SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE

Protection and Enhancement of Cultural Heritage.

The Case of Transport Amphorae

RE-ORG
Reorganization of an archaeological
storage with amphorae
Veljko Dzikic
 Survey (ICCROM 2011)
500.000 museums world-wide
Billions of objects
90% of all objects in the storages (only 10% on
display)
60% of collections in storages are at risk of physical
damage
 Methodology
Self-evaluation tool
o Questionnaire to identify the state of conservation in a storage

4 sections to assess and to improve

10 criteria of a professional storage
4 phases of a RE-ORG project
 10 criteria of a
professional storage
One trained member of staff in charge
Basic administrative document exist
The building is sound
There is a storage department that includes 3 components:
office, workroom, collection storage
The collection storage area contains only objects that are
accessioned and that will be accessioned
There are no objects on the floor
Every object has a specific location
Every object can be physically located within 3 minutes
Every object can be physically retrieved without moving more
than 2 other objects
All objects are sound, clean and ready for research or display
Leaking windows - flooding
Blocked access to objects
Unused space on the shelves
Blocked corridors and access to collection
Non-collection items in the storage (red)
Shelves not labeled and access blocked by objects on the floor
Objects stored in several rows making retrieving difficult
 What do we want?
Optimize floor occupancy
Optimize storage height occupancy (by furniture)
Optimize shelves occupancy
Improve the safety of people working in the storage
o Blocked corridors, bad lighting, damaged furniture can lead to injuries

Improve the safety of objects

o Optimizing space prevents overcrowding

Improve accessibility of objects

o Without localization system the objects are in greater risk of damage while
handling

Make a storage a pleasant place to work

 How do we do it?
20 museum professionals
10 working days
Minimal financial resources
4 phases
o Creating a team
o Study of the storage
o Preparing a proposal for a RE-ORG project
o Implementing the proposal
 How do we do it?
Creating a team
o Essential, in order to make following phases as smooth as possible
 How do we do it?
Creating a team
o Essential, in order to make following phases as smooth as possible

Study of the storage

o Detailed study through 4 sections (management, building, collections,
furniture/equipment) to identify main problems
 How do we do it?
Creating a team
o Essential, in order to make following phases as smooth as possible

Study of the storage

o Detailed study through 4 sections (management, building, collections,
furniture/equipment) to identify main problems

Planning of the RE-ORG project

o Finding solutions, proposing the outlook of a new storage, creating an
action plan for implementation
 How do we do it?
Creating a team
o Essential, in order to make following phases as smooth as possible

Study of the storage

o Detailed study through 4 sections (management, building, collections,
furniture/equipment) to identify main problems

Planning of the RE-ORG project

o Finding solutions, proposing the outlook of a new storage, creating an
action plan for implementation

Implementation
o The preparation (first three phases) account for 75% of time and
implementation only 25%
 Main principles
Non-collection items out of the storage
If more than one function of the storage separate
Regroup by one of the criteria (origin, dating,
style)
o At the end always regroup by size (width/length, height, volume)
o Regroup by frequency of use (if applicable)

Optimize
o Storage space (horizontally, vertically)
o Storage units (furniture), in individual shelves and in vertical space (adding
shelves)

Implement localization
Phase 3
ACTION PLAN
121
Optimizing floor space

29% 36%

46% 67%
38%
12%
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4

Extra heavy Very voluminous More than 2 meters > 30 kilos

Extra voluminous More than 2 meters Thin

2/3 men to move 1 men to move 2 men to move

Category 5 Category 6 Category 7 Category 8

10- 30 kilos < 10 kilos < 0,5 kilos Costume

volumineux

1/2 men to move 1 men to move 1 hand to move 4 hands to move

Category 9 Category 10 Category 11 Category 12

Flexible Flexible Framed Framed

Could be rolled Cant be rolled < 50 cm > 50 cm

1 men to move 2 or more man to move

 Storage of amphorae
Ancient techniques
o Always vertical
o Regrouped by type (form)
o In sand or slots, buffered with straw
 Museum context
o Stored vertically or horizontally
 Museum context
o Stored vertically or horizontally
o On the ground (tripod stand) or on the shelves
 If there is no furniture use pallets and individual tripod stands
In 2 or 3 rows
 even 4 rows
 even 6 rows
 Optimizing room height
Need for industrial shelving
o Adaptable levels

Need for industrial platform

 Need for safety precautions in case of earthquake
o Bars on the side of shelves
o Securing the shelves from toppling over
 Optimizing shelves
Need for support for horizontally stored objects
o Wooden bars
o PE foam supports tailored to shape
o Boxes, crates for each (expensive)
 Museum context
o Stored vertically or horizontally
o On the ground (tripod stand) or on the shelves
o Different types and sizes of amphorae
 Museum context
o Stored vertically or horizontally
o On the ground (tripod stand) or on the shelves
o Different types and sizes of amphorae
o Where do we store biggest (largest, heaviest) objects
Ease of access and safety of employees
Frequency of access
 Any suggestions for the end?