Second, the conservator treats the object. A treatment
may consist of stabilization or restoration. A conservator stabilizes
objects to halt the deterioration processes. The conservator sometimes
restores objects, making the objects look more like they did sometime
in the past. Conservators document all steps in the treatment
process using written reports and photographs.
Stabilization stops or slows deterioration and keeps more damage from
occurring. For example, the conservator may consolidate flaking paint on a
surface by adding a small amount of a stable glue beneath each individual
flake. A fragile piece of acidic, yellowed paper may be washed in special
solutions to remove deterioration products caught in the paper fibers. A
fragile object may be supported on a specially designed and constructed
mount.
Conservators often stop their treatment with
stabilization. It is not always necessary to restore an
object. Often damage will reveal internal details. For example
in the broken edge of a potsherd you can see materials added to the clay
that are hidden on the smooth and polished surface. Stabilization does not attempt to make the object look new.