ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND TREATMENT OF MICROBIAL AGENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DETERIORATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL OBJECTS IN THREE JORDANIAN MUSEUMS

Abstract

This study aims at isolating, identifying and appropriately treating of archeological objects in Jordanian Mu- seums that were attacked by microorganisms. Archeological objects (organic and inorganic) conserved in three Jordanian Museums included: The Museum of Jordanian heritage; Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University (YU), Dar as-saraya Museum in tallirbid (DS) and Museum of archeology, Jordan University (JU). Fifty samples were analyzed. Results indicate the presence of 8 fungal species on tested archeological objects. Furthermore, the identified bacterial isolates were found to be referring to 11 bacterial species. Of these 19 objects 5 were found to be inhabited by the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum, 7 objects inhabited by Aspergillus niger (the black mould) and 8 objects were contaminated by yeast. The fungus P. chrysogenum was found to inhabit mainly bones, wooden objects and clay pots. Yeast was found in bones, snail shells, wood, iron and textiles. However, A. niger was contaminating bones, wooden objects, clay pots, unbaked clay jars and basalt. The pseudodiphtheriticum was found on bones, pottery, stones, bronze and glass objects, whereas, C. aquatium inhabited mortar, stones, bronze and glass. 11 archaeological objects at the archaeological Museum, Univer- sity of Jordan, were found to be contaminated by 10 bacterial and only one fungal species which is yeast. However, of these 11 objects 9 were found to be inhabited by the yeast fungus and these objects were repre- sented by bones, antiler horn, wood, horns, plaster floor, bronze, glased pottery. Finally, 6 objects represent- ing antiller horn, wood, glased pottery and bone were contaminated by C. aquatium, whereas, 4 objects (bone, horns, wood and albaster) were contaminated with Corynebacterium pyogenes. Furthermore, 7 objects were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and these 7 objects include wood, plaster floor, pottery, al- baster and glased pottery.