Heritage Science – an introduction

Abstract

Heritage Science is a field of study that has emerged within the last 15–20 years. It is principally the scientific study of cultural and historic artefacts to assist their conservation and preservation, to enable public access to our heritage, and for overall collection management. It uses analytical science to identify the composition of objects, to determine how they change and degrade over time, and how conservation treatments affect them. Analytical science is also used to understand anthropological issues and enhance the wider public understanding of heritage.