ABSTRACT
Carbon assay has not been centre-stage in this series of conferences on preservation in situ (PARIS), but as archaeologists we certainly recognize that our most informative materials are carbon-based, and are fragile. A quickening decay of such organic deposits will deliver an increasing dose of carbon into the Earth’s atmosphere in its lowest energy form, CO2. Here its property as a ‘greenhouse gas’ (GHG) will trap infra-red radiation and will thereby contribute to planetary warming, a positive feedback effect that is recognized as damaging (IPCC, 2007). The present paper therefore explores the extent to which the principle of PARIS, and the archaeologist’s special understanding of decay in antler, bone, wood, and the organic matrix, may offer a fresh approach to managing the terrestrial segment of the carbon cycle, with potential benefi ts not only for heritage assets but for mitigating climate change, improving water quality, reducing fl ood risk and encouraging biodiversity (Figure 1).
