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=Outline: Conservation of South Asian Household Shrines=

Introduction
shrines from Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist households have made their way into museums, and due to how they are used and their sacred nature, they present unique conservation challenges.

South Asian Religions: Overview
a.	Jainism: originating in the 7th century BC in India, it seeks enlightenment through nonviolence.

b.	Hinduism: polytheistic religion originating in India around 2000 BC; pluralistic in beliefs, seeks an infinite, transcendent state of being known as brahman.

c.	Buddhism: not a religion in the Western sense of the word, but instead a path of spiritual development/enlightenment. There are figures that are prayed to, but they are not considered gods per se.

d.	Use of Shrines: daily ritual worship in one’s own home is a central part of each of these religions.

Household Shrines
a.	Size: Varying in size from simple tabletop setups to shrines that take up a full wall of a room.

b.	Origination: they can be purchased or commissioned, depending on the wealth of the individual. c.	Materials: Wood & paint, primarily,  occasionally with extras like gold leaf  or leather fittings. Further east, they’re often lacquered

d.	Use: Used in daily ritual of prayer/meditation that can include ritual bathing or anointing with oil, lighting of candles or burning of incense, offerings of food/flowers

Potential Damage
a.	General Deterioration of Materials Used


 * i.	Wood: warping/cracking due to extremes in humidity; can especially lead to cracking along joins.


 * ii.	Paint, Gold Leaf, Lacquer: gold leaf can crack when wood underneath it moves too much in humidity and can easily suffer water damage; paint can flake or crack with age; lacquer can scratch and crack, either itself or show through from the paint layer underneath.

b.	Specific Hazards for Shrines


 * i.	Pests (attracted by offerings)


 * ii.	Smoke residue causes blackening


 * iii.	Bathing/anointing leaves residue


 * iv.	Residue from being handled - salts, oils, etc.


 * v.	Shrines often have doors, hinges can weaken


 * vi.	Various injuries (abrasions, dirt, cracks, pieces missing) from being moved or even buried

Preventative Conservation
a.	Examination: full physical examination, making sure to approach objectively, initially observing without assigning probable causes before moving into analysis of treatment decisions.

b.	Storage: ideal relative humidity of 50%; keep away from direct sunlight, use UV filters

c.	Handling: as little as possible, carefully when necessary. Gloves to prevent damage from skin

d.	Display: same as storage, with additional consideration of keeping visitors from touching while leaving the lights high enough to see.

Restoration
a.	Ideal State: before treatment is determined, the desired outcome should be carefully considered and researched: should the piece be restored to original appearance, in-use appearance, or current appearance?

b.	Treatment of Materials:


 * i.	Wood: cleaning with solvents; reversible repairs can be made and/or replica parts made to replace damaged ones


 * ii.	Paint: flaking paint can be injected with glue, painted surfaces cleaned with solvents.

Cultural Considerations
a.	Ideologies in conflict: museums seek to preserve the past, educate the public, but at the expense of a religious object’s ritual use.


 * i.	Specific example: Hindu ritual objects are often meant to be temporary, one-use; even if they aren’t that transient, they’re supposed to be replaced if damaged because they’re no longer suitable vessels for the gods.

b.	Ethical considerations: conservation/restoration should be undertaken with an eye to what is appropriate for the religion in question.


 * i.	Principles of active practice and passive accommodation: knowledgeable practitioners can engage in formal interactions with the object, while the museum staff allows it.


 * ii.	Research: consulting with appropriate texts and religious representatives to determine best steps.


 * 1.	Example: Jain shrine at Nelson, more recent layer of paint not removed due to karmic imperative to restore old shrines.


 * 2.	Example: White River Valley museum consulted with representatives of Buddhist community to determine best way to store and display their butsudan shrine.

c.	Reconciling of what a religion values (use of these objects) vs what a museum values (preservation, cultural exposure); need for museums to present objects in ways that reconnect religious objects with their ritual use. This educates both the museum staff and the visitors.