In a message dated 4/27/2006 10:56:24 PM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes: As f'rinstance at Lucy The Margate Elephant, restored and air conditioned 20 or 30 years ago by a highly-regarded histo presto firm. Subsequent evaluation 10 or 20 years later found all manner of deterioration and moisture problems as bad as, if not worse than (as I remember) the pre-restoration conditions. in italian renaissance they used manure to keep mortar from drying too quickly. but using manure was illegal in florence, so when brunelleschi did the duomo-dome they had to ... had to ... well i forget what they had to do, but they couldn't use manure. talk about off-gassing. c -- To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to: <http://listserv.icors.org/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>