Chemist

Othon Rousopoulos

Othon Rousopoulos (or Rhousopoulos - Όθων Ρουσόπουλος) was a chemist involved in the early cleaning and conservation of the Antikythera wreck findings. For more details, read this book by Dr. Georgianna Moraitou, Head of Conservation, Physical and Chemical Research and Archaeometry at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens: http://www.antikythera-mechanism.gr/node/778 Excerpt from the book related to the Mechanism: "Στην απο 1.12.1903 χειρόγραφη αναφορά του προς τον υπουργό, ο Οθων Ρουσόπουλος συστήνει για τον καθαρισμό του μηχανισμού των Αντικυθήρων την αναζήτηση γνώμης και από άλλους χημικούς και ιδίως απο τον καθηγητή Rathgen, τον διευθυντή του ερευνητικού εργαστηρίου συντήρησης των Βασιλικών Μουσείων στο Βερολίνο. Ο ίδιος ο Ρουσοπουλος πίστευε ότι "το αστρονομικόν όργανον δεν δύναται να υποστη χημικόν καθαρισμόν" επειδή δεν διέθετε μεταλλικό πυρήνα. Ωστόσο στη δημοσίευση του τού 1911 περιγράφει τον καθαρισμό του με κυανιουχο κάλιο και την προστασία του με βερνίκι νιτρικής κυτταρίνης". As Rousopoulos wrote: "Η συντηρηση του [μηχανισμου] ηταν μια δοκιμασια υπομονης και επιμονης, εκτος απο τη δυσκολια και την επικινδυνοτητα του εγχειρηματος" "Apart from being a difficult and perilous undertaking its conservation [of the Mechanism] was an arduous and painstaking process".

Eleni Mangou

Eleni Mangou is chemist and Head of the Chemical and Physical Research Department of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens since 1979.

She has a Bsc in Chemistry and a PhD from Patras University as well as an Msc in Archaeometallurgy and a Certificate in Archaeological Conservation from the Institute of Archaeology of London University.

Her PhD subject is on the Copper and its alloys in prehistoric Greece by examination of ancient copper artifacts from Aegean area, Crete and Mainland Greece dated to 4.000-1.000 B.C.

Her publications include 43 papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings as well as many contributions to archaeological monographs.

She has worked as a researcher in the Chemical Technology of the Chemistry Department of Patras University for six years (1973-1979).

She is member of the Greek Chemists’s Society, of the Greek Archaeometry Society and of the International Institute of Conservation of Works of Arts-Greek group.

Her research interestings are on the technology of ancient objects as metals, glass, faience, ceramic, organic materials and colours, on the research of conservation of ancient objects as well as on authentication problems. She has published a joint book with the conservator Th. Margiolopoulos on ‘Leather:Technology-Degratation-Conservation-Analysis’.

She has collaborated on the examination of the Antikythera Mechanism with radiographic X-rays techniques with Bromley and Wright in 1990 (Linear Tomography) and with the Group of the Antikythera Mechanism Research Project in 2005 (3D Microfocus X-Ray Tomography).

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