What can we find out when objects talk to us?

The V&A’s Medieval and Renaissance Galleries are home to four 13th-century wooden columns that are currently the focus of an exciting conservation project using acoustic emission monitoring. This work is being done by the V&A’s Preventive Conservation team in collaboration with colleagues at English Heritage, and using equipment made possible by a generous RICHeS grant.

So what is acoustic emission monitoring?

Simply put, acoustic emission monitoring is a way of listening in to the tiny sounds that objects make as they move. These sounds are of such high-frequencies that we can’t hear them without using specialised equipment.

What’s the story behind the columns?

Acquired in 1886 by the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A), the columns are on display in Room 8 (The William and Eileen Ruddock Gallery). They date to about 1225 – 1250, were probably made in Southern Italy, and may have once supported a church pulpit (a raised platform used for preaching and readings). Their capitals and the uppermost parts of the shafts are covered with intricate carvings, including trees and vines, figures of saints and angels, as well as peacocks, lions and other animals. The many traces of pigments that are still visible on the columns suggest that they were once brightly coloured.

Medieval church furnishings of this age and carved from wood are extremely rare, especially for Italy – making these columns a remarkable survival. However, their age, material, historic condition, and large size make them both fragile and tricky to monitor, which is why our research project is so important.

How does the conservation project work?

We have attached two sensors to the columns which record the tiny sounds that the objects make, and will then analyse that data to look for any trends. Since these columns are made of wood, they naturally swell and contract as the environment around them changes. What we’re trying to determine through this monitoring is how much the columns are moving, and if that movement is causing any microscopic damage.

As we’re really interested in how the environment within the museum is impacting these columns, we want to run this analysis for a full year. This way, we can capture if the changing seasons are affecting them. Once we know more, we’ll be able to develop a plan to better care for these columns.

Acoustic emission monitoring gives us a non-invasive way to track movements on large and fragile materials, like these columns, in real time. By picking up these acoustic signals—those tiny sounds of movement—we can detect early signs of internal stress before they become visible. This allows us to be proactive and tailor our care to the columns’ unique needs as they enter their next century of life.

Can we use this monitoring for other objects?

You might also spot acoustic emission monitoring equipment in Europe 1600 – 1815 (Room 1) and the Dr Susan Weber Gallery of Furniture (Room 135). These spaces house objects that are benefiting from the same careful monitoring to track how they respond to changes in their environment.

Through this work, we’re not only protecting the wooden columns in Room 8 but also learning more widely about how wooden structures age over time and how their needs change. This knowledge helps us refine our conservation practices and ensures that these incredible objects are cared for well into the future.