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Citizens of the United States of America choose to imbue their national symbol with special significance, especially those flags associated with history-making events, such as the Battle of Baltimore. We who are charged with caring for the Star-Spangled Banner have to recognize not just its uniqueness but how it fits into the tradition of flag-making, and we need to recover as much of its history as possible. We look to solve the puzzle of the artifact’s identity, to rediscover what has been lost. Before any course of treatment can begin, careful examination of the artifact must be undertaken. In the course of nearly nine years of observation and treatment, we have assembled file drawers of technical reports, 4,000 images—including detailed images, even three-dimensional microscopic images—and undertaken structural and chemical analyses which provided insight into the breakdown of the protein, the type of wool used, the dye materials. Yet we have many unanswered questions. Ultimately, we need to conserve and preserve the flag so that future researchers using new technologies and insights might discover even more about this unique artifact. This paper attempts to share some of the information we have gathered along the way.

[IVI.CID] 70d7799b-57c7-4e99-9d5e-f5423e9426a3