized text fields meant similar information was captured in a variety of ways (ceramics vs pottery, fragment vs sherd), causing incomplete searches.

It is important for museums to not only track the history of their collections, but also the way they work. Museum staff spend a lot of time decoding past actions and decisions, often with very little information to begin with. Being able to go back and find old records such as these database files inform us why certain artifacts are catalogued in certain ways. Having that history represents a full picture of the care of collections, how they have been handled and used. Knowing where we have come from at all levels will make for better-informed decisions in the future.

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From the Archives 27 — February 2018

Leave a Comment / From the Archives / February 27, 2018

BY SEBASTIÁN ENCINA, Collections Manager

The exhibition Excavating Archaeology presents a look back at the history of archaeological explorations undertaken by the University of Michigan. It was guided by the work of Carla Sinopoli, who co-edited the book Object Lessons and the Formation of Knowledge (with Kerstin Barndt; University of Michigan Press, 2017). This book presents the fabulous history of how the materials that came to make up the various libraries, archives, and museums at U-M — including the Kelsey Museum — arrived here in the first place.

The collections at the Kelsey have had their own books detailing their histories. Artifacts from excavations are thoroughly discussed in the book In the Field (Talalay and Alcock; Kelsey Museum, 2006), while Passionate Curiosities (Talalay and Root; Kelsey Museum, 2015) gives us the background of the objects that were collected by individuals.

Books like Object Lessons, Passionate Curiosities, and In the Field owe much to the many people who have, in their own way, written about the collections at Michigan. One of these is the focus for this month’s “From the Archives.”

For this month, we present a report written by Museum of Classical Archaeology curator Orma Fitch Butler. Butler, a native of Fitchburg, Michigan, and high school student in Mason and Lansing, received her bachelor of arts in 1897 from the University of Michigan. In 1901, she earned her master of arts, and then her doctor of philosophy in 1907, both also from U-M. After some time away, she returned to Michigan in 1912 as Francis Kelsey’s assistant in Latin and Roman Archaeology. In 1928, after several other promotions, Butler was named Curator of the Archaeological Collections, a position she held until her death in 1938.

As part of her duties, she wrote a report on the collections that was presented to the University president. This particular report is from 1930, and covers the time period when the Museum first opened (not yet named the Kelsey Museum). Dr. Butler writes about the collections and how they came to be in Ann Arbor. She tells us about the various people involved in procuring the artifacts, starting with Francis Kelsey. From there, she speaks about other U-M professors, friends from Ypsilanti, and friends from Tunisia, Italy, and elsewhere in Europe, Africa, and Asia. What she writes gives us greater insight into the objects we admire in the galleries every day.

Butler writes more than just about the history of the collections in her report. She speaks about the aftermath of Kelsey’s death (in 1927), and how the collections and Museum owe much to him and his legacy. She writes that, with little to no publicity, the Museum still received over 100 people in its third and fourth months. This interest that the public has in classical archaeological materials, Butler notes, is a great sign for the future of the collections. She stresses that the University has a duty to maintain and care for the collections.

Elsewhere, Butler writes about Newberry Hall, and how, even so early on, it is acknowledged that it is not adequate for a museum. However, the museum staff are using the space as best they can, with certain rooms dedicated to different exhibition themes (the long room in the back what is now the gift shop and classroom, long before the elevator was installed).

Ultimately, the collections are in good and sound condition. The future seems bright. The University needs to invest in the collections and care for them. By doing so, they will ensure they can continue being used for two important purposes: exhibitions and instruction. Butler would be heartened to know that, nearly 90 years later, this vision remains true.

Read more about Orma Fitch Butler here: https://www.lib.umich.edu/faculty-history/faculty/orma-fitch-butler

You can also view the entire report as a PDF.

Pages from Orma Fitch Butler’s 1930 report on the Museum of Classical Archaeology

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From the Archives — March 2017

Leave a Comment / From the Archives / March 13, 2017

BY SEBASTIÁN ENCINA, Museum Collections Manager

The name George R. Swain is one that is familiar to many in the Kelsey community. His photographs dominate the archives, and they make the bulk of those from excavations such as Karanis. He was also instrumental in the photography of collections from overseas, and capturing people in the countries he visited. Through his lens, we see life as it was in Egypt and Turkey/Syria in the 1910s and 1920s.

Swain’s is not the only name that played an important role in the history of Kelsey photography, though. Starting in the 1950s, Fred Anderegg worked with the Museum on a number of excavations, including the project at St. Catherine’s on the Sinai Peninsula. In the following years, Mr. Anderegg spent time photographing the Kelsey artifacts in order to document them. What ensued was thousands of photographs, all done in black-and-white on 35mm rolls. Thanks to Fred, the Kelsey now has thousands upon thousands of these 35mm images cut up into strips, organized by year they were photographed, the roll number within that year, and frame within roll. Each 35mm strip envelope includes a key for which artifact was photographed, and which frame it can be found in.

Many of these photographs were then contact printed, where a similar size print was made in the positive. These were adhered to the accession cards that acted as the database before computers became such an integral part of our daily work.

Over the years, the Registry has worked to digitize some of these when we needed good, quality photographs of our collections. However, with tens of thousands of these strips waiting to be digitized, it has been a daunting task, to say the least. A few have been digitized as needed, but only a handful and quite sporadically.

Recently, the Kelsey Museum partnered with the History of Art’s Visual Resources Collection (VRC) to pilot test a project where these photographs will be digitized en masse, with the proper metadata and filenames attached to each file. This will save the Kelsey many person-hours, and will allow for a greater inclusion of photographs in our database and for other uses. Though they are still in black-and-white, they provide great photographs where we can easily distinguish each item from another. These are used for publications, but also serve as record shots of our collection.

The entire process will take some time to complete, if it does go forward (we started with about 100 rolls to test out and see if we can continue it). However, it is a much quicker process than what we could do internally, and will result in higher-quality scans. In due time, these will be available to Kelsey staff, as well as researchers and students looking to get a glimpse of items often kept hidden out of view.

A selection of lamps photographed by Fred Anderegg in the 1970s

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A student’s perspective

1 Comment / Holdings, Students / January 16, 2017

BY PAIGE DE RUE, Kelsey Registry Intern and Major in Classical Archaeology and Anthropology

This past fall semester has been truly an exciting experience since I was provided with the awesome opportunity to work as an intern for the Kelsey Registry. Having experience working with a paleontological museum collection, I was familiar with some basic collections etiquette, but nothing could have prepared me for how thrilled I was to be working with archaeological material- my field of interest and study. My first day as an intern, I was a little intimidated to be working in such a pristine and restricted environment. However, I adjusted to this new environment just fine and focused my attention more on working with the collections, which was the best part of the internship of course! Working hands-on with the artifacts, I was often responsible for pulling objects needed for research or class use and returning them to their permanent location once they were no longer needed. I did an inventory of a couple cabinets and assisted with condition reports for a portion of loaned artifacts. Sometimes my help was needed for class visits to assist in watching the objects and ensuring their proper handling by students. This internship also taught me how vital a database system is to such a large collection. The database is essential for finding any artifact in the collection. It keeps track of temporary and permanent locations, gives you a history of where the artifacts have been in the past, and so much more.

A project I completed by the end of the semester involved reorganizing a portion of the collection in permanent storage. This project required extensive planning before any physical movement could take place in order to ensure a manageable project and safe handling of artifacts in drawers. I helped the collection become more consolidated and easily accessible by combining worked bone artifacts into one cabinet. I feel very proud to know that I have helped the future of the collection and that I was able to reorganize some artifacts in such a way that makes them better accessible for researchers, class use, and the conservators.

Without this internship experience, I do not think my long-term career goals would be the same as of today. The Kelsey Registry has shown me that I thoroughly enjoy working with archaeological collections in the museum setting versus working with archaeological material in the field. In my future, I hope to be working with museums collections and I know I will forever be thankful for my great experience as an intern here at the Kelsey!

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Welcome to Karanis: December 2012

Leave a Comment / Fieldwork / November 13, 2012

BY SEBASTIAN ENCINA, Collections Manager, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, University of Michigan

A month has passed since I arrived at Karanis, and work has been progressing well. Several areas are open at the moment, encompassing different sections of the site. The team is working mostly in areas not excavated by the Michigan team in the 1920s, outside the original Michigan boundaries. So far they have been excavating at a granary to the east of the North Temple, a kiln south of the South Temple, and a bathhouse north of the North Temple.

The finds from all sections have been interesting. Plenty of pottery has been found throughout the site, which is not at all surprising. Most of it consists of body sherds, but on occasion the team has found more unusual pieces, including filtered rims and whole vessels.

Glass and terracotta are still appearing. Fragments of a mask, possibly, and fragments of a shrine, potentially, have been excavated at the granary. This trench has also yielded a leather sandal, two large stone basins, and a mortar.

The site of Karanis has been a blessing for scholars for the amounts and types of materials discovered. This includes organics, which are still present: seeds, charcoal, textiles, and animal remains have come up in great numbers. Most interesting of all, though, are the large baskets and rope/cordage found. The weaving patterns used and shapes are reminiscent of those in the Kelsey collections.

There have been a few surprises thus far. The granary team found a pen that could have held animals, but its construction is puzzling. Walls were added that appear to serve no purpose. There is a hole in the wall, but its placement is right behind the newly built wall. Room 1 in the granary has a low-wall bin that seems quite small to have held much.

Unfortunately, one trench, the kiln, lies in the area destroyed by the sebakhim (farmers who dug up mudbricks for reuse). The levels here are disturbed, though they are still yielding plenty of finds. The room has two kilns, one small and one large. Though one glass fragment was found, it is likely this kiln was used for ceramics, as plenty of pottery and slag are found in the trench.

Due to ongoing work at Karanis, I will not be posting pictures of finds, as the team will likely want to publish their materials. However, I can show personal pictures of the site to give the reader a sense of the state of the town. Much has changed since Michigan left in 1935. Buildings that once stood prominently are covered by sand. Walls that towered over workers no longer exist. Wall paintings, decorated niches, dovecotes, arches are no longer visible. Some have been covered by backfill. Some have been claimed by the desert sands. Some have been destroyed by human hands.

When I return to Ann Arbor, I will present additional photographs to show the difference between 1920s Karanis and 2012 Karanis. Most has changed as detailed above. But the images shown here give a glimpse of how some structures remain unchanged.

Welcome to Karanis: December 2012 Read More »