Museum collections are very susceptible to pest damage and pest control in museum environments is tricky. Damage can sometimes go unnoticed for years due to the gradual nature of the deterioration as well as the often-concealed storage of items. The damage caused can be irrevocable. However, sadly, so can the problems caused by the solution. Moreover, different government regulations have restricted the amount and the types of pesticides that institutions can actually use, so pest management in museums has become an environmental, health and safety issue (Davis, 2012). Museums have routinely used pesticides in collections for years. Many of these materials leave residues on museum artifacts and carry various health …show more content…
Using neem leaves, clove, black cumin, black pepper, dry garlic, lemon peel, eucalyptus leaves while storing woollen articles is well known in Indian households. Although there are many natural products rich in pesticide properties; the study on their use in textiles is very limited and not well documented. The relative lower incidence of adverse reactions of herbal products as compared to chemical pesticides, coupled with their reduced cost, can be exploited as an attractive ecofriendly alternative to currently used harmful pesticide used in museums for conserving …show more content…
Textiles are indispensable part of human civilization. The role and function of textiles in any society has been both general and specific. While textiles, have been part of all major life-cycle ceremonies as birth, weddings and funerals. They also help to distinguish individuals, groups in terms of social class, gender, occupation and status within a group. In many societies textiles have played important role in the social, economic and religious life.
Woollen textiles are one such thread in history of India which has served the everyday needs of people literally from birth to death. Woollen textiles have often been used by those in power, worn and displayed in quantity to indicate opulence, prosperity and awe and gifted to retain loyalty (diplomatic gesture). They are an important tool for studying popular culture, economy and social history. These artifacts help tell the story of art and technology.
Museums all over the world retain and cherish such artifacts. They expand public knowledge and appreciation—locally, nationally, and internationally—of the artistic merits and cultural importance of these valuable Indian