Today’s blog is dedicated to finds, the generic name we
bestow on any item we retrieve from our excavations. These can be anything from
an animal bone, a piece of pot or a King Henry III halfpenny (although the
latter are extremely rare!). Whatever it is, each is carefully recorded,
cleaned and packaged on site before being sent to specialists in each
particular item for further study.
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| Recording finds in three dimensions |
Step 1: Recovery
As soon as an object is uncovered, it is recorded in three
dimensions. For finds such as animal bone, iron nails and shells, this means we
are able to see their distribution within each context although these objects
will then be collectively bagged. Other objects, such as pottery, window glass
and window came (the lead strips which held the glass in place) are recorded in
three dimensions as small finds, and are bagged individually. This enables us
to be able to locate these particular items precisely within the trench and
discuss dating and distribution patterns in greater detail.
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| Sieving for finds |
However, it isn’t always possible to retrieve all objects
that are deposited in a context. Some items might be too small to spot and
sometimes the methodology employed to excavate the context may also restrict
our ability to spot objects; there is an obvious difference between spotting a
find whilst troweling and spotting one whilst mattocking! As a result, all the
soil removed from each context is carefully sieved, revealing items that would
otherwise have been lost forever. We also use the invaluable services of Steve,
a metal detectorist who systematically scans our spoil heaps to retrieve any
objects that we may have missed.
Regardless of where and how we found them, all finds are
then bagged up with the site code (THOR14), the trench and context it
originated from and (where applicable) the small find number. They are then
sent back to camp for the next stage in the process.
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| Hilary, our superstar! |
Step 2: Cleaning
Finds now enter the care of Hilary, who is the organiser of
the campsite and chef extraordinaire, producing the best food we’ve ever had on
excavation in the most primitive of circumstances. She’s also in charge of
finds processing, ensuring that finds are cleaned where appropriate, are dried
and repackaged for further study.
The first step in finds processing is to work out what
should and should not be cleaned. Objects such as animal bone and pottery are
(usually!) extremely robust and can therefore withstand a cleaning process
which basically involves scrubbing it with a toothbrush until all the dirt has
been removed. However, other objects such as window glass are not only
extremely fragile but react badly to being immersed in water, fragmenting and
decaying even further; metals such as iron are similarly adverse to this method
of cleaning. As a result, finds are sorted into their relevant material groups
and only those which can be cleaned are subjected to the toothbrushes wielded
by our willing volunteers.
Step 3: Drying and
packaging
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| This is only a tiny percentage of the retrieved tiles! |
Once the finds are clean, they are dried on newspaper for a
few days to allow all the moisture within them to evaporate. Failure to do this
will mean that the objects sweat within their bags, leading to the development
of mould and bacterial growth which will eventually destroy crucial evidence.
This is also the first time excavators will be able to see the items they
retrieved in their clean and recognisable form, so it’s quite an exciting time!
After a few days have passed, the finds are segregated into their material type
and placed in clean bags with all the relevant information written on them in
permanent pen. They will be then sent to specialists for further study, and the
information they provide will be incorporated within the final excavation
report.
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| Packaged finds waiting for their onward journey |
At the moment, the excavators are producing plenty for the
finds processors to do; Trench P in particular has produced enough tiles to
keep us busy for the next fortnight! However, as work progresses, it is almost
certain that even more objects will be uncovered and coaxed to reveal their
secrets.
