Some of the most impressive objects found on the wreck of the Mary Rose were items of clothing, made from leather, wool, silk, and velvet. Clothing and accessories can tell us lots about the people that owned them, including their social standing, jobs, and pastimes.
Materials such as wood, leather, and wool deteriorate due to factors in their environment such as ultraviolet light (the harmful part of daylight that causes sunburns), and biological attack from pests and bacteria. The Mary Rose was preserved thanks to the dark, anoxic (no oxygen, meaning no pests can survive), and stable environment under the silt. Fabrics made of plant fibres such as linen or cotton did not survive, as their structures are more easily digested by bacteria and microbes, so many degraded before the ship was buried beneath the silt. To preserve the textiles after their excavation, conservators carefully removed the silt through washing with conservation-grade detergents, and gentle brushing.
