Conservation encompasses actions taken toward the long-term preservation of cultural property. Conservation activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventative care, supported by research and education. Treatment of objects consists of stabilization and, if desired, restoration.
Stabilization refers to treatment that preserves the original material of an object and minimizes or slows deterioration.
Restoration is an additional step meant to return an object to a known or assumed state, often through the addition of non-original material such as fillers or paint. In conservation treatments, all added material is isolated from the original so that it is detectable and may be reversed if necessary.
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