The co-owner and operator of Smoky Mountain Relic Room, Chase Pipes, has extensive experience in archaeology, paleontology, geology, and history. In his work, Chase Pipes is involved in the preservation of pieces he obtains during his finds.
Through the preservation of archaeological and historical finds, generations learn about the lives of those who have come before them. There are several factors that influence the process of preservation.
In general, researchers take both a reductionist and holistic approach to preserving artifacts, whether they are simple objects or whole sites. A reductionist approach looks at every piece of the find as an important explanation as to the what, where, when, how, and why of an event or a place.
During the holistic process, researchers strive to keep the artifact similar to its current state (depending on the context of the piece) or to the state when it was used. For example, artifacts from September 11 will be preserved to hold the significance of the tragedy that happened that day, i.e. un-restored watches stopped at the time of the plane’s crash. Alternatively, restoration of a piece of art or an object (i.e. military coehorn mortar) provides an explanation of how the object appeared before use.
Another factor that influences the preservation process is the environment. Finds that are located in or near water or marshy lands have to be moved very carefully. Water damage over a few years can affect materials, so when dealing with artifacts that might be centuries old, researchers have to use safety measures that will decrease the likelihood that the materials will disintegrate. In many cases, research teams have one of two choices. They can move the site or building to a new area of construction or they can move the site adjacent to or underneath the newly constructed area. In either case, these decisions will depend on the engineering capabilities of the team and the importance of the site.
Chase Pipes 