The Science of Leather

Platform: Zoom
Time: This seminar will start at 3pm BST

There will be a 55 minute presentation followed by 15 minutes of discussion.

Please register here on Humanitix

This virtual seminar delves into the properties of leather, a common material in heritage objects. The session will go over the chemical structure of skin and how it changes upon tanning, as well as how it differs based on animal of origin and tanning methods, aiming to showcase the fascinating heterogeneity of this material. The session will also focus on how one can scientifically study a leather object via various methods to learn about it and those who created it, as well as the chemical signatures of its deterioration. Finally, health and safety aspects of handling leather objects, particularly deteriorated ones, will be touched on.

Marysia Tarnowska is a chemist and heritage scientist with a specialism in leather. Following a Chemistry PhD, they acted as a principal investigator for a collaboration between the University of Nottingham and the Natural History Museum on leather book bindings, worked as a conservation scientist at the British Library, and did a postdoc in the PELLIS project on Roman leather archaeology.

You will need an internet connection with a device that supports Zoom. You do not need a microphone or camera to attend.
This seminar will not be recorded.