Leather Chain Belt

The object was excavated in Scarborough, North Yorkshire in the 1960s and is currently owned by Doncaster Museum as part of their World Cultures collection. The historical background and country of origin are unknown. It is estimated to have been produced sometime in the 19-20^th century. The environmental conditions at the burial site had caused the iron chains to become heavily corroded, resulting in the chains becoming stiff and unable to move without causing the chains to detach from the belt.

The corrosion was removed from the chains using a fibreglass pen and scalpel, following the application of a liquid de-corroder for fifteen-minute intervals.

Dry environmental conditions at the excavation site had caused the leather to become dry, brittle and distorted. This was treated using a preservation pen to slowly add moisture to the leather in order to restore flexibility and allow the belt to be reshaped.

The object was thoroughly cleaned to remove corrosion and ingrained dirt from the burial site using a natural fibre brush and a museum vacuum.

Finally, the loose chains and beads were reattached to the belt to fill any losses that had occurred during conservation treatment and during excavation. The aim of the treatment was to improve the appearance of the object to a suitable display standard and prevent further deterioration of the object.