An Interesting Day with CSI:

SURPRISE!!!! It’s not Sunday and yet I'm already back again (you lucky lucky people) unfortunately I won't be able to get to a computer on Sunday, so here's the second post on my blog. (Downside, there will be a longer wait for my next one =[a whole 9 days!!!)

SOOO here we go..... 

In between working hard (yes I have a job as well), cleaning bones for the Eastbourne Ancestors Project and running this blog, on Wednesday I went to a presentation and workshop with CSI: Sittingbourne (Conservation Science Investigation) which was run by Dana Goodwin-Brown. 

I really enjoyed the presentation which covered many methods of archaeological conservation, such as the importance of looking at grave plans, examining x-rays previous to working on any artefacts and different methods of cleaning and preserving finds. These included scalpel cleaning and air abrasion. The before and aftercare of artefacts was also discussed and we learnt about block lifting and the importance of using silica gel in the preservation of finds that needs to be kept in a dry environment, such as ferrous metal work and the fact that the gel needs to be regularly replaced. 

This is a photograph of an Anglo Saxon Shield Boss that was found at the Eastbourne Anglo-Saxon Village in St. Anne's Road in 1997. Many hours where spent cleaning this, with air abrasion, but due to the poor aftercare of the item, the silica gel was never replaced, and the boss now shows clear signs of severe oxidisation and pitting. 

The CSI: Sittingbourne site and the Eastbourne Anglo-Saxon site share a lot of similarities which enables them to work closely together in regards to the conservation of artefacts. The Sittingbourne Site, known as The Meads contained 229 burials and approximately 2500 finds making it a site of high importance. Sittingbourne like the Eastbourne Ancestors project, is community led, allowing for member of the public to get involved and help maintain and preserve the archaeology found in their towns. 

A hair pin found at the Eastbourne Anglo Saxon Site

A brooch found at the Anglo Saxon Site in Eastbourne

In the afternoon after the presentation, we got a chance to try our hand at cleaning and preserving some samples. I was 'lucky' enough to have the challenge of removing 20 year old blu tack from the back of antique thimbles, which had been used to attach it to a wooden board. (Oh how I HATE blu tack now!!), this was done using a toothpick and scalpel under a microscope (and a lot of time). After that I helped to remove sticky tape that had been used to stick a medieval pot back together. Using a cotton bud and a solvent solution I slowly removed all trace of the tape. (NOTE: NEVER use sticky tape to stick archaeological finds back together) 

A Medieval Pot

Below are some links that you might find interesting: 

CSI: Sittingbourne’s Blog/Website

http://anglosaxoncsi.wordpress.com/ 

And these are English Heritage publications on the guidelines of Conservation in Archaeology, Free Downloads are available. 

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/x-radiography-of-archaeological-metalwork/

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/investigative-conservation/

So that's all for this week, and just incase you're thinking that the title of this blog is somewhat misleading, next week... there will bones :D 

I bid you farewell

Maisie