The newly established National Geological Museum of the Hellenic Survey of Geology and Mineral Exploration (H.S.G.M.E.) has successfully formed its first collaboration with the Department of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art of the University of West Attica, within the framework of the internship program.
The partnership focuses on the conservation of a rare 19th-century ore cart from the Lavrion mines, which is part of the museum’s permanent collection.
The students of the Department, Ms. Kalliopi Kanellopoulou and Ms. Eleni Adam, under the guidance of Associate Professor Ms. Vasiliki Argyropoulou, head of the “Metal Objects Conservation Laboratory,” and Dr. Maria Giannoulaki, in collaboration with the Director of the National Geological Museum, Dr. Konstantinos Laskaridis, and museum curators Mr. Michalis Fitros and Dr. Petros Chatzimpaloglou, are applying specialized conservation techniques aimed at preserving and highlighting the exhibit.
Specifically, the process includes documenting the history and condition of the cart, combined with analytical documentation techniques conducted at the laboratories of H.S.G.M.E. and the University of West Attica, in order to identify and implement the most appropriate conservation methods.
The main goal is to slow down the deterioration and ensure the long-term preservation of the artifact, safeguarding both the tangible and intangible geo-mining cultural heritage of our country for future generations.
This collaboration marks the beginning of an interdisciplinary dialogue between the two institutions, aiming to preserve Greece’s geological, mining, and industrial heritage.