Jacket exhumed
Date Published
: Personal apparel (clothing), cemeteries / graves / headstones
: Perth
: Perth
: 1888 to 1899
Remains of jacket exhumed from east Perth cemetery
Jacket exhumed
"In a grave dating between 1888 and 1899, archaeologists uncovered what appeared to be a remarkably well preserved wool jacket. Exposure to the atmosphere and associated changes in climatic conditions put organic materials at significant risk of rapid deterioration. It is extremely rare for such intact textiles to survive in archaeological deposits.
It was essential the jacket was conserved—and quickly. The Chung Wah Association raised funds from the Chinese community to enable the National Trust of Western Australia to undertake the conservation of the clothing. These donations were matched by Australian Development Capital and Warburton Group.
Over a period of 120 or more years the jacket had become rock hard, encrusted with sand and plant roots, and affected by the decay of the body. In a complex and difficult process an archaeological textile conservator used special chemicals to relax the fabric and remove the human remains that had survived the burial. Scientific testing revealed that high levels of chromium, used in the wool’s dye, had helped preserve the fabric. There was also manganese, a fixing agent, and a sulphur/ selenium mix which indicated three sources of wool used to make the cloth."
Source: https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/UB-Online-Exhibition_A4_WEB.pdf
Jacket Exhumed
