At the Core of the Problem: A new method used to clean the bores Presented by Erik Farrell, archaeological conservator

Join The Mariners’ Museum and Park and the Virginia Conservation Association as they co-host a Facebook Live streaming event about a recent major conservation process at the Museum!

Come hear Erik Farrell, archaeological conservator at The Mariners’ Museum, present on the development and use of a custom-designed coring apparatus to clean inside the bores of USS Monitor’s Dahlgren shell guns. When the turret from USS Monitor was recovered in 2002, it contained hundreds of artifacts including the ship’s two XI-Inch Dahlgren Shell Guns. All of these were initially covered in a hard, thick material called “concretion,” composed of sediment, marine life, and corrosion. Over time, this material has been removed from the guns’ exteriors but, just recently, the Dahlgren’s interiors were cleaned. Farrell will explain the process behind boring the guns, and what this means for the rest of their conservation treatment.

Livestream can be view on the Virginia Conservation Association Facebook page.