The Magna Carta Rests in Special Argon Filled Encasement at Archives Conservation Lab
Posted on February 8, 2012
A team of engineers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) built a state-of-the-art encasement and transport cart to protect the National Archives Conservation Lab's copy of the 1297 Magna Carta. The first Manga Carta was signed by 1215 by John King of England. It was reissued in 1297 by King Edward I and was entered into the official Statute Rolls of England for the first time and became the foundation of English law.
The special encasement provides a controlled environment for the Magna Carta. NIST worked from a three-dimensional laser scan of the document to support it on the platform and to create a nest to hold the original wax seal with Edward I's likeness. The platform was created from a single 6-inch thick block of aluminum to minimize the number of joints or spots that could cause leaks in the encasement.
The enclosure is about 41 inches wide by 28 inches long and 6 inches deep. It weighs 225 pounds. The encasement cover is made of a special laminated glass with anti-reflective coatings to ensure maximum visibility of the document while also protecting it. The encasement is sealed with close-fitting bolts that hold the frame against double O-rings that create the encasement seal. The case was filled with argon gas. It will be monitored to avoid as much oxidation damage as possible.
The Magna Carta will soon be moved to the U.S. National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. It will be placed inside the new interactive display in the West Rotunda Gallery. It will be displayed alongside the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Here is a video about how the Magna Carta encasement was made. Take a look: