Glycerol would prevent the periostracum from drying. Glycerol is also water soluble, so it can be washed off if necessary. However, glycerol absorbs water from the air & may cause the periostracum to get loose. But then again, maybe not. Aydin snailstales.blogspot.com On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:07:55 -0500, Sarah Longrigg <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >I recently found some Astarte/Tridonta (mostly A. elliptica) shells which >are almost certainly subfossil dating from the last ice age, but in almost >perfect condition, complete with periostracum. I allowed the first one I >found (unfortunately the only A. borealis) to dry out, and the periostracum >flaked off immediately, as soon as the shell was dry. I have kept the >subsequent finds in the clay and brackish water in which I found them, and >would like to know the best way of preserving these, bearing in mind that >they are probably subfossil and I particularly want to preserve the >periostracum. ... > >The shells have somehow been preserved buried in clay for thousands of >years, and possibly more recently in brackish water, and I am wondering if >there is some way of replicating this natural method of preservation for at >least a short period of time. Would keeping the shells immersed in saline >solution (in glass or plastic tubes so they could still be seen) preserve >the periostracum? > >Sarah Longrigg ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs To leave this list, click on the following web link: http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1 Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and click leave the list. ----------------------------------------------------------------------