Tuuli Kasso

Biography

I am a conservator, archaeologist and a scientist specialised in the study of materials, craftsmanship, and history of art. I first came across with biocodicology during my research on radiocarbon dating of parchment, and became fascinated by the potential that the Fragmenta membranea manuscript fragment collection of the National Library of Finland could provide for the international interdisciplinary research. During my PhD at the University of Copenhagen, and as a member of B2C and ArcHives, I have studied the two precious materials encompassing medieval material culture and craftsmanship, parchment and beeswax:

• How does the choice of animal relate to the manuscript production as a part of medieval husbandry practices?

• Is beeswax a potential biomolecular archive for e.g. geographic origin of beeswax through protein, DNA and pollen?

Education & Expertise

2022: Postdoctoral researcher at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek via ArcHives (beeswax, GC-MS, pigment analysis)

2022: PhD in Science, University of Copenhagen (beeswax, aDNA, proteomics, palynology)

2018: MSc in Archaeological Science, University of Oxford (beeswax, seals, FTIR, GC-MS, SEM-EDX)

2017: MA in Archaeology, University in Helsinki (parchment, radiocarbon dating, clean room work)

2016: BA in Archaeology, University of Helsinki (wall paintings, pigments, pXRF, SEM-EDX)

2014: BA in Conservation, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (material analysis, archaeological material)