I cleaned a Greco-Roman sandal which was excavated from Karanis, Egypt. The straps were missing, and only the left sole remains. However, it is in fairly good condition.
It was made from woven raffia, a type of fibrous palm. The long pieces were split into six sections at the edges and woven into an intricate border. Most sandals darken over time due to oxidation and deterioration, but this one is still light gold, close to how it would have appeared in antiquity. A knot in the middle and two weaker areas on the edges show where the toe thong would have gone. The bottom of the sole is more damaged than the top, with dry and cracking palms. Some of the bottom-most layer of raffia is damaged or missing.
First, I brushed off the loose soil. I used a small vacuum, with the suction turned down low and gauze placed over the opening. I brushed from the center of the sandal to the edges, pushing the soil toward the vacuum. Not too much that came off with this method, as it had previously been brushed off.
To clean off the excess dirt, embedded from when it was buried in Karanis, Egypt, I used a 1:1 solution of ethanol and deionized water. I made small cotton swabs and shaped them either fat, for the flat sections, or pointed, for the edges. I moistened the swabs in the solution, then blotted it on paper towel. I wanted them to be just slightly damp, as I did not want to get the sandal wet. That would have caused more damage than good.
I gently rolled the cotton along the fibers. The idea is to pick up the dirt by rolling over it and lifting it off, rather than wipe and potentially work it into the material. I had to go over several places a couple times before the soil would come away.
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I had to let the area dry and rest before returning, to make sure I was not keeping the organic material damp. There were some areas on the back that I could not clean very well, as they were deteriorated or detached. Too much motion would have damaged these areas more. The hardest part was the border. The dirt trapped in between the weaves was not being picked up by the cotton swabs. I had to use a small needle and brush to remove the soil there.
In the end, most of the dirt was removed, but not all of it. They did not want it to be perfect. It still looks worn and old, but it is brighter and cleaner now.
Left: top of sandal. Right: bottom of sandal, before conservation.
It was made from woven raffia, a type of fibrous palm. The long pieces were split into six sections at the edges and woven into an intricate border. Most sandals darken over time due to oxidation and deterioration, but this one is still light gold, close to how it would have appeared in antiquity. A knot in the middle and two weaker areas on the edges show where the toe thong would have gone. The bottom of the sole is more damaged than the top, with dry and cracking palms. Some of the bottom-most layer of raffia is damaged or missing.
First, I brushed off the loose soil. I used a small vacuum, with the suction turned down low and gauze placed over the opening. I brushed from the center of the sandal to the edges, pushing the soil toward the vacuum. Not too much that came off with this method, as it had previously been brushed off.
To clean off the excess dirt, embedded from when it was buried in Karanis, Egypt, I used a 1:1 solution of ethanol and deionized water. I made small cotton swabs and shaped them either fat, for the flat sections, or pointed, for the edges. I moistened the swabs in the solution, then blotted it on paper towel. I wanted them to be just slightly damp, as I did not want to get the sandal wet. That would have caused more damage than good.
I gently rolled the cotton along the fibers. The idea is to pick up the dirt by rolling over it and lifting it off, rather than wipe and potentially work it into the material. I had to go over several places a couple times before the soil would come away.
I had to let the area dry and rest before returning, to make sure I was not keeping the organic material damp. There were some areas on the back that I could not clean very well, as they were deteriorated or detached. Too much motion would have damaged these areas more. The hardest part was the border. The dirt trapped in between the weaves was not being picked up by the cotton swabs. I had to use a small needle and brush to remove the soil there.
In the end, most of the dirt was removed, but not all of it. They did not want it to be perfect. It still looks worn and old, but it is brighter and cleaner now.
Left: front, after conservation. Right: bottom.
