Corrosion and Conservation: Protecting Metal Artifacts in Cultural Heritage

Dear Colleagues,

Metal artifacts represent a vital part of our global cultural heritage, encompassing archaeological finds, historical tools, arms and armor, coins, sculptures, and architectural features, including maritime elements pertaining to the steam age. These objects bear witness to technological advances, artistic expressions, and cultural interactions throughout human history. However, their long-term preservation poses significant challenges, particularly due to the susceptibility of metals to corrosion under various environmental and anthropogenic conditions. Once buried, exposed, excavated, or displayed, metal artifacts are vulnerable to complex degradation processes that can irreversibly damage their structure, surface, and cultural value.

This Special Issue of Heritage, “Corrosion and Conservation: Protecting Metal Artifacts in Cultural Heritage”, aims to bring together leading researchers, conservators, and heritage scientists to address the pressing challenges and innovative solutions in this multidisciplinary field. The issue will explore the science of metal corrosion, the development of diagnostic and monitoring tools, and the implementation of conservation strategies tailored for cultural heritage contexts. It seeks to stimulate scholarly dialogue, share best practices, and highlight advances that bridge the gap between materials science and conservation practice.

The Special Issue encourages contributions that examine the corrosion mechanisms affecting various metal types such as iron, copper alloys, silver, lead, tin, and composite materials. Understanding the physicochemical interactions between metals and their environments, whether in soil, seawater, or museum settings, is essential for diagnosing the condition of artifacts and predicting their future stability. Research focusing on the characterization of corrosion products, the influence of environmental parameters, the role of scientific analysis on decision-making, and the role of microbiological activity are particularly welcome.

Equally important are studies that explore conservation treatments, both traditional and novel. Contributions that assess the efficacy, reversibility, and long-term impact of corrosion inhibitors, protective coatings, electrochemical methods, cleaning agents, and other stabilization techniques are encouraged. The Special Issue also seeks to address preventive conservation measures, such as environmental control, packaging, and storage solutions that can mitigate corrosion risk before damage occurs.

We also welcome interdisciplinary case studies that document the conservation of metal artifacts from specific sites, collections, or exhibitions. These may include challenges encountered during excavation, conservation in the field, public display, or long-term storage. Reflections on ethical issues, sustainability, and cultural considerations in the preservation of metal heritage are also valuable additions to this discourse.

Ultimately, this Special Issue aspires to create a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and methodologies that can contribute to the responsible stewardship of metal cultural heritage. As we confront global issues such as climate change, pollution, and resource limitations, the preservation of metal artifacts demands innovative, science-based, and sustainable approaches. We invite scholars and professionals from across disciplines to contribute their research and insights to this timely and important collection.

By fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing, we hope this Special Issue will serve as a valuable resource for current and future efforts to protect and preserve metal artifacts, ensuring they continue to tell their stories for generations to come.

Dr. Ian Donald MacLeod
Prof. Dr. Ahmad N. Abu-Baker
Dr. Omid Oudbashi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• corrosion
• conservation
• archaeological metals
• archaeometry
• decay mechanisms