Wood has been, since the dawn of human development, an important material for construction and tool-making, while also serving as an energy source. It has been present in all human time periods, while artefacts made of wood have only occasionally been preserved. In a temperate climate wood is preserved in marshes, rivers and seas that contain water with a low oxygen concentration, which would enable the development of microorganisms. Archaeological wet wood, which has been preserved through centuries or millennia in a wet environment, can be preserved in several ways. We differ between a passive conservation, where objects are not being meddled with, and an active conservation, where the objects are preserved through various interventions. Why is it even necessary to preserve archaeological wet wood? Throughout history wood has been one of the main and most useful materials for construction and daily usage. Analysis of wooden remains enables a unique look into the material culture, economy, industry and construction of different time periods. Once combined with other paleoenvironmental data we can achieve a better understanding of landscape and its usage through time.

The accompanying exhibition Preservation of wood from wet environments was created as a collaboration between the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, the Restoration Centre of the IPCHS and the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana.