Advances in Understanding Microbial Deterioration of Buried and Waterlogged Archaeological Woods: A Review

Abstract

This review provides information on the advances made leading to an understanding of the micromorphological patterns produced during microbial degradation of lignified cell walls of buried and waterlogged archaeological woods. This knowledge not only serves as an important diagnostic signature for identifying the type(s) of microbial attacks present in such woods but also aids in the development of targeted methods for more effective preservation/restoration of wooden objects of historical and cultural importance. In this review, an outline of the chemical and ultrastructural characteristics of wood cell walls is first presented, which serves as a base for understanding the relationship of these characteristics to microbial degradation of lignocellulosic cell walls. The micromorphological patterns of the three different types of microbial attacks—soft rot, bacterial tunnelling and bacterial erosion—reported to be present in waterlogged woods are described. Then, the relevance of understanding microbial decay patterns to the preservation of waterlogged archaeological wooden artifacts is discussed, with a final section proposing research areas for future exploration.